It’ll Take More than American Military Might to Shore Up Taiwan

[rangerrebew]

It’ll Take More than American Military Might to Shore Up Taiwan

Team Biden needs a fuller strategy that includes international recognition and new regional alliances.
By John Bolton
Oct. 20, 2021 6:29 pm ET
 

China’s threat to Taiwan is real, not hypothetical, as recent incursions into the island’s air-defense zone demonstrate. To counter Beijing’s renewed belligerence, a successful strategy must go beyond eliminating the “strategic ambiguity” over whether the U.S. will come to the island’s defense. A successful strategy will require clarifying Taiwan’s status, its critical place in Indo-Pacific politics, and its economic importance globally. The U.S. military contribution to Taiwan’s security is crucial, but it requires strong political support here and abroad.

It begins by affirming that Taiwan is a sovereign, self-governing country, not a disputed Chinese province. It meets international law’s criteria of statehood, such as defined territory, stable population and the performance of normal governmental functions such as viable currency and law enforcement. Washington, Tokyo and others would be entirely justified to extend diplomatic recognition, and its attendant legitimacy, to Taipei.

The 1972 Shanghai Communiqué, the foundational statement of current U.S.-China relations, is effectively dead. The communiqué says that “the United States acknowledges that all Chinese on either side of the Taiwan Strait maintain there is but one China and that Taiwan is a part of China,” and “doesn’t challenge that position.” Beijing warped these words to mean “one China run by Beijing,” a formulation the U.S. never accepted.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/american-military-taiwan-china-taipei-diplomatic-relations-invasion-11634760999

[sneakypete]

The ugly,ugly truth is that if China decides to take Taiwan,China will TAKE Taiwan,and there is not a damn thing anyone can do about it,

1:We are NOT going to get into a potential nuclear war with China over Taiwan.

2:Even IF we were so foolish as to try to stop them,the UN would step in and prevent it from happening. Face it,China just has too much industrial might these days to stop them from doing pretty much anything they really want to do.

Like the corrupt fools and criminals they are,our political leadership has allowed China to take over almost all of our manufacturing of minor,but vital components for the auto industry as well as pretty much any other industry you can imagine.

This means they can pretty much shut down the US economy any time they are willing by stopping the production and shipping of components US manufactuers need to finish assembling their products so they can sell them.

They now manufacture everything from computer chips to automatic transmissions for some American cars,as well as anything else you can imagine.

Hell,they even bought out some US meat packing organizations and move the whole damn plants to China so they could copy the tooling and machines.

The ONLY bright spot from the US and free world POV is that the Chinese are the LEAST creative/inventitive 1st world people on the planet. They will always rely on the west for creative thinking.

Not sure how much that will help us because there seems to be no limit to the stupidity and selfish greed of Americans. I actually bought a truck off  a man in Virginia that was in charge of installing and maintinging tools and equipment in a meat packing plant the Chinese bought.  He was selling the truck because the Chinese gave him a 3 year contract to move to China to help them set the plant up there,get it operating,and train the Chinese to do his old job.

By now he is back in America,and most likely bitching about not having a job. I don't know,just guessing. It seemed to piss him off when I told him he was a traitor and a fool for accepting that job.

With him and too many westererners,the Golden Rule is "Me,me,ME FIRST ALWAYS,and bleep you and everyone else!"

[EdinVA]

With him and too many westererners,the Golden Rule is "Me,me,ME FIRST ALWAYS,and bleep you and everyone else!"

Until someone else "me first" gets in their way, then they gots rights...

[sneakypete]

Until someone else "me first" gets in their way, then they gots rights...

@EdinVA

As is to be expected of whiny little bitches like that. Dey mama's told them dey was "special",and they believed it.

People like that should just have the piss slapped out of them by random strangers every time they appear in public.

[EdinVA]

@EdinVA

As is to be expected of whiny little bitches like that. Dey mama's told them dey was "special",and they believed it.

People like that should just have the piss slapped out of them by random strangers every time they appear in public.

@sneakypete
Need any help?

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete
Need any help?

@EdinVA

Nope,but accomplices that can remain cheerful while helping are always welcome.

[skeeter]

The ugly,ugly truth is that if China decides to take Taiwan,China will TAKE Taiwan,and there is not a damn thing anyone can do about it,

1:We are NOT going to get into a potential nuclear war with China over Taiwan.

I'd like to see the US try something different this time - rather than to try to force China to bend to our will by overt use of WWII style force, that we be a bit more Sun Tzu about it & take the opportunity to bleed China white. Through proxies force them to expend significant amounts of capital and global good will taking Taiwan while keeping our own hands clean. China would be no more willing to risk nuclear war with us than we with them.

One thing the Chinese hate more than anything its spending excessive amounts of treasure - on anything. The Chicoms might be willing to but the people wouldn't and the commies would risk a revolution if they tried.

The only problem with this plan is the Chicoms have plenty of allies in the US who'd be happy to sabotage us whenever the opportunity presented itself. Thinking of guys like Zuckerberg and our own fearless leader.

[sneakypete]

I'd like to see the US try something different this time - rather than to try to force China to bend to our will by overt use of WWII style force, that we be a bit more Sun Tzu about it & take the opportunity to bleed China white. Through proxies force them to expend significant amounts of capital and global good will taking Taiwan while keeping our own hands clean. China would be no more willing to risk nuclear war with us than we with them.

One thing the Chinese hate more than anything its spending excessive amounts of treasure - on anything. The Chicoms might be willing to but the people wouldn't and the commies would risk a revolution if they tried.

@skeeter

On that we agree. For the first time in the history of China,they are not only prosperous,but a true world power. No way in hell the Chinese leadership want,or can even afford to risk that.

Don't forget,the former peasants in China are also experiencing prosperty for the first time in the history of China,and there are so many of them now the Chinese leadership really can't take a chance on pissing them off. Once you allow people to "taste" prosperity and live free of hunger and the fear of homelessness,they ain't going back there peacefully.

China may have unintentionally created their own monster,and he is them.

[skeeter]

@skeeter

On that we agree. For the first time in the history of China,they are not only prosperous,but a true world power. No way in hell the Chinese leadership want,or can even afford to risk that.

Don't forget,the former peasants in China are also experiencing prosperty for the first time in the history of China,and there are so many of them now the Chinese leadership really can't take a chance on pissing them off. Once you allow people to "taste" prosperity and live free of hunger and the fear of homelessness,they ain't going back there peacefully.

China may have unintentionally created their own monster,and he is them.

I wish I could believe our leadership were smart enough, and/or selfless enough, to understand this.