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"If the communists thought for a moment that the US and Japan would stand down while they invaded Taiwan, they would begin immediately. As it is, they're uncertain how Bush will react."

He doesn't need to keep them guessing. He needs to make it clear to them by stating he will defend Taiwan if they attack like he did at the beginning of his first term. We also need to show public support for Taiwan declaring independence. Waiting and appeasing China is only allowing them to choose the perfect timing of an invasion and allowing them to become more powerful. Let's push them until they back down when it comes to Taiwan or attack while they are less prepared then they will be in the future.

Is our military in the position to truly push back the Chinese? I think that we can definitely project power with a couple of carrier battle groups, but let's face it our boys (and girls) in the Army and Marines are tired. Will they go if asked of course they will, but let's be honest, they are not the sharp sword that they were before Iraq it's more of a big club. The desert takes a toll on the people AND the equipment. Do I believe that we could succeed yes (don't be callin' me a peace-nut yet) but let's be honest the US used our holdings of the British pound during the Suez Canal Incident as a way to keep the British from invading. 600+ billion is no small amount, taken in conjuction with the loss of our manufacturing base, our dependence on China for trade (Wal-mart alone is China's 6th largest buyer of goods) it paints a much darker picture then ones we have faced in the past.

The conventional wisdom on the difference between the Peoples Liberation Army and the USArmy is that they simply don't have the technology to compete with us. I dispute that, Intel has a plant in China now, you can be assured that in the event of war all of our patriotic companies which outsourced the work of Americans for a couple of percent additional profit will be nationalized.

Let me put it this way, I am afraid of the corner we have put ourselves into.

You wrote: "Let's push them until they back down when it comes to Taiwan or attack while they are less prepared then they will be in the future."

And if they don't back down? If they carry through with an attack? Think about it. A war with China would not be confined to repulsing an invasion of Taiwan. It would be a global, not localized affair. Millions of casualties. Millions. A holocaust even without nuclear weapons--which, by the way, would almost certainly be employed because we don't have the conventional resources to undertake an invasion of the mainland. Further, a statement by the President declaring outright our intentions to defend Taiwan would throw the issue into the international arena, with the Chinese claiming intervention in their sovereignty, along with the resultant loss of international support because the President would show himself--at least in the eyes of marginal allies--as an utter dunderhead in diplomacy, ultimately heightening tensions to the breaking point with no real advantage gained.

One war at a time, thanks.

"Waiting and appeasing China is only allowing them to choose the perfect timing of an invasion and allowing them to become more powerful. Let's push them until they back down when it comes to Taiwan or attack while they are less prepared then they will be in the future."

Thats a good point but like everything else it's politics. Does Bush want to be the President blamed for a major depression and starting WWIII?