Great Expectations: Washington, Beijing, and the North Korean Nuclear Crisis
Abstract Throughout the North Korean nuclear crisis, the Bush administration has believed that China is the most crucial player in the effort to find a solution. Washington has frequently expressed disappointment that Beijing is not willing to put more pressure on its misbehaving client. China faces a dilemma, however. Although most evidence indicates that Chinese leaders are not happy about Pyongyang's quest for nuclear weapons, keeping the Korean peninsula nonnuclear is not China's highest priority. Beijing is even more concerned about preserving North Korea as a geographic buffer between the U.S. sphere of influence in Northeast Asia and the Chinese homeland. China does have substantial economic leverage over North Korea, since it supplies a major portion of the country's food and energy supplies. The PRC is cautious, however, about using that leverage to coerce Pyongyang regarding the nuclear issue. Chinese leaders fear that putting too much pressure on Kim Jong Il's regime could cause the North Korea...
China and the Korean peninsula: Playing for the long term
Halting North Korea's nuclear program is not the ultimate end that China hopes to achieve. China's calculations, interests, and goals are more long term and complicated, comprising a hierarchy of these six objectives.
Using Skills from Art in Surgical Practice and Research-Surgery and Art
Many aspects of surgery and the arts are inexorably linked together, and the use of artistic techniques or ideas to improve surgical practice is present throughout the history of medicine. In all forms of surgery, throughout the ages, artists have been used to illustrate new ideas, new techniques and to document surgical practice. Some of the most successful art originated from surgeons who were also artists; perhaps due to their innate understanding of what they were portraying. Studying art and developing creative skills can enhance modern surgical practice in many different ways.