PLEASE DON'T HIT ME

COMMON SENSE - by eMail ^ | Wednesday December 24 2003 | Paul Jacob

[Brian Allen]

Does the Free Republic of China have the right to tell a bully to back off?

Taiwan's government is planning a referendum to demand that communist China stop aiming missiles at the island. This seemingly reasonable desire is being criticized -- by China, of course -- as "provocative." You'd think aiming the missiles is somewhat provocative.

But this didn't stop President Bush from chiming in with China. Bush has rebuked the Taiwanese government for its proposed referendum, citing "comments and actions made by the leader of Taiwan indicate that he may be willing to make decisions unilaterally to change the status quo."

What status quo? The status quo of having missiles pointed at you. Of course there's a long history here, going back to the clash between the communists and the Kuomintang in the 1930s and '40s, which ended with the Kuomintang's retreat to Taiwan in 1949. Since then there have been two Chinas. China likes to pretend that Taiwan is really just another province already in its grip. But the missiles say: "Hey, we can come grab you any time we want."

Of course, Taiwan poses no threat to the mainland and would be happy to be left alone. "It is China which is provocative," observes Taiwan's President Chen. "We are the victim and have not inflicted any harm on others."

Well, everybody knows this. The people of Taiwan have a right to say "leave us alone" through referendum. Even if President Bush fears that the situation is a powder keg, he could at least have said nothing, rather than actively support the bully.

This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.

[Brian Allen]

This IS common sense.

Merry Christmas to all y'all and to all of those you love -- FRom Brian

[RLK]

Any nation that has acted as crazily to Taiwan's referendum as China has is too aggressively irrational to be trusted regarding anything.

[LibertarianInExile]

Has ANYONE remembered that the PROC SHOT DOWN OUR PLANE? Does everyone forget that they made US apologize for flying over international waters and cut up our plane to get it back?

Screw those f-ing commie bastards. We should be backing the ROC to the hilt and we're bending over for Chinese Castros. If this were Cuba, we'd have invaded. Since it's 'our biggest trading partner besides Japan,' we bend over and take it.

Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute? Yeah, right. Not in the U.S. Not any more. We need our low, low Wal-Mart prices.

[Brian Allen]

Bump/Ping

[BrucefromMtVernon]

We can start boycotting Communist China here at home by boycotting their primary marketer, Walmart Inc.

[Imal]

Resisting invasion is also provocative, like that time Poland invaded Nazi Germany.

We'll need to keep a close eye on this Taiwanese saber rattling.