Chinese Diplomacy

The Washington Post reports today that Iran is adapting to economic pressure from the US.
China, and to a lesser extent Russia, has demonstrated remarkable foreign policy skills over the past six years. It's veto power in the UN precludes the legitimizing of American policy goals toward Iran. And when the US skirts the UN and pressures its European allies to accept enhanced sanctions and reduce economic ties with Iran, China steps in to exploit this new opportunity.
We see a similar (and equally effective) strategy in Sudan. The inaction on Darfur can be laid at China's door--again, thanks to its veto power--and while the West laments the immorality of the Sudanese government, China steps in, buys its oil and builds its infrastructure with the thousands of Chinese engineers sent to Sudan explicitly for that purpose.
Further, it serves the interests of Russia (see Chechnya and the Caucaus region generally) and China (the occupation of Tibet and studied inaction on Burma) to have a neutered UN.
It's a shame, really, that this is not recognized in any demonstrable way by our government (in policy terms). Under the current international order, China and Russia--understandably--will use their UN veto powers to thwart American policy goals.
This is why the US needs to undertake, seriously and without precondition, full and genuine diplomatic efforts with Iran. That is the only meaningful way to achieve our policy goals in that region. Unilateral military action only serves the diplomatic and economic goals of China and Russia while steering the US economy toward disaster and destroying the lives of millions.