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Monday, March 24, 2008
Defend Taiwan? Israel? Other nations?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Taiwan, a nation that America once promised to defend and now checks to keep fit from provoking mainland China or declaring its independence, held presidential elections over the weekend. The opposition party, led by Ma Ying-jeou, pronounced Ma ING-gee-oh, won decisively.
“Taiwan is a beacon of democracy to Asia and the world,” said President George W. Bush in congratulating Ma.”Taiwan has demonstrated the strength and vitality of its democracy.”
“It falls to Taiwan and Beijing to build the essential foundations for peace and stability by pursuing dialogue through all available means and refraining from unilateral steps that would alter the cross-Strait situation,” said Bush. “I believe the election provides a fresh opportunity for both sides to reach out and engage one another in peacefully resolving their differences.
The maintenance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the welfare of the people on Taiwan remain of profound importance to the United States. We will continue to maintain close unofficial ties with the people on Taiwan through the American Institute in Taiwan in accordance with our long standing one China policy, our three Joint Communiques with the People’s Republic of China, and the Taiwan Relations Act.”
Ma, who has a doctorate from Harvard and whose two daughters live in the U.S. has a difficult task in balancing relations with China. Ma wants to work with China to reduce the risk of an accidental war, with an eventual agreement to end hostilities across the Taiwan Strait.
Negotiations with mainland China, he said Sunday, will be handled through two semiofficial foundations set up in the early 1990s. Using them is like shaking hands with gloves, he said. “If you wear a white glove, it is still courteous, but it is not your actual flesh.”
Most interesting is his suggestion that China , which regards Taiwan as a breakaway province, and Taiwan, which regards itself as the Republic of China and a a sovereign nation, can find a solution that permits each to maintain a “mutual nondenial” of the other’s claim.
The pending change of governments in Taiwan and the efforts America exerts to prevent Taiwan from provoking China — Red China, as we used to call it — prompts the question: Which nations, if any, should the United States be willing to risk war to defend?
Taiwan? Once yes, now most likely not. Israel? For me, absolutely. Japan, yes. Beyond that, Great Britain, Australia, and a threat to any nation in North or South America that comes from outside the hemisphere. Europe? Probably not.
What nations would you be willing to defend at the risk of war?
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