Trump Admin going out there on Taiwan

[ChloeTzang]

Considering how the TACO Admni has been treating their allies and opening traade wars with them, this might be an optimistic request. After the way Ukraine's been treated, I don't think anyone trusts the USA not to walk away from Taiwan

 

[Hel_Books]

Trump threatened to let Vladimir Putin do whatever he wanted to NATO.

How about if Australia and Japan said they'd help Taiwan, but they'd also provide troop transports to let China invade Hawaii?

 

[BabyBoomer50s]

The Pentagon’s top policy official, Elbridge Colby, is the one asking those questions and they are absolutely valid questions to ask.

 

[ll74]

Lol

 

[jomar]

The US “demands”, lol

 

[colddiesel]

The first question to ask is "What would the USA actually do if China took Taiwan?"

Based on their Asian war "successes" in Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. My estimate is that the USA would make a tremendous amount of noise and do nothing.

At this point Colby is asking for commitments that the USA itself will not give, so Japan and Australia are not going to buy in. In fact the overwhelming public sentiment in Australia is that we should abandon the USA as an ally altogether, because the USA expects us to support them, but not the slightest chance that any support would be reciprocated.

 

[HisArpy]

The first question to ask is "What would the USA actually do if China took Taiwan?"

Based on their Asian war "successes" in Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. My estimate is that the USA would make a tremendous amount of noise and do nothing.

At this point Colby is asking for commitments that the USA itself will not give, so Japan and Australia are not going to buy in. In fact the overwhelming public sentiment in Australia is that we should abandon the USA as an ally altogether, because the USA expects us to support them, but not the slightest chance that any support would be reciprocated.

You have to understand, we don't have a defense treaty with Taiwan. Just like we don't have a defense treaty with Ukraine. What we have is an aid agreement, again, just like with Ukraine.

That aid agreement includes Australia as well as a few other nations.

So Trump is right in asking for commitments from those nations.

 

[LLCox]

I demand to know what is going on with trump at the island.

 

[Hel_Books]

Based on their Asian war "successes" in Vietnam, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan. My estimate is that the USA would make a tremendous amount of noise and do nothing.

Interesting that the USA botched those, expending such tremendous effort to little benefit, but the one bright spot, the Ukraine's heroic resistance to invasion by a dictatorial bully, the USA seems reluctant even to SUPPLY the people fighting the good fight!

 

[dmallord]

You have to understand, we don't have a defense treaty with Taiwan. Just like we don't have a defense treaty with Ukraine. What we have is an aid agreement, again, just like with Ukraine.

That aid agreement includes Australia as well as a few other nations.

So Trump is right in asking for commitments from those nations.

Your claim oversimplifies our commitment to Taiwan.

Sure, we don’t have a formal treaty with Taiwan—but we do have a binding law that commits us to helping Taiwan defend itself. That’s not just aid; it’s a cornerstone of our Indo-Pacific strategy.

And Australia? They’re not just chipping in with a check. They’re in AUKUS, the QUAD, and have clearly signaled they won’t sit out if Taiwan is attacked. So yeah, asking for more commitment sounds good, but pretending they haven’t stepped up already is just lazy spin. It's as though the President is looking for a way out to avoid further support, if one were inclined to believe the guy wasn't always chickening out on such actions.

What everyone is concerned about over China's saber rattling and aggression in the seas should and are asking is what will TACO do when/if China steps up its aggression and attacks? Will Trump honor our support to Taiwan, or, like his response to Ukraine's invasion by Russia, blame Ukraine for it?

Can you read the felon's mind and put us at ease over that question?

 

[Hel_Books]

Your claim oversimplifies our commitment to Taiwan.

Sure, we don’t have a formal treaty with Taiwan—but we do have a binding law that commits us to helping Taiwan defend itself. That’s not just aid; it’s a cornerstone of our Indo-Pacific strategy.

And Australia? They’re not just chipping in with a check. They’re in AUKUS, the QUAD, and have clearly signaled they won’t sit out if Taiwan is attacked. So yeah, asking for more commitment sounds good, but pretending they haven’t stepped up already is just lazy spin. It's as though the President is looking for a way out to avoid further support, if one were inclined to believe the guy wasn't always chickening out on such actions.

