Monday, August 13, 2007
(12:00 AM) | Adam Kotsko:
China and Africa: A Game-Theory Perspective
Western powers are apparently concerned about China's increasing investment in Africa. Long-time readers of this site know precisely why: global politics are based on the game of Risk. The Western powers assumed that since the Chinese were starting out in Asia, they would never be able to control an entire continent and get the bonus troops that came along with that. After all, anyone who has played Risk knows that getting bogged down in Asia is a ticket to overextension and defeat. Now, of course, the Chinese are going for the relatively "easy" continent of Africa while no one else is paying attention.I wouldn't be surprised if, after consolidating their control of Africa, they next turned their sites on Australia. After that, can South America be far behind? The US's influence over Brazil is waning just when China's activities in the adjacent Northen Africa sector are increasing. Some strategically placed bonus divisions and a few lucky rolls could very well mean the end of the Monroe Doctrine.
The dangers for the European Union are if anything even starker -- all they have going for them is the single continent, and history has proven that the power that holds northern Africa can very easily take Spain as well. Italy also provides an obvious route, as demonstrated in World War II. If I were the EU, I would divide my extra troops evenly between Spain and Italy for the next few turns, and also redouble my efforts to get Turkey to join, in order to provide an additional buffer.
Along those same lines, the US should seriously consider annexing Kamchatka.
