Let China face the consequences

ARTICLE: China Holds Firm on Major Issues in Obama's Visit, By HELENE COOPER, New York Times, November 17, 2009

Not unexpected: China will say no on everything until sufficient pain and fear are felt.

Now is the time to let that happen, not in terms of the U.S. making threats it cannot keep. "Strategic reassurance" is a valid approach there.

But we have to stop shielding China from the world with our efforts. Let the forces that will inevitably come after Chinese interests do so. Let them learn what it is to be a big boy on the global scene.