Congressman says US troops will be needed to defend Taiwan

[rangerrebew]

Congressman says US troops will be needed to defend Taiwan
Seth Moulton urges Taiwan and US to prioritize preparations for conflict with China
 
By Duncan DeAeth, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2022/11/24 14:58
 

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — U.S. congressman Seth Moulton of Massachusetts said on Tuesday (Nov. 22) that the U.S. would need to commit forces to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack by Beijing.

Speaking at an online Hudson Institute event, Moulton said that Taiwanese forces cannot be relied on to repel an attack on their own, and that U.S. forces will need to be involved. He also said that the Pentagon needs to focus on concrete measures to prepare Taiwan for such an attack.


“Taiwan is behind, but making progress,” said Moulton, referring to Taiwan’s efforts to boost defenses in preparation for a Chinese attack, which would likely include a naval blockade prior to the invasion.

The congressman also criticized the U.S. armed forces, stating that the “Army and Navy are dragging their feet,” while the Air Force and Marines are “moving, but not fast enough” in regards to Taiwan and the Chinese threat.

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4729590
 

[rangerrebew]

U.S. Needs to Demonstrate Ability to Assist Taiwan, Congressman Says
By: John Grady
November 23, 2022 3:01 PM
 

The U.S. needs to show Beijing that it can stop China if Chinese President Xi Jinping were to risk a cross-strait invasion to bring Taiwan under Chinese control, a congressman involved with military innovation this week.

The United States must realize that it cannot rely on the Taiwanese people to be the only fighters, as is the case in Ukraine, if China invades Taiwan, Rep. Seth Moulton, (D-Mass.) and co-chair of the congressional Future Defense Task Force, said Tuesday at a Hudson Institute event. Washington would need to commit American forces to the fight.

There are “lots of parallels in legacy motivations” between the actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and Xi Jinping’s threats to forcibly unite the self-governing democracy with the mainland, he said.

Taiwan would need to have in place the weapons, systems and trained forces to hold off the invasion long enough for the United States to overcome a blockade of the island to come to its aid, Moulton said. Ukraine, on the other hand, is being supplied overland by rail and highway.

https://news.usni.org/2022/11/23/u-s-needs-to-demonstrate-ability-to-assist-taiwan