Salesmanship
This is actually an addendum to the previous post, but is essential enough to merit its own confines. Chinese President Hu Jintao was just in America for 4 days. That his elbows were rubbed much more with business leaders than with the President should surprise nobody. China's relationship - right now - with the US consists strictly of economic opportunism exploiting a dependence: Drug addicts are not able to negotiate with dealers. In this construct, President Bush isn't even an addict - he'd have to be cast in the role of a parent of an addict trying to persuade the drug-dealer to forgo his/her life of easy luxury in favor of a more "noble" means of vocation.... just so he (Bush/parent) could be let off the hook raising his child in such a way as to enable the addiction to occur.

You might not agree with that extended metaphor.

But you should agree with its ultimate resultant: we (Americans) have nothing in the way of leverage with China. Which isn't necessarily disastrous at the negotiating table (not that it helps). Especially if you can make the other party perceive you as having something to offer, be it now or in times future. In either case, something needs to be CREATED. Whether it is an illusion or an awareness of potential, for one to persuade they have to be able to fashion it. Bush is simply not able enough to do so (exception: an institution even more dim-witted than he: the American public and/or senate).

I, PHiL

Things looked at during the writing of this post:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archimedean_solid
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12418382/