The capture of Bin Laden would virtually guarantee the reelection of George Bush Jr., as it would confirm to the millions of undecided voters of the U.S. that the war against terrorism was judstified after Bin Laden had authorized the attacks of 9/11 against New York and Washington.
“A new administration Bush would present China as its great new ally in the war against terrorism. China would enjoy in Washington the status of a most favored nation with all of its facets. Contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars would be approved by fast track. The history of human rights violations in China would be ignored,” confirmed last week a high-level representative of the Pentagon. He added that only a small number of “members of very high rank” in the Bush administration knew about the plan to “seize Bin Laden in exchange for a special relationship with China.” With almost certainty, among them would be the vice-president, Dick Cheney, and the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld.
Original here.
So is this the reason why Bush won’t have bilateral talks with N. Korea, with his insistence that China stay in the loop? He needs China to play ball with him and he’s willing to do a deal with them to ensure his re-election?