Posted on 01/27/2011 11:47:59 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Days after Chinese leader Hu Jintao leaves Washington, Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou is again calling on the United States to supply Taiwan with fighter aircraft.
The U.S. approved a $6.4-billion U.S.-dollar arms deal last year, to supply weapons to Taiwan. But the deal left out the F-16 fighter aircraft the Taiwanese government had originally requested.
Taiwanese officials acknowledge that the Chinese regime has now tipped the balance in terms of military capability across the Taiwan strait. Taiwan is eager to modernize its military and has been attempting to buy new combat aircraft since 2006.
President Ma addressed the issue at a meeting with Raymond Burghardt, the United States’ top representative to Taiwan. Burghardt was in visiting Taiwan to brief Ma about Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the United States.
[Ma Ying-jeou, President of Taiwan]: "There has been a military imbalance over the strait for a long time—that is our common concern. The Taiwanese have looked forward to F16 C/D fighters. We also hope to get diesel-electric submarines, not to enlarge our military hardware but to renew it. We have some old fighters and submarines which are a disadvantage in Taiwanese defense."
(Excerpt) Read more at english.ntdtv.com ...
“Taiwan is eager to modernize its military and has been attempting to buy new combat aircraft since 2006. “
And we’re eager to sell some stuff, screw what the Chinese says
I think of sending our fighter jets to the Middle East(with its current instability) and re-route them to Taiwan and South Korea.
“The United States is Taiwan’s biggest arms supplier and military partner, but requests for new fighter aircraft over the past few years have fallen on deaf ears. U.S. leaders claim they are waiting for the “right time” to make a decision on arms sales, and deny that they are swayed by the potential response of the Chinese regime.”
So...how long will it take for those in Washington, DC to figure out when the “right time” is? After the Chinese have taken over Taiwan?
“Meanwhile Taiwan has been developing its own missiles that could hit Mainland Chinese cities. The Taiwanese military chose to test these missiles on the day Hu Jintao left for Washington, but the test failed when some of the missiles didn’t hit their targets.”
It’s sad that that test failed. But, what is even sadder, is that they felt they had to do this on their own.
You might even see a few suicides among US execs if the Saudis fall, tens of $billions in arms sales are at stake. Dubai, Qatar and UAE are too small and too rich for the people to rise or to be unhappy.
I believe that we should supply Israel,South Korea,and Japan with all the weapons they can carry.
And Taiwan. With their missile test they are lucky because they can fix the mistakes before war breaks out.
They can sell their products in Asia. The arms market seem to be picking up there.
I’m surprised that that they haven’t turned to the french. They also us eearlier versions if the mirage.
Bumping both of your posts.
I totally agree...
On the upside, I believe we will see a reunified Korea in my lifetime.
That’s true.
However, if you are a smart leader of a country, and considering their circumstances, would you turn to the French?
I’m not being flippant...I would love to hear your thoughts.
You may want to look up on the internet OPLAN 5029. It will be an interesting read.
Thank you!
I shall do just that.
Dream on Taiwan. Obama’s never going to let you have them after that classy “American Jackels” song performance at the state dinner by the Chinese.
“That is, in some sense the cost of reunification to South Koreans could be a one-third reduction in annual income.”
Is that what it’s all about? Money? Is that why we are pussyfooting around WRT N. Korea?
“The population of East Germany was only a quarter that of West Germany, while the per capita GDP of East Germany was believed by the West in 1991 to be somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters that of West Germany. By some estimates the East German per capita income turned out to be only a quarter that of West Germany. Thus, the overall burden of Korean reunification might be as much as ten times greater than that of German reunification.”
Well...okie dokie! It’s about money!
When my husband got out of the Navy, we took a 2/3 cut in pay. It’s not unheard of.
You’re right...it was a very interesting read. Thank you for the head’s up!
You can bet the Free Trade Communists who support Free Trade with Communist China will find ways to block any sale of these fighter jets to Free China.
Free Trade Communists that support Free Trade with Communist China are the biggest security threat to the real Free China....and the USA.
Selling the fighter jets helps keep Communist China from getting too belligerent.
Well I’m just considering the circumstance. If the Taiwanese need to aquire newer weapons to protect themselves and you main supplier is going withold them from you, then you need to find another source. In this case, I’d say the french are quite anxious to sell the rafael so it would be the logical place to turn to. I don’t think the russians would sell to them but who knows. Buying french would also allow them to not have to buy american air to air missiles.
“Well I’m just considering the circumstance.”
That is very true...circumstances matter more than anything.
You have to go where you can get what you need.
Thank you for your reply. I think I understand what you were saying now. ;o)
No problem
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