What everyone is concerned about over China's saber rattling and aggression in the seas should and are asking is what will TACO do when/if China steps up its aggression and attacks? Will Trump honor our support to Taiwan, or, like his response to Ukraine's invasion by Russia, blame Ukraine for it?

Can you read the felon's mind and put us at ease over that question?

I'm wondering if President Trump, who doesn't seem to have much of a grasp of policy, will simply say, "Hey, I'm appointing [name of Maga loyalist here] to be ambassador to Taiwan. I've noticed that Joe Biden neglected to appoint one and I'm fixing that."

 

[dmallord]

I'm wondering if President Trump, who doesn't seem to have much of a grasp of policy, will simply say, "Hey, I'm appointing [name of Maga loyalist here] to be ambassador to Taiwan. I've noticed that Joe Biden neglected to appoint one and I'm fixing that."

What a fine kettle of fish that would create, right?

The US terminated diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in order to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) back in '79. It was a delicate balancing act in politics at the time.

How to have our cake and eat it too was a dilemma. We, in principle, agreed PRC and Taiwan were the same country, but different at the same time. Sounds like a TACO moment, right?

Some might say the felon is not stupid enough to get us in hotter water with China than we are already with the TACO tariffs. Let's not add to the confusion when his mind is already overloaded with Epstein issues.

 

[colddiesel]

You have to understand, we don't have a defense treaty with Taiwan. Just like we don't have a defense treaty with Ukraine. What we have is an aid agreement, again, just like with Ukraine.

That aid agreement includes Australia as well as a few other nations.

So Trump is right in asking for commitments from those nations.

"Just like Ukraine." Exactly: and the USA's commitment to Ukraine has been worth about 50% of 5 eighths of fuck all !

USA has a trade balance with Oz 2 to 1 in USA's favour but Trump still wants more through tariffs

Australia provides one particular asset to the USA The Intelligence and signalling facility at Pine Gap which services US interests across half the world.

Trump can ask, demand, yell for all the commitments he likes, but while American power is great, it is in relative decline, particularly in East and South East Asia. His recent attacks via tariffs on Japan and South Korea has only caused them to move closer to China both economically and politically. Sensible? Um' mebbe not?

 

[Chernosoth]

Taiwan can defend itself with drones and missiles, homebuilt and imported. It needs only open waters for trade. China blocking trade could kill China faster than it kills Taiwan. But there are wildcards coming. Pirates with cheap weapons and ready to shoot anything that floats could eventually be more of a threat than any nation in sea trade.

 

[Bray123]

Point of order, the US did have a defense treaty with Ukraine called the Budapest Agreement until Trump ripped it up in revenge against Zelenskyy for refusing to invent crap against Hunter Biden.

 

[colddiesel]

Taiwan can defend itself with drones and missiles, homebuilt and imported. It needs only open waters for trade. China blocking trade could kill China faster than it kills Taiwan. But there are wildcards coming. Pirates with cheap weapons and ready to shoot anything that floats could eventually be more of a threat than any nation in sea trade.

It is also worth noting that China' s trade routes make any premature move by them on Taiwan very unlikely. Obviously the USA controls access to the US west coast ports and anything destined for the East coast can be cut off at Panama. Similarly China's access to the middle east and Europe can be easily cut off in the very narrow Straits of Malacca (between Malaysia and Sumatra). In addition Oil supplies to China can be cut off not only by the US Navy in the Indian Ocean but by the Air power centred on Diego Garcia. China is essentially surrounded by the combined effects of geography and US military capability.

 

[HisArpy]

"Just like Ukraine." Exactly: and the USA's commitment to Ukraine has been worth about 50% of 5 eighths of fuck all !

USA has a trade balance with Oz 2 to 1 in USA's favour but Trump still wants more through tariffs

Australia provides one particular asset to the USA The Intelligence and signalling facility at Pine Gap which services US interests across half the world.

