What To Do?
The Associated Press has reported that China's Parliament has enacted a law authorizing the use of military force in order to prevent the island nation of Taiwan from pursuing formal independence from mainland China. The previous day, China's President called for the Chinese military to be ready for war and also increased the military budget by 12.6%.
In 1957, President Eisenhower committed the Seventh U.S. Fleet to the Straits of Taiwan and prepared to defend Taiwan from what looked like the begining of a Chinese invasion of the island. The U.S. was unknowingly on the brink of war with China. We had faught the Chinese years earlier during the Korean War. Are we ready to do it again?
This would potentially be the biggest foreign policy test for any U.S. President in the history of our nation. The People's Republic of China has the largest military in the world -- 380 million service-age men. There is also the military dictum to "never fight a land war in Asia (Gen. Douglas McArthur?)." The potential for war with China, either on the island of Taiwan or on mainland China, is daunting to say the least. I am certain that such a war would require the complete focus of the American military, the American economy, and the American people. I think such a commitment would dwarf our experience in World War II. I would support such a war. On any scale. There are certain things that must be defended -- even at the cost of our lives.
But what if the people of the U.S. do not support fighting to keep Taiwan free? How can we maintain the mantle of defender of freedom and democracy if our public takes no concern for what is going on in the world outside American borders? I am afraid that the American public no longer has ideals. Nothing is worth fighting for. The tendency for our society to engage in relativism (moral or otherwise) will be the downfall of our society. If we can no longer stand on principle, what can we stand on?
UPDATE: Now, the U.S. has found evidence of China's transferring WMD technology to Iran. We have to do something!
In 1957, President Eisenhower committed the Seventh U.S. Fleet to the Straits of Taiwan and prepared to defend Taiwan from what looked like the begining of a Chinese invasion of the island. The U.S. was unknowingly on the brink of war with China. We had faught the Chinese years earlier during the Korean War. Are we ready to do it again?
This would potentially be the biggest foreign policy test for any U.S. President in the history of our nation. The People's Republic of China has the largest military in the world -- 380 million service-age men. There is also the military dictum to "never fight a land war in Asia (Gen. Douglas McArthur?)." The potential for war with China, either on the island of Taiwan or on mainland China, is daunting to say the least. I am certain that such a war would require the complete focus of the American military, the American economy, and the American people. I think such a commitment would dwarf our experience in World War II. I would support such a war. On any scale. There are certain things that must be defended -- even at the cost of our lives.
But what if the people of the U.S. do not support fighting to keep Taiwan free? How can we maintain the mantle of defender of freedom and democracy if our public takes no concern for what is going on in the world outside American borders? I am afraid that the American public no longer has ideals. Nothing is worth fighting for. The tendency for our society to engage in relativism (moral or otherwise) will be the downfall of our society. If we can no longer stand on principle, what can we stand on?
UPDATE: Now, the U.S. has found evidence of China's transferring WMD technology to Iran. We have to do something!
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