Like other powerful nations, the US has asserted the right to control it’s neighborhood. The Monroe Doctrine, The Cuban missile crisis, and undermining (illegally) the Sandinistas are examples. Not recognizing that other power bloc leaders may view the world the same way has led the US into a surrogate war in the Ukraine and now has headed us down the road toward a war over Taiwan.
Regardless of whether one likes or hates China, these are a serious steps toward war with a foe far stronger and more determined that Russia. The inability of the US to think of international relations in other military terms means that the resolution will most likely be a military one. As a combat vet of one stupid war and having watched us spend lives and treasure in unsuccessful, destructive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is beyond depressing to witness our enthusiasm for heading down the road to another war without realizing what we are doing. Recent war games make it clear that a war with China will involve nuclear weapons.
It would be far better for the US to focus on relations with rest of the world that focus on the incredible economic benefits that China, Taiwan, Australia, the EU and the US have generated and share instead of girding for war. XI is admittedly a different leader than previous Chinese presidents and NATO now looks stronger than before, but we need to realize that China is going to see Taiwan the same way that the US sees its own neighborhood and that the US is in no position to win a war against China in basically Chinese waters.
www.nytimes.com
Regardless of whether one likes or hates China, these are a serious steps toward war with a foe far stronger and more determined that Russia. The inability of the US to think of international relations in other military terms means that the resolution will most likely be a military one. As a combat vet of one stupid war and having watched us spend lives and treasure in unsuccessful, destructive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is beyond depressing to witness our enthusiasm for heading down the road to another war without realizing what we are doing. Recent war games make it clear that a war with China will involve nuclear weapons.
It would be far better for the US to focus on relations with rest of the world that focus on the incredible economic benefits that China, Taiwan, Australia, the EU and the US have generated and share instead of girding for war. XI is admittedly a different leader than previous Chinese presidents and NATO now looks stronger than before, but we need to realize that China is going to see Taiwan the same way that the US sees its own neighborhood and that the US is in no position to win a war against China in basically Chinese waters.
Biden Pledges to Defend Taiwan if It Faces a Chinese Attack (Published 2022)
Moving away from a policy of “strategic ambiguity,” the president said that to protect the island democracy, he would go beyond what the U.S. has done for Ukraine.
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