Posted on 05/07/2010 8:27:15 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
A U.S. official said Taiwan's government is continuing to press the Obama administration to sell the island nation additional F-16 jet fighters to replace aging F-5s. However, the official said it was unclear whether the administration will grant the request due to White House's concern of further upsetting China.
Beijing cut off military relations with the United States after the administration announced in January that it would sell $6.4- billion in arms to Taiwan, including missile defenses and Black Hawk helicopters, but not the F-16s.
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou has told U.S. officials the weapons are needed to enhance the island’s defenses against a growing Chinese military threat.
The F-16s remain high on Ma’s priority list.
A recent Defense Intelligence Agency assessment said that Taiwan’s F-5s have “reached the end of their operational service life, and while the indigenously produced FCK-1 Indigenous Defense Fighter is a large component of Taiwan's active fighter force, it lacks the capability for sustained sorties.”
Taiwan is seeking an additional 66 F-16s to supplement the 146 F-16s acquired in the 1990s. Taiwan is seeking the new jets before the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, closes the production line
(Excerpt) Read more at east-asia-intel.com ...
F-16 ping.
‘O’ has no intention of honoring treaties; the treaty with Taiwan, or the SEATO and I doubt he even knows what that acronym means,
thats a lot of jobs BO is gonna kill
Obastard has no intention of helping our allies.
Not happening this year. Maybe after the next election if we are able to rid ourselves of this regime.
Troubling, but not unexpected from this administration.
I have to think Obama being beholden to China for so much debt is playing a factor here. Beijing’s protested U.S. policy towards Taiwan before, of course. But now they have economic pressure to go along with their political cards.
And, since this administration’s domestic policies have virtually ensured we are going to have massive deficits for many years to come, I have a sinking feeling that the PRC will become increasingly vocal about U.S. policy in the region in the coming years.
All IMHO, of course.
Thanks Jet Jaguar
The list, ping
Thanks Jet Jaguar
The list, ping
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