鄧永鏘（DavidTang）
中國會、上海灘創辦人
WeChinesearesupposedtobeinscrutable!ButIhavealwaysfoundtheAmericanstobemoreinscrutable!Americaisauniquecountry.Itisbyfarthemosteconomicallypowerfulcountryintheworld.Itseconomyis30timeslargerthanitsnearestrival.Itstreasurybondsremainthemostrespectedbyfar.VirtuallyeverysinglecountryintheworldwhichholdsreservesincashholdssomeormostofitinU.S.Dollars.Itisalsotheonlyrealsuperpowerinmilitaryterms-inpossessionofmightynuclearandawesomeconventionalarms,notonlyonitsownsoil,butstationedalsoallovertheworldinfriendlycountriesandinforeignwaters,withclandestinesubmarinessurveyingthesurfaceswithstealthperiscopes.
TheAmericancultureisalsopervasive-Hollywood,McDonald's,Starbucks,Levis,doughnuts,andwhathaveyou.Consideringthatitshistoryisfewerthan300years,Americaisthetruephenomenonofthemodernworld.
YetAmericaisalwaysthesubjectofmuchderision.CountriessuchasCubaandVenezuelaarenotexactlyallies,andalthoughtheEuropeanUnionisostensiblyfriendly,manymemberstates,especiallyFrance,gooutoftheirwaytocriticizeAmerica.Russia'sColdWarissupposedtohaveended,butsuspicionsabound,andbothofthesenationsspendanenormousamountoftimeworkingoutandworkingonothercountriesinordertoachieveaconvolutedbalanceofpowers.IntheMiddleEast,America'spresenceisnotexactlyembracedwarmly,exceptperhapsinIsrael.Iraq,inparticular,isnowagiganticproblem.EveniftheShiasandSunniscouldcometolivesidebysidepeacefully,whichalreadyseemsimpossible,theproblemoftheKurdsseemshardlytohaveevenbeencontemplated,letaloneresolved.SoAmerica'sexertionaroundtheworldisverycomplicatedinforeignaffairs.
ButwhilstmanynationsandindividualswillcriticizeAmerica'sinterference,wemustrememberthatAmericaremainstheonlybenevolentpolicemaninglobalterms.WecanhardlyforgettheseminalrolewhichAmericaplayedinWorldWarII,andinmorerecenttimes,BosniaandKuwait.SofullmarksshouldbegiventoAmericaforhavingthefortitudetointerfereinforeignaffairs.
Theonlyquestionableaspectiswhether,withthebenefitofthedoubt,America,withallthebestintentions,isactuallycapableofmakingabetterdifferenceintherealworld.Iamafraidtheanswermightbeno.IthinkIhavecometorealizethattheweakestargumentforAmerica'sinvolvementoutsideofAmericaismaybetheirarroganceoforignoranceincarryingouttheirgoodintentions.Theymeanwell,buttheyjustcan'tgetitright.InAfghanistanandIraq,therewerenolocalexpertstospeakof,orevenexpertswhospokethelocallingo.Spieshadallbeenreplacedbysatellitesurveillance,andagreatdealoftheorieshadsubstituted,poorly,therealitiesontheground.
TheonepointinIraqthatIdonotunderstandishowtheAmericansdecidedtodisbandthepoliceandthemilitarywiththeiroccupationabinitio.SurelytheirexperienceinpostwarJapanaloneshouldhavetaughtthemtobemorecautious.GeneralMacarthur,thedefactoemperorofJapanfor10yearsimmediatelyafterJapan'ssurrender,apparentlyspoketoonly6Japaneseinhisentiretenure,andheleftvirtuallyalltheJapaneseinstitutionsintact.Andthatwasonthewholeaveryskilfulpieceofadministration.
Sothequestioniswhycan'tAmericagetitrightwhentheymighthavealltherightintentions?It'sdoublyirritatingthatthisshouldbethecasebecausegoodintentionsoverevilaresupposedtobringgoodresults.Yetaroundtheworld,Americacontinuestoexertheradmirableinfluence,buthalfthetime,theydon'tgetitright.TheevengreatersadnessisthatwhentheydogetitrightandsucceedinthingslikeMcDonald'sandStarbucks,thosearepreciselytheexampleswhichwe'dpreferthemnotto!
MaybethemostpersuasivereasonwhyAmericadoesnotgetthingsrightisbecausetheyareincrediblyinsular.Onlyabout10%oftheentirepopulationof280millionpeoplehavepassports,andevenfewerhavegoneabroad.RememberwhenPresidentW.BushbecamePresident,hehadonlybeentoMexicoforonedayandnowhereelseintheworld.SoperhapsAmericansshouldtravelmore.Theywillthenseemoreoftheworldandbecomemoreworldly-almostaparadoxicalconclusion,giventhatAmericaisinpossessionoftherichestintheworld.ButwhatPoorAmerica!