Steven-
<<Ron and DMA beat me to the good points. You didn't want to talk about them in any coherent fashion ...>>
What exactly were these good points that I didn't want to talk about? Kindly be specific, if that is possible. I don't think either Ron or DMA were defending your contention that there is little concern that the PRC would attempt a military solution to the problem of the "renegade province". And I don't think I evaded any kind of intelligent challenge. Where, pray tell, do you think I did? You certainly issued no intelligent challenge. Or is that just some empty smear job on your part?
<<you omitted a rather relevant portion. I did say that I expect a peaceful reunification. I also said that I expect that when it occurs China will no longer be Communist. I suspect that China will be no more than nominally Communist within a decade, and not even nominally Communist within a decade after that.>>
I'd say you did more than say you "expected" it, sir. I certainly do not want to ignore relevant context. Context matters, so thank you for providing it. It's interesting for me to realize that you consider the PRC to be Communist, and that they won't be more than nominally so within 10 years. Some would say it's merely nominal now, with their bourses and joint foreign ventures, but I wouldn't care to argue the point. But in recent days Beijing has made it clear that it may not wait for a peaceful solution to the "Taiwan problem", thank you. And exactly how is it so relevant that you claimed Beijing would transform itself before reunification anyway? It would be no more palatable to me to have Taiwan overrun by some "right wing" Chinese dictatorship than it would to have "Communists" do it. They just might not operate on your schedule anyway. And if the PRC manages to transform itself to a liberal democracy, I doubt it will be the first such to go to war with another liberal democracy.
FTR, the question of whether or not it is Communist (and I believe some have made the case on this thread that it is not) is irrelevant to the present discussion. You seem to favor dragging in irrelevancies. Do you think it detracts from exposing your weak position? Whatever China is, it remains a dictatorship. The Party simply realizes its old economic ideology was garbage, but they still attempt to retain complete political control. And they've made their aggressive intentions toward the democratic, and infinitely freer, Taiwan a matter of public record, so that even you can see it.
<<Have you not grasped by now that it is politically impossible for a Chinese politician to give in to a public American ultimatum?>>
Sheesh. More irrelevancies. Who is talking about "public American ultimatum" as the way to resolve the problem? Oh well, if you cannot refute the argument made, you can always refute another argument- if you call that a refutation. And you'll probably find dupes to buy it.
<<Unless, of course, the hardliners in Washington force the US into doing exactly what the hardliners in Beijing want us to do.>>
Huh? Oh yes, don't upset those moderates or else those extemists will leap out of the closet and chase those moderates away! It's always a thrilling tale, made all the merrier when you don't have to have any facts to back it up.
May I suggest that confused intentions have contributed significantly to the onset of many wars? Why a high-level Chinese official of yesteryear cited confusion over American intent with regard to the Korean peninsula by noting Dean Acheson's most unwise statement that Korea lay outside the sphere of vital interest of the United States. It is to help avoid military conflict that the US should make it's intent clear. I'd rather that a future Chinese Foreign Minister not rebuke an American Secretary of State with the idea that they did not know that Taiwan was of vital US concern before they launched their war.
OK, Steven, let's cut to the chase, shall we? Do you agree that the PRC has publicly threatened a military solution to the "Taiwan problem" if Taipai does not negotiate in a manner satisfactory to Beijing? Do you think the people and government of Taiwan should take such threats seriously? Was your earlier statement that reunification would be peaceful anything more than wishful thinking? Finally, should the United States assist the people of a friendly, democratic Taiwan when they are threatened by a repressive, even brutal, dictatorship?
These are not difficult questions to understand, Steven. Don't play word games with me; please respond to the questions asked, and not to questions of your own invention.
Larry |
