tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post5036753919930143764..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: Trifecta of the TerribleMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-85934840336832524112010-02-08T17:15:15.216+08:002010-02-08T17:15:15.216+08:00Anon at 11:35,
It's basically the same packag...Anon at 11:35,<br /><br />It's basically the same package that was offered in 2001.Michael Turtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-50488195757122397412010-02-08T11:48:56.703+08:002010-02-08T11:48:56.703+08:00Wow, thank you for the praise. As you correctly no...Wow, thank you for the praise. As you correctly note, the Gelb piece is awful.<br /><br />Here is one more related article people may find interesting. <br /><br />http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704041504575045573110641044.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion<br /><br />George Gilder, founder of the Discovery Institute, says that "Sending them $6 billion of new weapons is a needless provocation against China that does nothing valuable for the defense of the U.S. or Taiwan."<br /><br />He concludes by saying, "It is self-destructive folly to sacrifice this core synergy at the heart of global capitalism in order to gain concessions on global warming, dollar weakening, or Internet politics." <br /><br />Note that, according to his bio on the Discovery Institute website, he is an expert in technology and helped formulate the debate around supply-side economics. He also studied under Kissinger at Harvard. <br /><br />Max Boot of Commentary Magazine has already published a rebuttal:<br /><br />http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/boot/232111<br /><br />As for the realist position that the US is benefiting little by maintaining its relationship with Taiwan, I find it shocking that none of the realists ever consider the effect that throwing Taiwan under the bus would have on relations with other countries in the region. The security commitment of the US would be seriously undermined by allowing Beijing to waltz into Taipei, and Beijing would find it much easier to deny the US Navy access to large tranches of Asia's waters.<br /><br />Realists could easily find arguments to defend Taiwan. They just choose not to.Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552370490869601403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-22863185642958372942010-02-08T11:35:41.134+08:002010-02-08T11:35:41.134+08:00I'm not an arms sale expert, and I'm wonde...I'm not an arms sale expert, and I'm wondering what was the difference between this arms purchase and the one that failed during the Chen administration? Obviously, the earlier one was being brokered by the DPP while this one by the KMT. I still remember all the fuckwad red shirts screaming about how Taiwan does not have any money for weapons (and that was before the economic crisis), does not want to get into an arms race with China, and was being pawned by the US. So, why the 180 degree turn on arms sales now?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-13793798449254506862010-02-08T07:54:57.587+08:002010-02-08T07:54:57.587+08:00This is a pretty informative piece from a Deep Blu...This is <a href="http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4227189" rel="nofollow">a pretty informative piece from a Deep Blue legislator on problems with Taiwanese defense and the ridiculous curve balls the US throws at Taiwan</a>.<br /><br />Sample, on F16 C/D:<br /><br />"A. I want to emphasize that over 60 years, Taiwan's key defense element has been air superiority. The Taiwan Strait is the main block between Taiwan and mainland China. Every military person understands this. Over the past 60 years, we have maintained air superiority over China. Only then can we defend ourselves.<br /><br />Our F-16A/B, Mirage 2000-5s and Indigenous Defense Fighters [IDF] are 10 to 15 years old. They are facing midlife upgrades. So at this time, we really need something to begin replacing these fighters. The current situation is the Mirages, IDFs and F-16s purchased in the 1990s do not have the air-superiority edge against China's newer fighters, such as the J-10s and Su-27s.<br /><br />The F-16C/D release by the U.S. is critical. Taiwan's national defense strategy is to try to interdict the invasion force in the middle of the Strait before reaching Taiwan. Taiwan's territory is very narrow and limited. Our strategy should be to stop the invasion fleet in the Strait. The main battle should be in the Strait, not on the land.<br /><br />The F-16C/D has more countermeasure capabilities to interdict an invasion at sea compared to the F-16A/B. That is why the F-16C/D sale is so sensitive with China."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-55336520527595001352010-02-08T06:13:14.260+08:002010-02-08T06:13:14.260+08:00The argument that the US needs to keep Taiwan &quo...The argument that the US needs to keep Taiwan "in line" (whatever that means) in order to get help from China with North Korea is likewise as ridiculous. China hears this line of reasoning and decides that it wants to keep North Korea around and dangerous--because if they actually helped and North Korea became a sane country, then the US would stop helping them on Taiwan.<br /><br />If the US wants help with North Korea, it should draw a line in the sand, help Taiwan (completely ripped-off for second-hand and disabled US arms) the way it helps Israel ($2 billion in aid a year for a country of 7 million!) and let China truly contemplate what a nuclear armed and out of control North Korea means for China. That's the only way out of the trap. Once China gives up on Taiwan, it will come around on North Korea and stop playing reckless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-23359240984650514642010-02-07T22:16:36.470+08:002010-02-07T22:16:36.470+08:00Michael: There's not sign at the moment that B...Michael: There's not sign at the moment that Beijing has protested sales of Eurocopters to Taiwan. The opening paragraph in the story you link is contradicted further down. Also, I've heard back from Eusocopter HQ, which confirmed the sale but did not mention any complaint from Beijing.J. Michael Cole 寇謐將https://www.blogger.com/profile/12125612369359079447noreply@blogger.com