Offensive political ads sow seeds of hate

The hostilities and scare tactics in US politics, fully exhibited in the battle over a debt deal and the early sparring in the 2012 presidential race, are so eye-popping that many people may have overlooked an innocent casualty of the fight.

I am talking about China.

While some Americans, mostly writers and businesspeople, have over the years tried to use China's impressive economic growth to prod the US government into action, others, mainly politicians, have sought to win votes by portraying China as a threat and enemy to the United States.