R.I.P. Containment

[travis911]

If you have ever taken a U.S. History class that covers the last 60 years or so chances are you have heard of the old time-tested strategy of containment. Essentially, the Soviet Union and its allies were 'contained' through a series of economic, political and military measures so they could not expand their influence. Many would argue the strategy was the biggest reason why the US and its allies won the Cold War.

Some have argued the US should apply the same strategy to Iran and China. Well thanks to modern technology like Social Media, modern telecommunications, and international commerce, containment as strategy is dead. People can now share ideas, exchange money, tweet or use things like weibo to give each other information in a blink of an eye. Technology it seems has killed an old strategy.



http://thediplomat.com/2012/09/24/r-i-p-containment/

[Roaming East]

If you have ever taken a U.S. History class that covers the last 60 years or so chances are you have heard of the old time-tested strategy of containment. Essentially, the Soviet Union and its allies were 'contained' through a series of economic, political and military measures so they could not expand their influence. Many would argue the strategy was the biggest reason why the US and its allies won the Cold War.

Some have argued the US should apply the same strategy to Iran and China. Well thanks to modern technology like Social Media, modern telecommunications, and international commerce, containment as strategy is dead. People can now share ideas, exchange money, tweet or use things like weibo to give each other information in a blink of an eye. Technology it seems has killed an old strategy.



http://thediplomat.com/2012/09/24/r-i-p-containment/

Im not terribly sure how the spread of social media has effected the classic strategy of economically strangling your foe, or using your military and political clout to internationally isolate one. If anything Social media greatly enhances the western worlds ability to do so.

[harryc]

I thought it was Radio that killed the idea of containment

People can now share ideas, exchange money, tweet or use things like weibo to give each other information in a blink of an eye. Technology it seems has killed an old strategy.

War on the global scale is driven by economics.

[Token White Guy]

Travis is like the Crysis of Chinese OMG threads.

[Netagy]

Travis is like the Crysis of Chinese OMG threads.

Travis911 is a postbot for thediplomat.com, which is mostly an anti-china website.

[dc_b4.mc]

I still don't get it, instead of provocative gestures which obviously have opposite effects, what if the international community helps China to rid of the party or force it to reform isn't it making everyone better off in terms of basically everything, well, probably not for the defense contractors and forum trolls.

[Steak-Sauce]

[...] what if the international community helps China to rid of the party or force it to reform [...]

I'm curious how you want to do that.

[ubermensche]

I thought it was Radio that killed the idea of containment

Nope, globalization did.

[Chairborne Ranger]

I thought it was Radio that killed the idea of containment

No, you're thinking of the Vaudeville Star.

[xiledsoviet]

It sounds like you want America to police the world.

[Ought Six]

Ideological containment of China is not an issue. Only their own people buy their ridiculous propaganda. But political and military containment is an ongoing U.S. policy meeting with varying levels of success.

Ideological containment of Iran is a component of the greater war of cultures between the west and various extremist Islamic nations/groups. There has been mixed success on this front. Political and military containment of Iran has also had mixed results, the most notable examples being U.S. involvement in the Syrian revolt; the very large U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf; economic, political and military support of Israel; and efforts to quash Iran's nuclear weapons and missile programs.