[Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!]

On May 11, 12:28*am, ScottW wrote:
On May 10, 1:15*pm, "Shhhh! I'm Listening to Reason!"

wrote:
On May 10, 2:56*pm, ScottW wrote:

*So your point is..why maintain a deterrent?

No, there are other things that we could do, assuming your earlier
comment was correct.

Because even a US unopposed Chinese invasion of Taiwan is going
to have serious consequences for the US.

Even if we seriously opposed it our chances of success are very
limited. They'd have about 150 miles to travel. We'd have thousands.
Look at a map. Taiwan would largely be on their own.

For a time.

Until we "pulled the trigger" I suppose.

Not gonna happen.

Hence our weapons sales to Taiwan.

Indeed. Our tacit admission that they're on their own.

We pulled out
years ago.

Do you really think US trade relations would be unaffected?
The dollar? *Chinese holdings of US bonds?

Where did I say that? However, China taking over Hong Kong was not a
big deal, despite claims that it would lead to a calamity for the
population and world markets.

Peaceful transition. *US policy is to achieve the same for Taiwan.

We cannot do that. We can strive to, we can hope for, but we cannot
*do*. The Taiwanese have a say in it.

The US policy is to maintain a position the gives peacful
negotiated resolution to the problem the only path to solution.

Absolutes are seldom the case in the real world, 2pid. There is no
"only".

China is clearly pursuing the capability to have a military option.
We can make that option much harder to acquire.

No, we can't.

* Yes we can.

How would you propose making the Chinese pursuing a military option
"harder to acquire"?

They're getting their technology from the Russians,
among others.

*But I was told they don't have an answer for the lowly F-16?
I'm shocked to hear this isn't true....lol.

You're on crack. The F-16 and F-15 can fight with any aircraft out
there right now. That isn't an "answer for".

All we could possibly do is make exercising it a little
more costly. I'd predict at most a token show to save face.

Do you suppose we'd go nuclear over Taiwan? Would we nuke China if
they chose to nuke Taiwan?

* No. *But it would be the end of trade with China for 100 years.

If we aren't willing to go the whole way, we'd better not go at all.

*Lessons learned from Vietnam?

Lessons learned long before that. When would you advocate committing
US lives without seeking total military victory?

Now go back to your basket and lick yourself.

*Brilliant display of intellect.

Yap yap yap.

* I'll take that as a no, not brilliant but all you have.

Call it "sick of enabling a dog to chase its tail".

Yap yap yap.