Posted on 06/26/2005 12:29:08 PM PDT by Halgr
"One small difference...China's likely to shoot back..."
I love these geopolitical "what-ifs"
Here is my what if. What if the US gives Taiwan the nuclear capability to take out several Chicom cities. Taiwans President goes on the air and declares that Taiwan now has nuclear capabilities and launch vehicles for them.
Obviously China cannot go to the UN for condemnation since Taiwan is not a member of the UN nor a member of the
nuclear club. China could not afford to attack.
Seems that that would end the issue.
Give Taiwan a nuke and the problem goes away.
Russian forces help China in mock conflict
An excerpt:
April 30, 2001 - Russian military forces intervened in a mock nuclear conflict between China and the United States over Taiwan during strategic exercises that included Russian preparations to use nuclear weapons on U.S. forces in Asia, The Washington Times has learned.
Other related stories:
July 26, 2004 - About 18,000 Chinese troops using their country's most advanced weapons systems last week rehearsed coordinated air, sea and ground attacks on Dongshan, an island in the South China Sea that resembles Taiwan in terrain and weather.
Feb 7, 2005 - Quietly, with almost no notice taken in the U.S. media, Russia and China have just stepped up their military cooperation to a level not seen in half a century since the end of the Korean War.
Mar 8, 2005 — China unveiled a law Tuesday authorizing an attack if Taiwan moves toward formal independence, increasing pressure on the self-ruled island while warning other countries not to interfere.
Anyone else hear a drum beat?
Hillarty could not possibly treat China better then Bush does. China can do no wrong as far as Bush is concerned.
...What if the US gives Taiwan the nuclear capability to take out several Chicom cities....
Then the UN would declare Taiwan as aggressor, and would give free hand to China.
Then everyone with some anti-american feeling would have jstification for the US supporting an aggresszor.
In short, this is the best way to isolate the US.
I am not sure the chineese capability of the respone, but I would not invest in properties between Seattle and Los Angeles...
"Then the UN would declare Taiwan as aggressor, and would give free hand to China. "
That would be interesting in that Taiwan is not a member of the UN.
"I'm half expecting them to go into Siberia, a la Clancy's novel."
actually i completely agree
think about the fundamentals here - they have a surplus of men, still a so so Navy and a huge swath of land just north of their border relatively undefended. Lots of resources etc etc etc. Now it would depend on who the Chicomms have as their leader and whether or not they will risk nuke retaliation or not but it is not outside the realm of possibility.
...That would be interesting in that Taiwan is not a member of the UN...
I see no difference granting self defense to China.
Or was any problem waging war against terrorism while the terrorists are not members of the UN?
Terrorists are not a country.
Plus if Taiwan had a nuke, what could China do? They are not going to invade. They want Taiwan. Not a destroyed Taiwan. NK has a nuke for the same reason Taiwan should have one. It is a good deterrent.
The article contains a lot of hot air and not very much hard fact--it's an example of very poor writing (or, more likely, editing).
"China's economy has been growing at a rate of at least 10 percent for each of the past 10 years"
Uh-huh, and they have this bridge for sale in Beijing...
"Realistically, what are we looking at in terms of confrontation with China over an invasion of Taiwan?"
The ChiComs would be taking on a task about as difficult as the assault on Normandy was in 1944.
"What will be the scope of such a conflict?"
It would most likely be limited to the South China Sea and East China Sea.
"Would it expand to their mainland or ours?"
Unlikely, as China is not interested in national suicide.
"Does China have or will they have the nuclear capacity to deliver a crushing blow to the U.S. mainland?"
Define "crushing." Can they destroy some American cities? Absolutely, and such a blow would be terrible. But our vengeance would be swift, certain, and complete--China would no longer exist as a political entity.
"Should we expect Russia to declare war on us should we attack China?"
Why would they?
Quote: (I've been in Beijing for a month, and will be here for one more week.)
Have you urinated on the Great Wall yet???
Thank you ravingnutter for thos links.
Paul - you had a map that showed the Evil Empire after the conquests. It would fit right in here.
Hitler invaded the Rhineland and overtly abrogated both the Treaty of Versailles and the Treaty of Locarno, prior to the 1936 Olympics. And the US and UK were total wusses about it, not a peep. Heck, even Jimmuh Pyongyang had more stones than that! Today, I bet we'd be like us and the UK back in '36 all over again ...
When they shut down ASW ops at Moffett as part of the early 90s draw down, I could already sense this dark future that is now knocking on the door.
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