But that is merely another erroneous (not to mention amoral) assumption. The alliance between Syria and Iran dates back more than two decades, and was explicitly reaffirmed by the two ruling regimes as recently as January 2005.

It rarely is. But when lots of easy money pushed by a deep pocketed government comes into contact with the profit motive of a sophisticated, competitive, and amoral financial sector, matters get taken far beyond the government s intent.

Li, an avid reader of world history and literature, has apparently not taken to heart the lesson that so many Chinese have learned, through great personal tragedies, since 1949. The core values of China s government are not informed by the humane civility of Tang or Song poets, but by the twisted dialectics of Marxism Leninism and the amoral militaristic tradition of a party that still cherishes its often brutish and violent habits of governance.