Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Sell Taiwan F-16s

Even if it wasn't the right thing to do to help a democratic ally resist being conquered by a communist police state with growing capabilities to achieve air superiority, we should sell the F-16s just to get the possible Chinese reaction:

The People's Republic of China cut off military-to-military relations with the United States following the 2008 sale of arms to Taiwan by the George W. Bush administration. Now there is a new weapons deal with Taiwan in the works, which Adm. Timothy J. Keating, who heads Pacific Command (Pacom), warns could result in China severing mil-to-mil ties again if it goes through.

"If the administration were to announce a new round of Taiwanese arms sales, I'm sure the Chinese would say ‘We have the right to consider turning off mil-to-mil relations,'" Keating said.


Please, oh please cut off the mil-to-mil exchanges! The Chinese just aren't learning what we want to teach them, in my opinion.