etach himself from two opposing camps or schools of thought, sympathize with each and insist the differences between them were less than believed," James Mann writes in his book "The 0bamians." But there is a point when ideological detachment becomes inconsistency and irresolution. When caution — elevate

Institution, 1992); David M. Lampton, Same Bed, Different Dreams: Managing US-China Relations, 1989-2000 (Berkeley: University of California, 2001); James Mann, About Face: A History of America’s Curious Relationship with China, from Nixon to Clinton (New York: Knopf, 1999); Robert Sutter, US-Chinese Relatio