tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post5198050472726665637..comments2023-10-22T18:25:39.688+08:00Comments on The View from Taiwan: China-Taiwan-Iran Nuke Parts ConnectionMichael Turtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17974403961870976346noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10698887.post-15390189956482116532010-01-09T02:12:24.529+08:002010-01-09T02:12:24.529+08:00Well the Middle East controls a large part of the ...Well the Middle East controls a large part of the world's oil, so for the time being this will always be a vital US interest. The US could only afford to disengage here if they'd reduce their dependency on oil imports. <br /><br />Iraq will move more towards the religious fundamentalists, if it does indeed stabilize in the long term. However that's an inherited disaster - other than slowly disengaging and hoping things won't implode I don't see what Obama could do. Same with Afghanistan - if it's not supposed to revert back to the Taliban and generate terrorism, what choice does the US have but to prop up the government there? (More pressure for the Afghan government to become legitimate is needed, though.)<br /><br />Iran will be interesting - I hope (and believe) that the current regime has had it. I think not asserting too much pressure from the outside and waiting a bit might turn the situation into the US' favor.<br /><br />China ... well maybe they'd be happy if the US starts a war on Iran, but on the other hand: there involvement in this transaction might wake up some people in the US and alert them to the kind of regime they are dealing with.StefanMuchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13041616398172997165noreply@blogger.com