Taiwan Says U.S. Ties to Suffer if Arms Deal Fails

[Khephra]

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foreign Minister warned lawmakers on Wednesday that ties with Washington would be hurt if parliament failed to approve an $18 billion budget to buy advanced U.S. weapons.

Mark Chen, the minister, spoke after the Pentagon's top policymaker for Asia said passage of the budget was a litmus test in U.S. eyes.

``If the Legislative Yuan fails to pass this budget, it will be much harder to convince foreign partners to support your defense,'' Richard Lawless, a deputy U.S. under secretary of defense, said in remarks delivered on Monday and released by the Pentagon on Wednesday.

``Friends and foes alike will begin to regard Taiwan as a liability, rather than a partner,'' he said. ``Make no mistake, the passage of this budget is a litmus test of Taiwan's commitment to its self-defense -- for Washington and Beijing.''

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-arms-taiwan-usa.html

[ladybugg33]

1. Looks like the Bush administration has set the US on a course of total

disrespect around the world.

[Radius]

2. All about china..

China would not be happy if we sell them aegis cruisers and other top tier weapon systems.

[IA_Seth]

3. US Foreign Policy

To me that about sums up what is lacking in our FP these days...

Why should an arms deal make one lick of difference regarding our ties with the taiwanese?

Why has the US drifted away from alliance built on ideals to alliances built on money? We use nations like taiwan like our corporations use up us...sell them shit that gets them in trouble, and as soon as the money stops flowing we bail.

Argh.

[Radius]

4. Selling

Them aegis guided missile cruisers that can send tomahawk missiles into mainland china would not be good for relations with china.

Selling them ep3 jets, or subs would upset the balance of power in the area.

You could look look at it like helping a nation free its self, or like messing around in a potential civil war.

Those systems are far superior to what Chinese use. We have sold them naval vessels, but nothing on par with what we sell japan or use ourselves.

[w4rma]

5. Taiwan should buy them, imho. They need them. (nt)