作者: 太史公 (Isaac Shi)
I hardly believe Americans will send their sons and daughters to die for Political Gambler Mr. Chen Shui-bian to change the spelling on the face of their passports. Especially after Washington made strategic decision that the Middle East and Anti-Terrorism is the gravity center of its foreign policy and military engagement in the next decade; especially after China and US’s mutual interest has surpassed the mutual interest between US and Taiwan Province. Especially after China is rising economically in the world in an unprecedented and irreversible way.
Some people say that, the level of Washington’s involvement in the straight, will somewhat depend on which side provoke it, I say, in order to change the status quo, one side has to provoke it, but in order to have a result our side want, we need to have what it takes to execute the provocation. You know what we don’t like, “Fish dead, and net broken”.
Like what I said with Lao Ma, if some folks (online, of course) claim that they are willing to have China backward 20 years in order to Unite Taiwan, if by saying that they are just showing their noble spirit and staunch resolve, he deserves my respect, (After all, how strong people want something can be measured by how much sacrifice he is willing to do in order to get that thing) but if that’s the way they are actually approaching because of lack of choices or lack of ability of rational thinking or both, I must remind them, there is an alternative, that is have China advance 20 years to Unite Taiwan. By doing that, we’re not necessarily ignoring the attempt that Mr. Chen is trying to steal the timetable from us.
The current big picture is Anti-Terrorism, (The word “Terrorism” is like “Anti-Revolutionist” in our dictionary, if you got labeled by “Terrorism”, you’re dead) Osama Bin Laden attacked the Twin Towers and Pentagon, what did he get? He lived in a cave --- of course, that doesn’t matter, he used to live in a cave anyway --- and the Whole Middle East’s power is changing, Osama’s attack on US soil made Bush has the domestic political support to militarily change the Middle East in favor of US’s global strategy. Of course the possibility of the democracy domino effect in that troubled neighborhood. (At least that’s the Pentagon’s civilians and other neocons’ theory). Osama wanted use its sword to drive American GIs out of the Arabia Peninsula, he got more.
It is written, “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword”, same thing, for who draw WMD will die by the WMD (if not die yet, but at least get dental exam). Back to our Taiwan topic, in the political and military world, the reality is who draws the sword (but WITHOUT sufficient Kung Fu to back it) will die by the sword. Dear friend, our Kung Fu is not that good yet, we need work on our Kung Fu before drawing the sword, but the REAL Kung Fu is once you have it, you DON’T HAVE TO draw the sword.
The status quo works for us, and also works against us, it gives us time to boost our economy and strength our Kung Fu, but it also gives Mr. Chen time to de-Chinanize the island for the gain of his political party and reelection, it’s a sophisticated issue and it needs delicate strategy. I’m just trying to re-illustrate the geopolitical fact that unless we have the overwhelming military, economic and political power (Kung Fu) on the Taiwan Strait, the status quo will stay. It’s like physics, unless an electron possesses a big new energy, it has to stay on its orbit (or “cloud” according to Quantum Mechanics). It is a distance we have to go, by making US the enemy will not shorten that distance.
After all this talk, the spelling on the face of Taiwanese Passport stays the same is in everyone’s interest, at least for now.
Isaac Shi, 04/22/2004
I hardly believe Americans will send their sons and daughters to die for Political Gambler Mr. Chen Shui-bian to change the spelling on the face of their passports. Especially after Washington made strategic decision that the Middle East and Anti-Terrorism is the gravity center of its foreign policy and military engagement in the next decade; especially after China and US’s mutual interest has surpassed the mutual interest between US and Taiwan Province. Especially after China is rising economically in the world in an unprecedented and irreversible way.
Some people say that, the level of Washington’s involvement in the straight, will somewhat depend on which side provoke it, I say, in order to change the status quo, one side has to provoke it, but in order to have a result our side want, we need to have what it takes to execute the provocation. You know what we don’t like, “Fish dead, and net broken”.
Like what I said with Lao Ma, if some folks (online, of course) claim that they are willing to have China backward 20 years in order to Unite Taiwan, if by saying that they are just showing their noble spirit and staunch resolve, he deserves my respect, (After all, how strong people want something can be measured by how much sacrifice he is willing to do in order to get that thing) but if that’s the way they are actually approaching because of lack of choices or lack of ability of rational thinking or both, I must remind them, there is an alternative, that is have China advance 20 years to Unite Taiwan. By doing that, we’re not necessarily ignoring the attempt that Mr. Chen is trying to steal the timetable from us.
The current big picture is Anti-Terrorism, (The word “Terrorism” is like “Anti-Revolutionist” in our dictionary, if you got labeled by “Terrorism”, you’re dead) Osama Bin Laden attacked the Twin Towers and Pentagon, what did he get? He lived in a cave --- of course, that doesn’t matter, he used to live in a cave anyway --- and the Whole Middle East’s power is changing, Osama’s attack on US soil made Bush has the domestic political support to militarily change the Middle East in favor of US’s global strategy. Of course the possibility of the democracy domino effect in that troubled neighborhood. (At least that’s the Pentagon’s civilians and other neocons’ theory). Osama wanted use its sword to drive American GIs out of the Arabia Peninsula, he got more.
It is written, “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword”, same thing, for who draw WMD will die by the WMD (if not die yet, but at least get dental exam). Back to our Taiwan topic, in the political and military world, the reality is who draws the sword (but WITHOUT sufficient Kung Fu to back it) will die by the sword. Dear friend, our Kung Fu is not that good yet, we need work on our Kung Fu before drawing the sword, but the REAL Kung Fu is once you have it, you DON’T HAVE TO draw the sword.
The status quo works for us, and also works against us, it gives us time to boost our economy and strength our Kung Fu, but it also gives Mr. Chen time to de-Chinanize the island for the gain of his political party and reelection, it’s a sophisticated issue and it needs delicate strategy. I’m just trying to re-illustrate the geopolitical fact that unless we have the overwhelming military, economic and political power (Kung Fu) on the Taiwan Strait, the status quo will stay. It’s like physics, unless an electron possesses a big new energy, it has to stay on its orbit (or “cloud” according to Quantum Mechanics). It is a distance we have to go, by making US the enemy will not shorten that distance.
After all this talk, the spelling on the face of Taiwanese Passport stays the same is in everyone’s interest, at least for now.
Isaac Shi, 04/22/2004
