Unless and until Taiwan itself ramps up its readiness for war, it's hard to see how the U.S. can ride to the rescue, writes TomRtweets.
The United States has a very significant national security interest in ensuring that Taiwan remains a democratic and independent nation. If Taiwan falls to communist China, America's credibility as the global bastion for democracy will suffer. Taiwan's demise will also — after a few years of sanctions on China — encourage a massive recentering of global political relationships in Beijing's favor.
This is the fourth time since Biden became president that he has committed U.S. forces to defending Taiwan. As previously, the White House implicitly rebuked the president, insisting that the U.S. policy of"strategic ambiguity" over whether it would intervene against any Chinese attack is sustaining. Still, the commander-in-chief responded"yes" when asked whether U.S. military personnel would fight to defend Taiwan. U.S. policy appears to have shifted in dramatic fashion.
That brings us to the U.S. response to this rising threat. The problem with Biden's remarks are not their moral substance. Indeed, in principle, the president deserves credit for taking a definitive stance that threads a path between former President Barack Obama's verbose equivocation and former President Donald Trump's impulsive bluster. It's also positive that Australia, Japan, and the U.S. are planning together for any Taiwanese invasion. Britain may soon join these efforts.
First off, Taiwan's defense spending remains ludicrously low in face of the existential threat it faces. This war, after all, would define whether Taiwan remains an independent democracy or just another subordinate province under the Chinese Communist Party hammer. Yet, even as Taipei stares down the vast size and capability of the PLA, it continues to spend less than 2% of its GDP on defense.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Biden says U.S. troops would defend Taiwan in event of attack by ChinaThe '60 Minutes' interview is the latest of several occasions in which Biden has said that the United States would come to Taiwan’s defense militarily if China were to attack.
Read more »
Tsunami warnings issued after 6.9-magnitude earthquake hits TaiwanHazardous tsunami waves are possible along coastlines within a 300 kilometer radius of a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit south-eastern Taiwan on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said.
Read more »
Tsunami warnings issued after 6.9-magnitude earthquake hits Taiwan | CNNHazardous tsunami waves are possible along coastlines within a 300 kilometer radius of a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit south-eastern Taiwan on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said.
Read more »
Taiwan 'specially invited' to sign queen's condolence bookTaiwan's de facto ambassador in London received a 'special invite' to sign the book of condolence for Britain's Queen Elizabeth, the island's foreign ministry said, adding he was given the same treatment as other dignitaries.
Read more »
Strong Earthquake in Taiwan Traps People, Derails TrainA strong earthquake shook much of Taiwan on Sunday, toppling a three-story building and temporarily trapping four people inside. It also stranded about 400 tourists on a mountainside and knocked part of a passenger train off its tracks. The magnitude 6.8 quake was the largest among dozens that have rattled the island’s southeastern coast since Saturday evening, when a 6.4 quake struck the same area. A three-story building with a 7-11 store on the ground floor and residences collapsed in Yuli town. Four people were rescued. A landslide meanwhile trapped nearly 400 tourists on a mountain in Yuli. They had no power and a weak cellphone signal. There are no immediate reports of serious injuries. Over 7,000 households were reported without power,
Read more »