Those who argue against the war in Ukraine because it weakens us, and it does, should also acknowledge that withdrawing from NATO and indeed withdrawing to the shoreline of the United States itself leaves us in the position that Taiwan finds itself in today, fight against increasing odds under the threat of nuclear annihilation with dubious aid from abroad.
The Chinese will offer carrots and sticks. They will talk of the economic benefits that can be obtained by Taiwan in economic integration with China if only mature people will engage in enlightened cooperation. The left will like that. China will offer a stick: nuclear war and the left in America will be frightened, the question is will the Taiwanese be frightened?
As America has shorn itself of its allies in Europe and in Asia, we are left with a riven domestic political scene in which leftists gain more and more direct political power and more and more indirect media and cultural power. Ultimately, this power will be directed at surrendering to China with meaningless conditions to make it seem palatable to average Americans. Think of the fatuous arguments offered up by the Obama administration in favor of its mindless deal with Iran.
So China will not storm the beaches at San Diego, rather it will subvert every political, economic, academic and cultural institution in America and simply accept our surrender because we will fear the nukes and buy the promises of enlightened cooperation from the Chinese. Think of Stalin's promises to Roosevelt.
Afghanistan is tied to Ukraine which is tied to Taiwan and that, ultimately, is tied to America.
