Posted on 08/17/2011 9:34:48 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Obama forfeits respect in Asia by letting Taiwan down hard
Vice President Biden is expected to apprise China of the US decision to deny F-16 fighter jets to Taiwan. The dire implications of this should not be played down. It leaves Taiwan vulnerable and the US underpowered in Asia, as Washington looks to be walking away from democratic values
Andover, Mass.
Over the past three decades, Taiwan has been in many tight spots in mounting a credible defense against the Peoples Republic of China. Yet none has been as uncomfortable as now.
The island republic is staring into a very near future when it can no longer defend its own airspace, and when deterrence across the Taiwan Strait morphs into military dominance by China.
The trends would be less worrying if the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979 were taken more seriously in Washington. But the US role as guarantor of Taiwans ability to defend itself under the law is under steady assault, both from within the American bureaucracy and foreign policy community and from furious lobbying by Beijing.
RELATED PHOTO GALLERY: China's military muscle
For its part, Taipei has gone public in recent months as it became more doubtful that the Obama administration would accept their most urgent arms request, the purchase of new F-16 C/D jet fighters.
But its pleas are being ignored, despite the backing of the US Congress. Each house of Congress has sent letters to President Obama signed by nearly half of the elected representatives from both political parties. The letters urge him to follow through with the weapons sale.
The crisis has been long in coming. Taiwan has been trying to acquire the newer C/D version of the F-16 since 2006, along with upgrades to its older F-16 A/B models and more sophisticated radar
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
This is merely Obama paying off the ChiComs so they will continue to buy our debt. If a few million Taiwanese die and/or become enslaved as a result, well, that’s just the cost of doing business...
Exactly. What are this administration's specific reasons for this decision?
I cannot even stand to look at this big-eared menace anymore. When I see him on TV I am filled with rage and anger. I have to switch the channel. I just can't take anymore of this Kenyan flim-flam man's condescending BS anymore.
Agree. Found this article:
“...At the end of May, Lockheed had 62 unfilled F-16 orders — enough to keep the final assembly line open only through mid-2013. Production of many parts and components often begins two or more years before final assembly.
About 2,000 workers are directly employed by Lockheed in Fort Worth on the F-16 program and many more at companies in the region that manufacture or supply structural parts and other key components...”
http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/07/13/3220021/three-middle-east-nations-considering.html
Or more likely, China directed obama to agree to this deal. biden is the delivery boy.
Our friends are Obama’s enemies and our enemmies are his best friends. We are going to pay for what we have done in putting an African Marxist in the White House.
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