[sigh]
I remember the Cold War, when the American press used to tell everyone that the Soviets were that suicidal. Sure terrified a bunch of folks.
I was never a believer.
And I was right.
RE: Taiwan
I don’t believe the Chinese — for all their rhetoical idealism — are really that stupid.
They’re more like the eGOP: they make lots of noise about their position on things, but stop short of the implementation phase.
Yes, having Biden The Brain Cell in the White House surely tempts them, but then there’s the other 330,000,000 of us to deal with, AND a mammoth loss of status internationally.
I don’t see a win for Beijing.
I don’t think they see one, either.
[sigh]
People used to say the same things about the 3rd largest army in the world. And then Saddam invaded Kuwait.
The Soviets DID invade Prague, did help crack down on Poland, did invade Afghanistan.
Those were separate countries, not renegade provinces.
Actually, it's a good thing that that mindset (that the Soviets were suicidal) prevailed. If we had, instead, adopted a more lackadaisical attitude towards the Soviet threat, we might have enacted different policies, and the Soviet Empire might still be here today.
I, for one, am GLAD that President Reagan launched the Strategic Defense Initiative (vulgo: the "Star Wars" Program).
Hysteria would have been inappropriate, but it was only due to our very staunch stance towards the Russkies that the "Evil Empire" outspent itself and, eventually, bled out.
So, in a way, you were actually wrong, HKMk23.
Regards,