Should the US defend Taiwan with military force?

[FelixDeCat]

I think the dispute between China and Taiwan should be settled between those two countries and we should not use force to defend Taiwan. While I do not support the communist regime of China, I also do not think that we need to get involved militarily in the dispute between the two nations on the other side of the world.

Recently the US, UK and Australia formed a security alliance covering the Asia Pacific region. So long as that force is used for freedom of navigation to keep trade lanes open, that would make sense. But going to war with China over Taiwan does not seem like something we should do. Support for Taiwan should be limited to humanitarian and political support.

Both Republicans and Democrats have supported the democracy in Taiwan including the use of force to defend it, but I think that is going too far.

 

[rommelrommel]

Yes, democratic countries should definitely defend other democracies from totalitarian ones.

There isn’t need to generally go to war with the PRC to defend Taiwan, they’re pretty capable themselves and Air/Naval assets could help them hold off an invasion pretty cheaply. I would hope that Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and other able countries would join in.

 

[bbhaag]

No, and here is why. Taiwan has their silicon shield and if anyone decides to invade them they will feel the full force of not only the United States but the the full force of any country who has a vested interest.

TSMC is literally the only thing keeping countries like China and Russia from invading Taiwan because they know the minute they do they will inflict the wrath of many many countries. It would literally be a shit storm that no country would stand for.

 

[dank69]

Why are you asking? What brainworm are you dealing with at this moment?

 

[rommelrommel]

No, and here is why. Taiwan has their silicon shield and if anyone decides to invade them they will feel the full force of not only the United States but the the full force of any country who has a vested interest.

TSMC is literally the only thing keeping countries like China and Russia from invading Taiwan because they know the minute they do they will inflict the wrath of many many countries. It would literally be a shit storm that no country would stand for.

It’s a little weird to say we shouldn’t defend Taiwan because we will defend Taiwan.

Geography is what primarily stops Russia. It’s making it really hard for the PRC to plan too.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Taiwan is Chinese territory inhabited by former Chinese officials in exile. It's theirs and it's not up to us to interfere in interior issues. It'd be kind of like China defending Long Island from New York.

 

[bbhaag]

It’s a little weird to say we shouldn’t defend Taiwan because we will defend Taiwan.

Geography is what primarily stops Russia. It’s making it really hard for the PRC to plan too.

Global politics are a little weird. Taiwan has their own defense in TSMC. If anyone steps on that then they will feel the wrath of any other nation who has a vested interest in microprocessor production. Guess how many there are.

 

[rommelrommel]

Global politics are a little weird. Taiwan has their own defense in TSMC. If anyone steps on that then they will feel the wrath of any other nation who has a vested interest in microprocessor production. Guess how many there are.

The question is should we tho, not will we or not.

 

[rommelrommel]

Taiwan is Chinese territory inhabited by former Chinese officials in exile. It's theirs and it's not up to us to interfere in interior issues. It'd be kind of like China defending Long Island from New York.

TIL that 23+ million Taiwanese are former Chinese officials despite not many of them being 90+ years old.

 

[bbhaag]

The question is should we tho, not will we or not.

You are missing the point. There is no we. It goes beyond that and extends to a global scale. China already knows this so why don't you?

 

[ivwshane]

We should always back democracies. However, we should do so at their request. So when Taiwan wants our help, we should help them (and by we I mean the international community at large). Until then we should give them the support they want and continue to put pressure on non democratic nations to be more democratic.

Lucky for us, Taiwan currently prefers the status quo and pretty much operates as a democracy and ignores china’s threats.

 

[rommelrommel]

You are missing the point. There is no we. It goes beyond that and extends to a global scale. China already knows this so why don't you?

Maybe try making some sense first, why even mention Russia when they have zero ability or desire to do so? I also don’t think China “knows” what you think they know. If they did they wouldn’t be amassing the ability to conduct a massive amphibious operation.

 

[pauldun170]

Taiwan is Chinese territory inhabited by former Chinese officials in exile. It's theirs and it's not up to us to interfere in interior issues. It'd be kind of like China defending Long Island from New York.

Fuck Long Island
Gotta just sell my house first

 

[Jaskalas]

Taiwan is Chinese territory inhabited by former Chinese officials in exile. It's theirs and it's not up to us to interfere in interior issues. It'd be kind of like China defending Long Island from New York.

Did you just endorse slavery, one people's ownership of another?
I say it is for the people of Taiwan to decide their future.

They are free to request and receive all the aid in the world. And if they ask, the United States should be there.
Why should we?

