Taiwan promises 'support' for Hong Kong's people as China tightens grip

Rreuters Via The Guardian ^ | 05/24/2020

[spetznaz]

The best time to bring down the Chicoms was 15 years ago, when it was very apparent they would be a threat and their chances of defeating the United States was statistically zero (militarily or economically).

The next best time is now, even though they are now far more powerful (from both a military and economic standpoint) and would be a more formidable adversary. However even with the challenges this is still the (next best) time, when the US still enjoys many advantages and is led by a president who is not afraid to make decisions.

However, nothing will happen and that means it will be status quo until (approximately) 20 years from now, when events will precipitate forced action by the United States. Unfortunately China will be a true peer adversary then, rather than the near-peer they are now. It will be very difficult, and unfortunately China will have a real chance of even winning.

There’s a saying from the part of Africa I am originally from - the best time to kill a crocodile is when it is in its egg.

The West has been feeding that crocodile since the days of Nixon, and it is now almost fully mature. Let’s see if the West is smart enough to lance it now, or if they will give it another two decades to get even more powerful and territorial before they try to go all ‘Saint George’ on it ...when it has grown big enough to become a veritable dragon!!!

I unfortunate fully expect the West to wait until then, at which point the odds will be even. I had a faint glimmer of hope when Australia stood up and pushed hard against China, and I still hold hope that President Trump will show Peking a thing or two about messing with the US, but that hope is ebbing.

[dp0622]

Hey that was great post.

Let’s see what happens

[Right_Wing_Madman]

First Hong Kong falls, then Taiwan, then the cheap labor Republicans rejoice in their cheap imports from ChiCom.

If Ronald Reagan were president, he would have already made a public statement in support of Hong Kong and he wouldn't have given a damn what the Chinese think. Unfortunately, the current administration has been awfully quiet on this front and almost seems content to throw Hong Kong and Taiwan to the wolves. Now is the perfect time to tighten the screws on the CCP, but instead the opposite is happening, China is clamping down on its periphery. Very distressing.

[cba123]

I agree.

The sold-out portion of America (both parties) screwed up BIG with China.

Big.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

The USN recently wargamed a scenario where they went to war in the SCS and lost. The PRC aren’t some third world militia relying on technicals and rusty AKs they’ve actually got some pretty good equipment. The DF100 hypersonic anti-ship missile they have in service is superior to anything in any western arsenal because we have neglected anti-ship capabilities out of sheer complacency.

[yldstrk]

CCP needs to be beaten back.

[dp0622]

i never said they were a third world militia

And if you think the USN would let the world know that they lost in a wargame scenario and it was either not true or it was for more money...you’re wrong

[Biggirl]

Not surprised. China has ever since the Wuhan Red Virus Of Death a pariah nation.

[Biggirl]

Can you post any links to info to China’s weaponry system. Thank-you.

[Biggirl]

Correction: Has become.

[Biggirl]

China has become a pariah country even more so that a biological weapon of war called the Wuhan virus, causing many deaths has been unleash unto the 🌎 world. That could bring possible war crimes charges because that would violate the 1973 International Biological Weapons Ban.

[piasa]

As I recall Trump already did... but right after he did the virus thing swept the protests from news.

[piasa]

He also did this:

Trump likely just infuriated China with the US’s first call to Taiwan since 1979
12/2/2016, 6:14:03 PM · by mandaladon · 87 replies
Yahoo News ^ | 1 Dec 2016 | Alex Lockie and Natasha Bertrand
President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the president of Taiwan by phone on Friday, in a move likely to infuriate Beijing and hinder US-China relations. “President-elect Trump spoke with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, who offered her congratulations,” according to a readout of the call released by Trump’s transition team. “During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties” between Taiwan and the United States, the statement continued. “President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year.” The call, first reported by the Financial Times, is the first time a US president has...

[piasa]

Watch: Hong Kong Protesters Hold ‘Thanksgiving’ Rally after Trump Signs Support Bills
11/28/2019, 1:45:41 PM · by KC_Lion · 105 replies
Breitbart ^ | 28 November 2019 | Joshua Caplan
Thousands of demonstrators in Hong Kong staged a “Thanksgiving” rally on Thursday evening in response to President Donald Trump signing two bills in support of the city’s pro-democracy movement. Demonstrators took to the streets shortly after the president signed the legislation. Some draped themselves in U.S. flags and expressed gratitude for the administration’s support. “The rationale for us having this rally is to show our gratitude and thank the U.S Congress and also President Trump for passing the bill,” student Sunny Cheung, 23, told Reuters. “We are really grateful about that and we really appreciate the effort made by Americans...

[Zhang Fei]

[The West has been feeding that crocodile since the days of Nixon, and it is now almost fully mature. Let’s see if the West is smart enough to lance it now, or if they will give it another two decades to get even more powerful and territorial before they try to go all ‘Saint George’ on it ...when it has grown big enough to become a veritable dragon!!!

I unfortunate fully expect the West to wait until then, at which point the odds will be even. I had a faint glimmer of hope when Australia stood up and pushed hard against China, and I still hold hope that President Trump will show Peking a thing or two about messing with the US, but that hope is ebbing.]

---

The lessons of history are obviously long forgotten. I blame Barbara Tuchman’s cockamamie book about mobilization schedules causing WWI. Kings go to war not because they need to, but because they want to. What they’re after is to make a name for themselves that will stand the test of time. By a country mile, the most famous Greek is Alexander, just as the most famous Roman is Caesar. That’s no accident. For better or for worse, conquerors will always have a special place in the history books. War is like a large scale hunt in which the guy who organized it and brought home a lot of trophies puts his name in neon lights for posterity.

Heck, even the losers become famous in ways nobody expected. Without his disastrous loss at Carrhae, just how well-known would the richest man in Rome, Crassus, be?

People who prattle on about Xi Jinping needing a distraction from domestic problems are in la-la land. Chinese leaders are made in the mold of the leaders of powerful countries since probably the dawn of time. They are building this wealth so they can construct an army to acquire fame for themselves. Alexander and Caesar accumulated wealth to fight wars. They didn’t fight wars to accumulate wealth. The end game was, first and foremost, eternal fame, or infamy, if they failed.

Saddam Hussein had all the money he needed. What he wanted was to be mentioned in the same breath as Saladin. Even in failure, he has placed his name in a more prominent position than any of his Arab contemporaries, with the exception of bin Laden.

[spetznaz]

Thank you for the detailed post. Much appreciated and totally in point. I wish more people would read it (and understand it).