If Ukraine Is Any Barometer Of Expenditure Rates In Modern War, America Is Gonna Lose Taiwan

[rangerrebew]

If Ukraine Is Any Barometer Of Expenditure Rates In Modern War, America Is Gonna Lose Taiwan

ByMackenzie EaglenPublished
 

U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine is important, but it has served up yet another reminder that the U.S. is short on stuff that blows up. Responding to reporters’ questions about the decision to send those shells, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said, “We need to build a bridge from where we are today to when we have enough monthly production of unitary rounds.”

Building a production and manufacturing “bridge” for munitions and mines takes time. These lines and workforces are not light switches that can be turned off and on quickly. From the consolidation of firms and suppliers, to long lead times for parts and energetics, and a number of other issues in between, our inability to produce munitions at scale has numerous causes.

Funding Woes
Dig a little deeper, though, and it is clear that money is the main reason the munitions industrial base lacks surge capacity. And like so much else when it comes to the state of our military today, the insufficient funds are no accident.

When past defense budgets did not provide for real growth, policymakers often allowed munitions to take the hit, choosing to support other underfunded accounts. Flying hours, munitions, sustainment, and workforce are regular bill payers for other defense priorities, according to Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante.

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2023/08/if-ukraine-is-any-barometer-of-expenditure-rates-in-modern-war-america-is-gonna-lose-taiwan/

[Free Vulcan]

Which is exactly what China is counting on.

[rangerrebew]

I guess it's better to lose an ally now and again than cut off the money spigot for illegal aliens and use that money on the military.

[Fishrrman]

"If Ukraine Is Any Barometer Of Expenditure Rates In Modern War, America Is Gonna Lose Taiwan"

I sense that by now, this has become a given.

The Taiwanese certainly realize it more than anyone else.
Those who have the ability to escape, have already made their plans or are likely making them now.

I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Taiwan has been engaging in secret negotiations with the CCP, exploring how a reunification might proceed if they acted as a willing partner. Perhaps some kind of Hong Kong like deal (even though the CCP reneged on that).

I've read that a considerable number of Taiwanese actually live on the mainland, and that Taiwan is a big partner in some mainland business/manufacturing operations.

I also recall reading that a small but not insignificant number of Taiwanese are actually "pro-unification". Have no idea as to whether that's true or not.

But the course seems clear:
Sometime in the future -- probably the not-to-distant future -- Taiwan IS going to become part of the mainland again.

And we're probably not going to do much to prevent that.