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Post by Toad on Jan 30, 2010 9:50:01 GMT -5
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,472
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Post by Sabre52 on Jan 30, 2010 10:00:05 GMT -5
*L* Way I see it is, anything to help the balance of trade and keep US jobs. Countries like France, Russia, and China make a lot of money selling arms. Folks are going to buy them somewhere, may as well be from us. As to what good it does militarily selling Taiwan arms when China might be the adversary, well that's kind of like pouring a cup full of water into the ocean. Don't make all that much difference *L*......Mel
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Post by Toad on Jan 30, 2010 11:11:08 GMT -5
I agree, Taiwan can't stand up to their big brother over there, but as the article said maybe we're doing it for a little leverage in some other area.
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Post by akansan on Jan 30, 2010 11:21:45 GMT -5
If you believe some people, we've sold weapons to Taiwan all along...just more quietly. It surprised me that Obama would do so openly, as that was always a negotiating point in dealings with China. We recognize Taiwan as an indendant nation, but we don't encourage them to beat up on their big neighbor.
If he's wanting China to continue buying Treasury notes, it wasn't that smart of a move (unless it was bait to get them to continue buying - if you buy, we stop selling weapons to Taiwan). If it was bait, then I feel sorry for the Taiwanese to be used in such a manner.
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free4rms
freely admits to licking rocks
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_pink.png) ![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_pink.png)
My little pet walrus
Member since January 2007
Posts: 839
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Post by free4rms on Jan 30, 2010 17:54:50 GMT -5
I don't see any reason not to sell to Taiwan, and as someone else said, I think we have been doing this all along. China does not feel threatened, it just undermines their position of still owning and controlling Taiwan. BTW, I lived in Taiwan for three years back in the early fifties (oops, giving my age away a little) when I was very young. I can still remember hearing the Taiwanese firing off their anti-aircraft guns in the middle of the night, shooting at ghosts. I think they were just trying to reassure their people that they *could* shoot down any invading planes if there ever were any.
Vance
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Post by parfive on Jan 30, 2010 17:55:52 GMT -5
The Pentagon has notified Congress of a proposed arms sale to Taiwan, worth $6bn (£3.7bn).
The weapons, including helicopters and anti-missile defences, are part of a package first pledged by the Bush administration.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8488389.stmFriday's notification to Congress by the Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) was required by law. It does not mean the sale has been concluded.
US lawmakers have 30 days to comment on the proposed sale, Associated Press reported. If there are no objections, it would proceed.
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Post by akansan on Jan 30, 2010 18:02:58 GMT -5
I remember when that was pledged - mainly from China's reaction. We quietly backed down from it at the time when China raised a stink. Short of a nuclear bomb, I don't think there's anything we can give Taiwan that would really worry China.
The timing of the sale is what surprised me, rather than that Obama would go through with it. As Parfive's article points out, it's the Defense Department moving forward. It can still be shot down by Congress and the White House.
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Post by Toad on Jan 30, 2010 19:41:49 GMT -5
I see it as a good thing. We can use the money and it tweaks off China at the same time. Just didn't see Obama ever letting something like that through.
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