Taiwan also threatened with extinction

Submitted by Dan Schwartz (United States), Aug 8, 2007 at 07:36

Professor Pipes posed the rhetorical question "so far as I know, there is no state outside the Middle East whose very survival is in doubt;" to which I answer: Taiwan. Military analysts several years ago referred to China's attempt at being no more than a "100 mile infantry swim;" but as the People's Liberation Army expands their blue water navy to 600 ships to match ours, and also expands their anti-ship missile capability, the island nation is in as serious jeopardy as Israel with extinction.

Worse, because of our own structural weaknesses, aided and abetted by Wal-Mart importing thousands of containers from Asia every day, China is now in a position to sink our economy because of their >$900 billion in Treasury Bond holdings. Just this morning, the lead story in The Drudge Report highlights this weakness in China threatens 'nuclear option' of dollar sales in this morning's The Telegraph.

Even though only one of the three provinces of Hong Kong was supposed to be "returned" to China, Britain gave up all three provinces, subjecting their citizens to the terror of Communism. With Hong Kong safely in the bag, you just watch a year from now -- As soon as the Olympic closing ceremonies end, I predict -- as China makes a move on the island of Formosa... As we sit by, powerless to confront their thuggery.

Dan Schwartz
Sayreville, New Jersey

Expresso@Snip.Net

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Daniel Pipes replies:

I inexplicably did not think of Taiwan, a country I have visited three times and even written about. I appreciate this reminder of an important endangered state outside the Middle East.