No sooner had President Biden shared his somewhat soothing takeaway from a three-hour meeting with Chinese ruler Xi Jinping — Joe doesn’t think there is an “imminent” threat of China invading Taiwan — then here comes a report that Russian missiles have killed two people.
Not in Ukraine, where Russia is “arguably” at war, but in neighboring Poland, a NATO country.
I’ve repeatedly suggested we review all the military alliances and commitments our politicians and diplomats have entered into … “on our behalf.” But there comes a time (and it seems fast approaching) when it is too late for review and the U.S. will have to stand up and meet the commitments it has made.
While I have little doubt in the current generation of volunteer soldiers, I cannot say that about my generation of generals and politicians and bureaucrats. “We cannot manufacture and produce weapon systems fast enough,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R‑Tex.) told Full Measure host Sharyl Attkisson.
Pointing to $3 billion in U.S. arms sales to threatened Taiwan, McCaul complained that it has been “three years and we haven’t delivered one of these weapon systems into Taiwan.… Remember, in Taiwan, they actually have purchased these weapons.”
One step to fix this mess is the Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 (S.4428), which would allow the U.S. to transfer significant weaponry, “essentially to do for Taipei what is being done for Kyiv — but before the bullets start flying.”
Our best opportunity to keep Chinese guns silent.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
Illustration created with DALL‑E
—
See all recent commentary
(simplified and organized)
1 reply on “Getting Guns to Good Guys”
It appears almost certain now that the missiles that killed two people in Poland were launched by the Ukrainian military.
In wars, terrible mistakes are a practical inevitability, with allies killed by “friendly” fire, and innocent civilians destroyed as collateral damage. And, if we are to accept such things, then perhaps we might think that the Ukrainian regime is to be forgiven for this attack on Poland.
But, instead of accepting responsibility, offering compensation, and pleading for forgiveness, the Ukrainian regime instead attempted transform this attack into a false flag operation, by pretending that the Russian state had launched the missiles into Poland in some act of warlust.
I don’t propose to join those who have sided with the Russian state but — for God’s sake! — with whom is the US now allied here?
As to Biden’s belief that we have peace for a time in Asia, I am as confident of that as much as I am a believer that Neville Chamberlain secured peace in his time in Europe. Indeed, Biden is surely playing a double game with respect to Taiwan, supporting Taiwan no more than he must for reasons of political expediency.