Trump can ask, demand, yell for all the commitments he likes, but while American power is great, it is in relative decline, particularly in East and South East Asia. His recent attacks via tariffs on Japan and South Korea has only caused them to move closer to China both economically and politically. Sensible? Um' mebbe not?

You need to get a grip. On yourself AND reality.

 

[Hel_Books]

What a fine kettle of fish that would create, right?

The US terminated diplomatic relations with the Republic of China (Taiwan) in order to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) back in '79. It was a delicate balancing act in politics at the time.

How to have our cake and eat it too was a dilemma. We, in principle, agreed PRC and Taiwan were the same country, but different at the same time. Sounds like a TACO moment, right?

Some might say the felon is not stupid enough to get us in hotter water with China than we are already with the TACO tariffs. Let's not add to the confusion when his mind is already overloaded with Epstein issues.

But what would China do? Break off diplomatic relations? They would look pretty silly saying, "Your ambassador isn't welcome because you sent an ambassador to an important nation just because we don't like that nation"!

 

[dmallord]

But what would China do? Break off diplomatic relations? They would look pretty silly saying, "Your ambassador isn't welcome because you sent an ambassador to an important nation just because we don't like that nation"!

I gather you don't have a background in the history between China and Taiwan. It isn't about ambassadors or not liking another nation.

Taiwan isn't another nation. China considers it theirs, and it isn't about to let that prize go off and become independent, even though that's pretty much what has happened.

Read up on the history if you are interested. The topic is too extensive to discuss its ramifications in this context.

 

[TheGreatOz]

(Australian here)

It's not in my country's interest to fight a war as an American lackey against our major trading partner. So far we have resisted such a ridiculous commitment and hopefully will continue to do so.

 

[HisArpy]

(Australian here)

It's not in my country's interest to fight a war as an American lackey against our major trading partner. So far we have resisted such a ridiculous commitment and hopefully will continue to do so.

Lol, Australia is a signatory to the mutual aid agreement with Taiwan. Or didn't you know that?

 

[Hel_Books]

I gather you don't have a background in the history between China and Taiwan. It isn't about ambassadors or not liking another nation.

Taiwan isn't another nation. China considers it theirs, and it isn't about to let that prize go off and become independent, even though that's pretty much what has happened.

Read up on the history if you are interested. The topic is too extensive to discuss its ramifications in this context.

Oh, I'm familiar with the history, the one-China policy and "strategic ambiguity" and "Only Nixon could go to China" etc etc etc. But so what if China claims Taiwan? It also "claims" Tibet and "claims" the territory the Uighurs live on and "claims" all the waters indicated by their fantasy nine-dash-line. Perhaps the Communist Chinese Empire will break up like the Soviet Union?

In any case, thinking that President Trump has done so many, well, absolutely nutty, things, perhaps he might just pick someone to be an ambassador and put them on a plane to Taipei and dare the Chinese crybullies to do something about it.

 

[dmallord]

Oh, I'm familiar with the history, the one-China policy and "strategic ambiguity" and "Only Nixon could go to China" etc etc etc. But so what if China claims Taiwan? It also "claims" Tibet and "claims" the territory the Uighurs live on and "claims" all the waters indicated by their fantasy nine-dash-line. Perhaps the Communist Chinese Empire will break up like the Soviet Union?

In any case, thinking that President Trump has done so many, well, absolutely nutty, things, perhaps he might just pick someone to be an ambassador and put them on a plane to Taipei and dare the Chinese crybullies to do something about it.

Given all you've said, that's always a possibility. Most of Trump's actions are for his benefit. Would such an action, naming a Taiwan ambassador, constitute a transactional reward? Not IMO.

 

[Hel_Books]

Given all you've said, that's always a possibility. Most of Trump's actions are for his benefit. Would such an action, naming a Taiwan ambassador, constitute a transactional reward? Not IMO.

It might please his MAGA followers, sticking it to the Chinese Communists.

 

[dmallord]

It might please his MAGA followers, sticking it to the Chinese Communists.

He has already 'stuck' it to enough countries that we don't need to stir up another hornet's nest at the front door of another anti-American nation. Let's hope his efforts to stop Putin's war have some miraculous intervention.