Word is spreading about America’s abandonment of Kabul, Afghanistan, and fast. And it’s not good news for either the US or Taiwan.
As you likely know, China has been making moves on Taiwan for years now, claiming that it isn’t its own separate nation and instead is simply a Chinese island territory. But recently, things have been heating up near the island nation, with China constantly participating in “exercises” meant to intimidate the Taiwanese and remind them of the superpower that China claims to be.
And this week, those exercises got even closer and a bit more threatening.
According to The Guardian, on Tuesday, China started sending live-fire air and sea military forces towards Taiwan’s southwest and southeast parts.
Per a spokesperson for the Eastern Threatre Command, Col. Shi Yi, China’s People’s Liberation Army, sent warships, anti-submarine aircraft, and fighter jets to the area, all supposedly prompted by “external interference and provocations by Taiwan independence forces.”
Reuters reported 11 Chinese planes being sent over Taiwanese airspace, including six J-16 fighter jets and two H-6K bombers, which can carry nuclear weapons.
Taiwan, undoubtedly worried sick about an imminent strike, said they had to scramble jets to chase the Chinese away.
Of course, China says the exercises were more than warranted. In a recent statement made by the PLA, they said it was justified because the US and Taiwan have “repeatedly colluded in provocation and sent the wrong signals, severely infringing upon China’s sovereignty, and severely undermining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.”
Most likely, they are upset that the US still considers Taiwan an ally and its own independent nation. Even more infuriating to the communist giant is the fact that we recently gave Taiwan $750 million in howitzer artillery weapons.
Although, it would seem that China is less and less concerned about America’s participation in their problems.
In fact, their state-run propaganda outlet, the Global Times, recently even ran a piece, pointing out all the reasons why America would not come to Taiwan’s aid “(o)nce a cross-Straits war breaks out.”
Can you guess what the reason at the top of the list was? Given recent Biden decisions, you likely can. I’ll give you a hint; the piece was titled, “Afghan abandonment a lesson for Taiwan’s DPP (Democratic Progressive Party).
That’s right.
Reason number one and the main focus of the entire article were all about how the United States had just abandoned their sworn ally and partner Afghanistan, leaving them to face the terrors of the Taliban alone and without much-needed resources. The mighty USA, with its promise of peace through strength, basically ran from Kabul with its tail between its legs.
The piece even compared the recent departure by Democratic President Joe Biden to the disastrous evacuation of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War. And as they said, “This has dealt a heavy blow to the credibility and reliability of the US.”
In addition, the article compared Taiwan to Afghanistan, saying that Afghanistan was of great importance to the US. And yet, they still deserted the war-torn nation. How much more so would they leave Taiwan to its fate, they asked.
“Once a cross-Straits war breaks out while the mainland seizes the island with forces, the US would have to have a much greater determination that it had for Afghanistan. From what happened in Afghanistan, (Taiwan) should perceive that once a war breaks out in the straits, the island’s defense will collapse in hours, and the US military won’t come to help.”
I tell you what, even writing that makes me sick… and more than a little angry.
Because of Biden’s inability to lead, make sound military decisions, and weakness, the entire world knows we are no longer the nation of strength we once were, even a mere nine months ago. Instead, we have been thoroughly humiliated.
And nations like China will take little time to seize upon our misfortune and make it their success. Hell, the Taliban already has.