Blame Taiwan

NRO ^ | December 18, 2003, 8:51 a.m. | Ross H. Munro

[neverdem]

Sounds trite, but "all politics is local" seems to apply.

[bassmaner]

Nevertheless, Chen ploughed recklessly ahead with his referendum plans for domestic political purposes even though the United States had in recent weeks increased the urgency and frequency of its pleas to him to "cool it."

Did I miss something, or did Taiwan suddenly become a U.S. territory? Why do we have any authority to tell Chen to "cool it", and why should we blame Taiwan for this flap? Like it or not, Taiwan is a defacto sovereign nation, whose government we recognized as the government of all of China until the political winds changed in the early 1970's.

Despite their efforts to make us forget their true red colors by dumping billions of dollars worth of cheap products into our dollar stores and Wal-Marts, the Chi-Coms are still nominally communists, and are our sworn enemies. And thanks to the Sinkmeister, they have hundreds of nuclear warheads trained on our country. We still have the power to destroy them many times over, however, and we still have a moral obligation to protect the non-communist, democratic government in Taiwan. Abandoning the Taiwanese at this juncture would really (to quote Mao Tse-Tung) paint America as a "paper tiger".

[Scott Mahrle]

You missed this:

Taiwan relies on a commitment from the US to protect it from aggression by China. If China attacks Taiwan, we would have few options but to protect it. Every time Taiwan sticks its tongue out at China, it's done from behind the US's back. And to demand our protective attention when we are in the midst of a global war is a little pushy.

[cwb]

That's exactly right. While we all support an independent Taiwan, now is the wrong time for Taiwan to be rattling the sabers...if it wants US support. Our plate's a little full at this time, especially when were trying to defuse the problem in N. Korea, as well. It's just bad timing...pure and simple.

[Map Kernow]

I guess Taiwan should be a democracy, but not THAT much of a democracy. Maybe Munro can now write a new book: "The Coming Conflict with Taiwan." Should be a real hair-raiser...

[nosofar]

I guess Taiwan should be a democracy, but not THAT much of a democracy. Maybe Munro can now write a new book: "The Coming Conflict with Taiwan." Should be a real hair-raiser...

That's one of the problem our government seems to have. We claim to be in favor of a country being a democracy, but we get irritated when they act like one.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Great comments on this thread. A lot of FReepers knee-jerked and screamed that Bush was "in the pocket of the Chinese" and other irrational responses.

Bush did the right thing.

[Steel Wolf]

We have every right to be irritated. Post #3 hit the nail on the head. We're already knee deep in Islamic militants, and we still have a considerable ammount of work ahead of us. The last thing we need is for Taiwan to agitate China, and then run behind our skirt.

If China starts anything with Taiwan, we'll stomp them out of the water so hard they'll be afraid to go out and fish. That doesn't mean Taiwan should have free reign to cause mischief. It is an abuse of our friendship and trust. We've gone out on a considerable limb to back them up over the years, we could have abandoned them to the wolves long ago if we didn't value their de facto liberty.

No, it's not the perfect solution, but we can only do so much. We don't need them starting a needless barfight and then guilting us into finishing it.

[tallhappy]

What garbage this is.

But, sure, Sandy Berger and all the Clintonites are also praising Bush for it.

Says a lot.

[Map Kernow]

Indeed. The ChiComs, dipped in human blood like strawberries are dipped in chocolate, are p!ssed because the Taiwanese might vote in a referendum asking them to kindly remove all those missiles the ChiComs have been putting in Fukien Province across the Straits the past few years. We damn near nuked the world over missiles in Cuba in 1962. So now the Taiwanese can't even have a peaceful election on the subject?

I have to laugh at claims that placating the ChiComs is in our strategic interest. Getting ready to confront the ChiComs is in our strategic interest. They are not our friend. Taiwan is our friend. The ChiComs are our enemy, and they'll be our enemy long after al-Qa'eda and the other Islamists are crushed.

[tallhappy]

"Sticks it tongue out?"

So now democracy is sticking its tongue out at dictatorship. And int turn an attack by the dictatorship is perfectly appropriate?

[squidly]

Did I miss something, or did Taiwan suddenly become a U.S. territory? Why do we have any authority to tell Chen to "cool it"

'Cause it's our guys asses that will be on the line defending Taiwan in the event of a war.

[squidly]

And int turn an attack by the dictatorship is perfectly appropriate?

Who said it's appropriate? Appropriate or not, it's our Navy and Air Force that would defend Taiwan in the event of such an attack. But I think you and I have had this argument before.

[tallhappy]

Bush did the right thing.

No he didn't.

He harmed himself more than Taiwan or China. He undercut his own policies and the Bush doctrine.

You and Sandy Berger and all the Clintonites say Bush did the right thing. Why wouldn't they. It was what Clinton did first. Bush finally did it too.

[tallhappy]

Your mule headed make believe scenarios and far-fetched rationalizations may assuage your betrayal of basic principles but that's all.

Taiwan isn't harmed by this. Bush and we, the US, are.

[tallhappy]

Who said it's appropriate?

You. And Bush.

[squidly]

LOL. I think our argument is concluded.

[tallhappy]

'Cause it's our guys asses that will be on the line defending Taiwan in the event of a war.

The problem is Bush told the ChiComs they were perfectly right to attack. If this isn't making a war much more likley nothin is.

You don't go around encouraging irrational despots by agreeing with them and castigating the people they want to kill for making them mad and justifying their attack. Especially not when it is about their hatred of freedom and democracy.

[squidly]

The problem is Bush told the ChiComs they were perfectly right to attack.

There's only one thing I can call you, and that's a liar.