Please understand, I am completely on the side of the Taiwanese here. I will take up arms to defend my adopted homeland as best as I can, OK. I am not going to be crying to AIT saying “get me out of here!” No. I do not want to seem like I am shitting on the TW military.
But, Taiwan is heavily reliant on the US for its hardware. We cannot see completely behind the scenes, so maybe there is training and more advance weaponry being made available (remember the “accidental” shipment of nuclear fuses, or the F-18s that “had issues” and landed in Tainan?" For its part, China just copies Soviet era technology. Their sole aircraft carrier is Russian made from the 1980’s. So, on paper, Taiwan has a more advanced system. But, all the bells and whistles a military has is useless if no one can, or is willing to use it.
Does Taiwan have any short to long-range bombers? How will they get through Chinese air defenses? What about Chinese anti-missile defense? In the early 70’s, just before Nixon went to China, Chiang set up surveillance to see if it was time to take back the mainland, believing that the failed great leap forward and failed cultural revolution appeared to weaken the communists. Both warships he sent were sunk by the “inferior” PLN.
Taiwan will be playing a defensive “hold them till they sue for peace” position. How long that could be sustained is anyone’s guess.
The moral of what I am saying is just because one side seems superior, means nothing. A la Vietnam (Chinese, French, the US), Afghanistan (British, Russians I and II, the US) and yes, I know that goes both ways.
I don’t think Taiwans air force, navy or Amy would be a pushover. I’ve seen those guys train day in day out and they have a lot of operational capabilities and good radar and intelligence systems. Plus their missile technology isn’t bad either at taking out fishing boats (bad joke I know).
Yes they are. But their generals have their hearts in the Mainland and there are way too many moles inside that will disrupt communications and key elements of defense. They have been gutted inside by mafia fiends and drug dealers officers. Codes, passwords, procedures are all out there. The ROC army would be fighting blind and with both arms tied.
Taiwan needs to rapidly up asymmetric warfare systems…drones, missiles, small boats, anti aiecraft missiles, submarines, lasers…
They are working on the submarines now.
Bunch of lasers and drones and anti ship missiles would be very cost effective.
The PRC won’t be the better man or better fighter. They will not be fighting a fair fight. It will be Ming dynasty fall all over again, with greedy hands opening the gates from inside for the attacking hordes.
This is interesting. 45 hates to lose and that would make him look bad, make him look weak. He will for ever be remembered as the one who lost Taiwan. And the Chinese will still have Iran in their deck.
They do, but there is some discussion as to whether the TRA obligates, or simply allows for the US to defend Taiwan at its discretion. Marco Rubio is among the loudest supporters of Taiwan. He has went after Obama administration officials and grilled them over a unilateral alteration of the TRA. It went no where, and was all for show, but it was impressive to see someone gave a damn.
Chinese always win. They can play victims like no one else.
The legend says that a general fell for a pretty lady, and for her he opened the gates of the Great Wall, letting the hordes in. The PRC honors the legend sending pretty ladies to convince ROC, US and any other hot blooded make in their sights.
The people’s of the world should arrest the Chinese and the north Korea and the Russian dictators leading us to the death of possibly billions on the planet
For the average Chinese citizen who enjoys more than a bowl of rice a day for sustenance and whose rural family pooled their money for a big city condo where junior has his/her factory job? Yes.
