Condi Rice testified in Congress the other day that Taiwan just isn't making the grade. The Taipei Times has the call:
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Thursday that the US hasn't always received a "satisfactory" response from Taiwan with regard to US efforts to help modernize the Taiwanese military.Rice made the remarks while attending a hearing of the House International Relations Committee on the fiscal year 2007 international affairs budget request. She said the US has also been clear that it has obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA) to help Taiwan defend itself.
Rice said the US has "proposed that there are things that could be done for the modernization of Taiwanese forces with the help of the United States."
However, the US hasn't always received "a particularly satisfactory response on the Taiwanese side to issues about defense modernization, but we have been prepared to discharge our duties in that regard."
It's not "Taiwan" but the pan-Blues who are stopping the purchase. You're just playing into their hands by blaming Taiwan, Ms. Rice. Meanwhile Taiwan Caucus Co-Chair Steve Chabot deserves a big round of applause for his remarks to Secretary of State Rice:
Chabot admitted that he is "not a big fan" of the so-called "one China" policy, saying he believes it is "wrongheaded" and "dangerous."
During the hearing, Chabot cited a Taipei Times cartoon to make his point.
The cartoon, published by this paper on Feb 4, shows a man labeled "Taiwan," who is trying to crawl out of the water to get away from a shark that is labeled "China." From the shore, a bat-wielding Uncle Sam is saying to Taiwan "Get back in there! We don't want to alter the status quo."
"I use this cartoon as an illustration of the frustration I'm sure Taiwan's leaders must be feeling, and frankly, the frustration I am feeling," Chabot was quoted as saying in the hearing's transcript.
Chabot said that "every time Taiwan's democratically elected President Chen Shui bian (
陳水扁 ) opens his mouth," the State Department gets worried and accuses Taiwan of trying to change the "status quo."He said the main threat to the "status quo" in the Taiwan Strait is actually China, which is pursuing a rapid military buildup, has 784 missiles pointed at Taiwan and last year passed the "Anti-Secession" Law giving it legal cover to attack Taiwan.
Good man, Steve. People sometimes seem almost allergic to mentioning the Chinese military threat.
[Taiwan] [US] [China] [Taiwan Relations Act (TRA)] [US Foreign Policy] [TRA]
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A couple of Republican congressmen have written a notable opinion piece in the Washington Times in defense of Chen.
In it, they state how everyone is making a mountain out of a moehill out of the NUC comments he made during the Lunar New Year. They call these comments "irrelevant" to the status quo issue and "just a thought -- not a plan". Here! Here!! (I can't believe I'm applauding Republicans!)
As for the "status quo" (which I find to be a most deceptive phrase these days), the two congressmen state:
Having observed Taiwan and its leaders over many years, we find it ironic that Mr. Chen's comments have received such attention. We say this because despite the labels that opponents have tried to attach to him, Mr. Chen has been perhaps the most responsible adherent to the "status quo" during his six years in office.
They go on to define "the context" of Chen's remarks and even go as far as to say that it is China that is changing this status-quo (Here! Here!!!). They mention the anti-secession law, the treachorous trips by Lien and Soong, and even the Chinese trojan horse (the Pandas). These are all significant examples of domestic interferance by China.
They finish the opinion piece without mincing any words:
In the context of Taiwan's vibrant democracy, one could say that Mr. Chen's actions have been quite diplomatic. And far from a rebuke, our government should both acknowledge this, and -- given China's enduring threat -- show the kind of support that our democratic ally deserves. For a country in which people are not allowed to google "sensitive" words such as freedom or democracy, China has never appealed to the hearts and souls of the Taiwanese people. The Taiwanese people should have the final words on their own future. In his State of the Union speech, President Bush said the United States is committed to an historic, long-term goal -- we seek the end of tyranny in our world. When Chinese President Hu Jintao comes to Washington in April, we will applaud President Bush for his continued efforts to speak about the democratic values embedded in this country.
Why can't Democrat leaders voice similar words?
Principled defense of feedom
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Why can't Democrat leaders voice similar words?
Hear, hear, STOP_George, bro! (Michael, too!)
Chabot's remarks to Rice were perfecto, but as STOP_George implies, they're coming from the wrong side of the aisle. I hate to think what the Taiwanese will "owe" Republicans like Dana Rohrabacher for such words. (Hopefully not another 50 years of KMT rule!) This amounts to a serious ethical dilemma.
I, too, feel that the term "status quo" is deceptive. I'm just brainstorming here (others, feel free to expand on this), but I think what the media is referring to when they use the term is this:
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"1) a constantly changing, effed-up situation created by the KMT, whose occupation of Taiwan and wet dreams about Oedipally 'retaking' their mommyland are enabled by a lazy and/or willing media; 2) a situation which has resulted in not only the false treatment of the KMT and Taiwan by the international media as "one and the same," but also in the deployment of a large number of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan -- a number which increases in proportion to the development of Taiwan's democracy; 3) a 'constant' which is only permitted by China and the U.S. to be changed by that particular side of this bizarre ménage à trois."
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(I hope that doesn't have too many dangling participles.)
Don't you know it! I'm torn between calling Chabot and thanking him for his remarks on Taiwan, and calling him and reaming him for being a Republican lackey. He's from OHIO which the Rethugs have turned into a completely corrupt fascist state since they stole the last election there. Sad.
But I'm going to call him anyway. Bottom line: Congress critters should be encouraged when they do the right thing. That's so rare, it should be supported.
I'll post that Wash Times piece up in a moment. Thanks, STOP_george.
You know, SG, we should put in a post at Kos about this. Get the Dems on the right side of this issue too.
Michael
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Tim:
If your participles dangle -- they dangle well!
BTW, why does your excellent blog not have a comment section? I've often wanted to post comments there. Hope you don't mind me being the 1000th person to ask you that.
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STOP_George, there haven't been a whole lot of people who've taken the time to write e-mail and ask me about putting comments on my blog. I'm working on some modifications to my template, so I'll give it some thought as I do that. In the meantime, anybody can e-mail their comments to me by clicking my name (at the bottom of each post on my blog).
Michael, if you get Chabot on the horn, see if you can ask him just what it is that Taiwan will owe him. Another thing to ask might be why he thinks the Dems aren't speaking up on Taiwan. His answer might be revealing -- about the Repubs, that is.
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