Vested economic interests. Basic human dignity to not allow one people to enslave another. The difference being that this IS NOT mainland China. We should have a problem with all of it, and act accordingly with economics. But a distinct and separate island is a fine place to draw that line. To say that these people will not be eradicated, tortured, or otherwise harmed without consequence.

Because defending the small and powerless is the honorable thing to do, and it is the duty of those with power to act in the protection of life. That means fighting back and extracting a heavy toll, if not achieving victory. To guard against wanton abandon for the lives of others.

 

[cytg111]

I think the dispute between China and Taiwan should be settled between those two countries and we should not use force to defend Taiwan. While I do not support the communist regime of China, I also do not think that we need to get involved militarily in the dispute between the two nations on the other side of the world.

Recently the US, UK and Australia formed a security alliance covering the Asia Pacific region. So long as that force is used for freedom of navigation to keep trade lanes open, that would make sense. But going to war with China over Taiwan does not seem like something we should do. Support for Taiwan should be limited to humanitarian and political support.

Both Republicans and Democrats have supported the democracy in Taiwan including the use of force to defend it, but I think that is going too far.

Do you like nice things?
Google up “Taiwan geopolitics”, read a bit, come back informed.

Square off with China via trade wars… Ok Brandons.
This is the line. This is it.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

If they set their mind to it and execute the plan properly, they could overwhelm that little speck of rock off their shore in a matter of hours. And they ain't a dang blasted thing anybody could do about it short of ...

.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Why are you asking? What brainworm are you dealing with at this moment?

I've felt this way since the early 1980s. Ive just never publicly expressed this opinion.

 

[FelixDeCat]

Yes, democratic countries should definitely defend other democracies from totalitarian ones.

There isn’t need to generally go to war with the PRC to defend Taiwan, they’re pretty capable themselves and Air/Naval assets could help them hold off an invasion pretty cheaply. I would hope that Japan, Australia, Canada, South Korea, and other able countries would join in.

I think our support should be limited to non lethal forms of assistance. We can sanction China.

 

[FelixDeCat]

If they set their mind to it and execute the plan properly, they could overwhelm that little speck of rock off their shore in a matter of hours. And they ain't a dang blasted thing anybody could do about it short of ...

This is true and we dont need no stinkin' nukes used (again) in the region by either side. Remember, China has them too!

 

[JTsyo]

I think our support should be limited to non lethal forms of assistance. We can sanction China.

By then it's too late. We seen what happened with Russia and Crimea. If China gets significant troops on the island it's done. No sanctions are going to make them leave. China is so ingrained in world trade, sanctions on them would hurt everyone.
Currently the cost of taking Taiwan isn't worth it for China. If they either find a cheap way to do it or need something to rally support at home, it might become an issue.

 

[pauldun170]

Last I checked, when polled the people of Taiwan dont care about democracy, they just care about the economy.
So nope on using " We will die for you to protect your democracy"

Last I checked Taiwan has trouble getting people to sign up for military service so it's own people are not going go about fighting for themselves so nope "We will not die for you if you are not willing to fight".

If China were to invade Taiwan, it would be a strategic mistake that would essentially erase all the progress they have made over the past 25 years. They know that.

If a conflict were to occur, US involvement would basically make things into a shitstorm and the Taiwanese would be in a worse situation than if China rolled in and switched their government.

We wont even recognize Taiwan as an independent nation.

 

[HomerJS]

Not sure my final answer although I tend to side with @ivwshane. Only in the context of an international coalition.

Just curious how the OP would voted same question but change the date to Sep 1 1939?

 

[IronWing]

Not sure my final answer although I tend to side with @ivwshane. Only in the context of an international coalition.

Just curious how the OP would voted same question but change the date to 1939?

The problem with coalitions is that the US military ends up doing all the fighting anyway. From Desert Storm, the Balkans, and the Bush Wars, we learned that our allies ain't worth a damn in a fight.

 

[BoomerD]

TIL that 23+ million Taiwanese are former Chinese officials despite not many of them being 90+ years old.

I'm sure the actual Taiwanese people would argue that with you...

February 28 incident - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

White Terror (Taiwan) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[pmv]

Not sure my final answer although I tend to side with @ivwshane. Only in the context of an international coalition.

Just curious how the OP would voted same question but change the date to Sep 1 1939?

Though it's long struck me how _every_ post-WW2 conflict the West has gotten into started off being compared to that one. Nasser was compared to Hilter by MPs on the brink of the Suez fiasco, Milosovich was compared to Hitler, as was Saddam before the Iraq disaster, likewise the Taliban, Assad, Castro, Ho Chi Minh, it's the immediate 'go to' any time anyone in the West wants a war. A kind of real-world Godwin's law.

Most of those conflicts didn't turn out well, it's a mixed-picture at the very best.