US Secreatary of Defense Donald Rumsfield has said publicly that the United States will defend Taiwan no matter if the KMT allows the approval of the Arms Procurement package or not. The actual wording was the an Arms procurement package defeat by the KMT controlled legislature “would not alter the US’ legal obligation to aid Taiwan in defending against a Chinese attack.”
This in effect nullifies the KMT’s opposition in that it shows that the KMT cannot ruin the relationship between the USA and Taiwan by opposing the Arms Procurement. Even if Taiwan does not have the proper weapons to defend itself, the USA will not allow Communist China to massacre Taiwan people and force them at gunpoint to become Communists. Now the KMT is free to allow its passage thus improving its image in the eyes of the majority of the Taiwan citizens.
This was wonderful politics on the part of the USA and I think they are improving immensely in their foreign diplomacy Cold War with Communist China.
Nice sentiments, but I’d be afraid that pan-blue will use this an excuse to continue blocking the purchase. “Let the Americans spend the money, we’ll invest ours in China and make out like bandits!”
Who knows what the US will want to do in five years time, or ten. Taiwan needs it’s own credible defense with or without the US.
If the KMT had any abilty to think ahead (little more than a null hypothesis, I realize, considering their previous choice of leader and, it seems to be turning out, the new leader, as well as the general local fear of thinking too much), they would realize that (sadly) in 3.5 years’ time the president of the US will be a female Democrat. Do NOT expect any support from the US. For goodness’ sake, look at the next president’s husband as an example of wimpishness in the face of danger, ala response to the terrorist attacks in Kenya and Tanzania by Bin Laden et al.
When the Beijing Olympics are over, all bets are off re the safety of Taiwan. The Democrats will be in power, and China will have no concerns about losing face by having their brightest moment blighted by a western boycott. And for those who are wondering, YES, it DOES mean EVERYTHING to them. When I was in Beijing, the Olympics was the ONLY thing people talked about. Heck, they’re ALREADY advertising on CNN, two years ahead of the time (or is that jus the IOC?)!
I fear that if Taiwan is not capable of doing the lion’s share of its own defence by the end of 2008, the game will be over. If Slick Willy could twist what the meaning of “is” is, his wife can twist the meaning of The Taiwan Relations Act enought to avoid going to war with China.
The saddest part of all is that even if the arms bill, which is now only half the original order in terms of monetary value, passes, it may be too late. The subs would probably not be delivered before 2009 or 2010 at the earliest.
[quote]The actual wording was the an Arms procurement package defeat by the KMT controlled legislature “would not alter the US’ legal obligation to aid Taiwan in defending against a Chinese attack.”
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Standard line. Of course it’s the terms of the TRA that governs US response, not what Taiwan’s opposition does or doesn’t do. Nothing new there whatsoever.
[quote=“DSN”]If the KMT had any abilty to think ahead (little more than a null hypothesis, I realize, considering their previous choice of leader and, it seems to be turning out, the new leader, as well as the general local fear of thinking too much), they would realize that (sadly) in 3.5 years’ time the president of the US will be a female Democrat. [/quote]DSN-
Read…BLACK Female REPUBLICAN…
who will honor the US obligations to defend Taiwan…since it won’t step up to its own obligations to defend itself.
[quote=“BlueGreen”]It’s good to know that America is willing to sacrifice countless lives to preserve an Asian democracy from even a small country like Taiwan [/quote] They would not just protect Taiwan for Taiwan’s sake, they would gamble American lives for America’s sake to contain Communist China and maintain American military supremacy in East Asia.
