Taking the family to LegoLand, so this will be the last post until Monday.  Just a bunch of links to important or interesting stories that I did not get to fully cover in this shortened week.

Elizabeth Economy asks “Is it time to harden our Asian alliances?”  The answer, of course, is yes.

In other coalitioning news, Defense News reports that India and Mongolia are fostering defense ties, including joint exercises, a development that must concern China.

Oil & Gas warns Canada about the economic dangers of instituting a moratorium on shale gas.

The job creating machines that are oil sands & shales.

Unlike shale plays, where this is a lot of room for smaller operators to act, Arctic exploration will involve primarily large energy companies.  Meanwhile, China is seeking a seat at the Arctic decision making table, criticizing the Arctic-bordering nations for moving forward without considering other nations.  China will, of course, seek to be a consumer  of- and preferably a major investor in – Arctic energy, and are also interested in the opening of vastly shorter trans-Arctic shipping lanes due to the increasing summertime ice melts.

While China seeks to flex its economic muscles, a pair of reports express a little caution about China’s future.  Walter Russell Mead reports on problems with China’s growth model, while The Diplomat reminds us that China may not be exceptional and may sooner rather than later experience the S shaped growth curve that has been the norm for great powers.