Seeing Red Over Russia, US May Cozy Up to China

Moscow may physically stand in between Beijing and Washington, but Russia’s aggressive behavior could bring the US and China closer together, Geoff Dyer argues in the Financial Times. The Kremlin’s interference in Georgia has Washington seething, and “a low-level confrontation in Georgia that pits Russia against the US helps China’s short-term interests rather well,” writes Dyer.

Upon taking office, President Bush vowed to get tough with China but has since been distracted by the war on terror. If his focus on Islamic extremism wanes, the Kremlin could seize his attention again away from Beijing. “If Russia ramps up the pressure much further, it could actually push China closer to the US,” Dyer concludes. (More China stories.)