[TalonDJ]

There is nothing on Taiwan of any strategic importance to the US (and the same goes for S. Korea and Japan and Singapore).

You have got to be kidding. You are dismissing countries that are stanch allies, massive industrial bases, a huge fraction of the global GDP, and a big chunk of the microchip production capability on the whole planet. You really don't see why we want to keep that area stable?

[Heliand]

There is nothing being done in any of those countries that could not be replaced elsewhere in a matter of 12 months.

Those countries have no long term physical strategic value to us due to their lack of resources. I view them as I would Belgium and the Netherlands - nice places, nice people, no real long term value to the US. If those countries were wiped out by a Tsunami tomorrow, the world would go on.

I’m not saying we don’t want stability in that area, but the main responsibility needs to be on the inhabitants and leaders of those countries, not the US Seventh Fleet and the American Taxpayer.