posted on April 22, 2004 03:27:31 PM new
I wondered how Cheney would get the Chinese to wack North Korea.
Financial Times: US warns defence of Taiwan not guaranteed
Financial Times ^ | April 22 2004 | Salamander Davoudi
Posted on 04/22/2004 6:07:57 AM PDT by Republican Party Reptile
US warns defence of Taiwan not guaranteed By Salamander Davoudi in Washington Published: April 22 2004 2:36 | Last Updated: April 22 2004 2:36
The US warned Taiwan on Wednesday that the island's defence could not be ensured if it were to unilaterally move towards independence and insisted that China's threats of military action must be taken seriously.
In testimony before the US House international relations committee James Kelly, assistant secretary of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said: "We have very real concerns that our efforts at deterring Chinese coercion might fail if Beijing ever becomes convinced Taiwan is embarked on a course towards independence and permanent separation from China.
"While we strongly disagree with the approach, it would be irresponsible of us and Taiwan's leaders to treat these statements as empty threats."
When asked whether the Taiwanese were under the impression that the US was willing to defend them at all costs Mr Kelly replied: "If they heard that they misunderstood."
Congressman Gary Ackerman, a senior Democrat on the House international relations committee, was one of several Democratic lawmakers who expressed frustration over the apparent opaqueness of US policy towards Taiwan.
President George W. Bush has said in the past he would do "whatever it took to help Taiwan defend herself" against attacks from the Chinese mainland.
Taiwan is a delicate issue for the Bush administration as the US supports its flourishing democracy but does not endorse all its ambitions, especially those that could lead to war with China.
In recent months the White House has become concerned over comments by Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan's president, concerning the adoption of a new constitution, a move that could be perceived as edging towards independence.
During a recent visit to China, US vice-president Dick Cheney reiterated that Washington opposed any moves by Taiwan to formalise its de facto independence.
The Chinese called on the US to stop weapons sales to Taiwan but Mr Cheney said the sales were directly linked with Beijing's ever-increasing deployment of missiles and other forces to threaten the island.
Peter Rodman, assistant secretary of defence for international security affairs, said the US defence department would continue to "maintain an active dialogue with Taiwan with regard to military hardware, training and doctrine."
posted on April 22, 2004 05:06:41 PM new
Hmmm. Our government says it is willing to go to war to bring democracy and freedom to other nations. It is our God-ordained mission, we are told. But only if it is not inconvenient or there's something in it for us. Maybe if the Taiwanese made a enmass conversion to Islam they'd have our support again.
******
Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on April 22, 2004 10:55:28 PM new
While your article has yesterdays date on it....this subject has already been discussed a while back...in the news media. Not sure why it would be surfacing again now except to be one more criticism of this administration's policies.
I sure can understand this administration not seeing this as the best time for Taiwan to make trouble with China [ be rebelious right now - or when this story first broke and was first reported].....we're just a little busy right now.
I don't see it as having anything to do with reversing our prior agreement to do what we can for Taiwan.
posted on April 25, 2004 08:08:43 PM new
China could whack him anytime they wanted to. I think he is left in power for the same reason Arafat is left in power -- he can be controlled and they don't know what might take his place.
