Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alastair McIntosh who wrote (121002)	12/5/2003 1:49:14 PM
From: greenspirit	Read Replies (4) \| Respond to of 281500

The reality is, China would have attacked Taiwan years ago if it weren't for the might of America's military standing in their way. Their military leaders may pine-away and threaten invasion action against Taiwan, and America may play a "let them save face" foreign policy game, but the reality is America will defend Taiwan if China attacks the island. China's communist leaders know it, and they resent the hell out of the U.S. because of it (Remember the ridiculous capture of America's P-3 crew which was forced to land, due to a renegade Tom Cruise pilot losing the big picture). This "containment" policy demonstrates another example of how America is maintaining peace around the world. Something which seems totally forgotten by our European allies in the press as of late. One day China will mature enough to throw the communist dictators out of power and hold free elections. I expect it to see it happen within the next decade. When it happens, Taiwan will be annexing China, not the other way around.

To: Alastair McIntosh who wrote (121002)	12/5/2003 6:34:31 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Respond to of 281500

Not surprisingly, the 23 million people of Taiwan find all of this a little galling. Most pariah nations are pariahs for a reason. White-ruled South Africa was tossed out of the Commonwealth and denied voting rights at the UN because its government was racist. Saddam Hussein's Iraq faced UN sanctions because it refused to come clean about weapons of mass destruction. What, ask, the Taiwanese, have we done? Answer: You got hated by someone bigger, more powerful, and not open to compromise. Cf. Israel. Isn't it interesting though, that concepts of "nationalism" and "right of self-determination", which are considered so powerful in other regions, that they procure the right to a sovereign state among the Palestinians, a group who never even thought of themselves as a nation until 40 years ago, are somehow never considered relevant in the case of the Taiwanese, a group who has not only thought of itself as a nation for the last 50 years and more, but built one of the most successful nations in Asia? Why is that, do you suppose?