DP. Here's my take on why Taiwan is important.

Political. They're a long-term U.S. ally.

Military. They're an important counter-balance to keep sea lanes open. Otherwise at least two air / naval groups (north / south of Taiwan) would be required to cover the region from a security perspective. Look at any map and it's obvious that China would be able to completely cut off traffic traversing the Luzan straight through the South China Sea corridor and the Philippine Navy could do squat about it.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/South_China_Sea_Claims_and_Boundary_Agreements_2012.jpg

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-05/philippines-says-four-chinese-vessels-tailed-its-navy-ship?leadSource=uverify%20wall

Social. Taiwan somewhat fills the gap left by Hong Kong to bridge many cultural divides between mainland China and the West. The Taiwanese are able to do things that Western companies and politicians can't at a social level; and is a thorn in the side of the CCP's "one China" policies.

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2022/02/07/why-is-unification-so-unpopular-in-taiwan-its-the-prc-political-system-not-just-culture/

Economic. If Taiwan was invaded, the U.S. tech industry would be in trouble.

"Taiwan accounts for around 65% of global semiconductor supply, and nearly 90% of the smallest and most sophisticated chips. And one Taiwan-based semiconductor producer, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), is alone responsible for 55% of the world’s supply. That’s a more dominant position than OPEC commands in oil production."
https://www.supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/36085-does-the-us-need-to-reduce-its-dependence-on-taiwan-for-semiconductors

Sure, if our kid joins the military, you are sent where you are sent. At this point, it's either going to be in the vicinity of China or Russia. Not sure why you are so surprised.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Repubs are not 100% culpable. Go ask Kerry and Hillary why they voted for the resolution, then.

That 60 Minutes interview with Albright saying all those dead Iraqi children were worth it was revolting, too.

Both parties serve their war machine masters.

I'm not talking about Kerry or Albright or parties. Would YOU be willing to send your kid to die in Taiwan?

I'd rather chop my kid's foot off "Misery" style.

As mentioned above, this is a dumb question. If they are in the military and ordered to go they don't have a choice. And YOU (the parent have absolutely no say in the matter).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

? this question was rarely raised when we invaded Iraq with like zero facts to support that invasion. I guess there's just a new generation on the internet now. I think it is a good question.

The military was competent then and better at winning. The woke military is not dealing with reality at its core and nobody will join a dangerous occupation in such a state.

Anonymous wrote:Repubs are not 100% culpable. Go ask Kerry and Hillary why they voted for the resolution, then.

That 60 Minutes interview with Albright saying all those dead Iraqi children were worth it was revolting, too.

Both parties serve their war machine masters.

I'm not talking about Kerry or Albright or parties. Would YOU be willing to send your kid to die in Taiwan?

I'd rather chop my kid's foot off "Misery" style.

Repubs are not 100% culpable. Go ask Kerry and Hillary why they voted for the resolution, then.

That 60 Minutes interview with Albright saying all those dead Iraqi children were worth it was revolting, too.

Both parties serve their war machine masters.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

If your kid was in the military because that was the best opportunity for him/her,
How would you feel about them being ordered to Taiwan? Dying in Taiwan? Or Ukraine? Worth it?

Well, our nephew had to go into Iraq, even though the culprits were in Afghanistan.

So it would be same old, same old, same as when republicans were in power.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

If your kid was in the military because that was the best opportunity for him/her,
How would you feel about them being ordered to Taiwan? Dying in Taiwan? Or Ukraine? Worth it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

Our military is not hitting recruitment targets. Also, very few young people these days qualify for military service because they are too fat, dumb, or criminal.

They’re not hitting their targets bc the military is more worried about making sure soldiers use the correct pronouns than they are about winning wars. True story, folks!

True this!!

Pentagon told straight whites they aren’t wanted and they got the message.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

Our military is not hitting recruitment targets. Also, very few young people these days qualify for military service because they are too fat, dumb, or criminal.

it's still a massive jobs program with bloated staffing. If the can't get enough people in the combat arms, then worry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

Our military is not hitting recruitment targets. Also, very few young people these days qualify for military service because they are too fat, dumb, or criminal.

They’re not hitting their targets bc the military is more worried about making sure soldiers use the correct pronouns than they are about winning wars. True story, folks!

True this!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

Really? What about Vietnam? Why did we draft?

Because prior to 1973, the army wasn't all volunteer. Either you are a foreign troll, or woefully uninformed about American history

What? I just didn’t know it was different then. What makes you think they might not charge. China has a lot of people.

If you didn’t know, stop typing, start reading, then come back with a better understanding of things

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We can figure out how to make our own laptops and chips. Probably better anyway.

No hot war for foreign countries. Not one American life.

Now that said - if you get a Hitler esque, trying to take over a whole continent, trying to exterminate millions - yes we did the right thing, even at the cost of American lives. But not willing for my kids to die for Taiwan or the Ukraine.

$23M people live in Taiwan. Why should the rest of the world stand by and watch them get slaughtered and lose their freedom. We have seen over history how well appeasement works. What is happening in Hong Kong is bad enough. The world shouldn’t just sit and watch while the Russians and Chinese slaughter innocent countries.

Are you willing to send YOUR child to war? Are you willing to go yourself?

That's a good argument for Taiwan doing everything it can to become a nuclear power as fast as possible. If a country can't rely on allies, then it has to be able to protect itself and there is only one way to do that if your neighbor is China

Are you willing to send your child to die there? Answer the question.

It doesn't work that way.
We have an all-volunteer military. If they are ordered to go, they go.

Our military is not hitting recruitment targets. Also, very few young people these days qualify for military service because they are too fat, dumb, or criminal.

They’re not hitting their targets bc the military is more worried about making sure soldiers use the correct pronouns than they are about winning wars. True story, folks!

Don’t send my son (who’s a year away from 18) for this bullsh1t. I’ll be damn if I let Brandon drag him to his mess.