China's growing power casts doubt on US defense of Taiwan

[Immortan Khan]

America is hardly a hive mind. The social and political divide and swelling polarization make that clear.

That's the crux of being a polyethnic, multicultural nation of over 300 million: It's quite easy to fracture its citizens with mere opinions. However, if history has shown us one consistency, it's that the Anglo hegemony (and anyone culturally assimilated to Anglocentrism) are responsible for all the bad blood that's been boiling for over the last 550 years.

Looking at you, British Empire.

How is the British Empire responsible for this? lmao

[Immortan Khan]

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

[Pandect]

Any ideas on strengthening America's declining military power simply isn't going to happen under its current administration. You get what you vote for. In this case, America itself should be concerned about its own safety, let alone Taiwan's. Any other country that stood complicit in the results of the last American election also will have to accept the ongoing and future consequences of that decision.

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

Fairly true. It's quite Germanic/Scandinavian.

However, if history has shown us one consistency, it's that the Anglo hegemony (and anyone culturally assimilated to Anglocentrism) are responsible for all the bad blood that's been boiling for over the last 550 years.

Looking at you, British Empire.

Not true. But you can kind of blame China on us thanks to the Opium wars / Boxer rebellion.

[Jolthig]

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

Chai tea and a parliament.

Definitely Anglo.

[Jedi Council]

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

This is.... incorrect.

[Adamede]

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

No

[Postauthoritarian America]

Any ideas on strengthening America's declining military power simply isn't going to happen under its current administration. You get what you vote for. In this case, America itself should be concerned about its own safety, let alone Taiwan's. Any other country that stood complicit in the results of the last American election also will have to accept the ongoing and future consequences of that decision.

America isn't even an Anglo country other than in language. There is almost no cultural continuity between Britain and America at this point. India has more in common with Britain than America does.

Fairly true. It's quite Germanic/Scandinavian.

However, if history has shown us one consistency, it's that the Anglo hegemony (and anyone culturally assimilated to Anglocentrism) are responsible for all the bad blood that's been boiling for over the last 550 years.

Looking at you, British Empire.

Not true. But you can kind of blame China on us thanks to the Opium wars / Boxer rebellion.

Nominee	Joe Biden	Donald Trump
Party	Democratic	Republican
Electoral vote	306	232
Popular vote	81,268,924	74,216,154
Percentage	51.3%	46.9%

You got some other election results laying around? 'Cause it looks like Biden won pretty handily.

[Glorious Hong Kong]

Give Taiwan and Hong Kong nuclear weapons. Keeping the peace has never once been done without either the application of force, or the threat thereof. Yeah, it's kind of dark and fucked-up, but the world isn't a reactor that runs on love and snuggles. The price of being naive is allowing a 21st century hyper-authoritarian torture-state to invade & overtake neighboring sovereign powers.

I agree completely, though Hong Kong would have to be liberated first. One wrong move on Taiwan and Beijing goes boom.

[Sungoldy-China]

TW was just a chess piece，
The United States would not spend too much on a small flag. Look at the Kurds.
The United States does not even give a real protect to Ukraine.

[Shanghai industrial complex]

Interestingly, the United States does not want to intervene directly and expects Taiwanese to resist on their own.At the same time, Taiwanese don't want to resist on their own. They just want Americans to protect them and they sit and do nothing.I'd like to know what you think of Taiwan's military service, which is now only four months long and has weekends and a few weeks of family leave（They have abolished the conscription system, and four months of military service can be divided into two years）

[Remnants of Exilvania]

Interestingly, the United States does not want to intervene directly and expects Taiwanese to resist on their own.At the same time, Taiwanese don't want to resist on their own. They just want Americans to protect them and they sit and do nothing.I'd like to know what you think of Taiwan's military service, which is now only four months long and has weekends and a few weeks of family leave（They have abolished the conscription system, and four months of military service can be divided into two years）

I mean, look at North Korea. They have a long, harsh, mandatory military service, an insane part of their budget in the military and are generally a highly militarized society...and yet you can argue that it is not the massive North Korean Army that protects them from getting reunified with South Korea, but the backing of the PRC and lately also their own nuclear program.

In short, they could be the most militarized society in the world, without significant foreign backing they're still dead when the PRC comes knocking. And if they have significant foreign backing, they can afford to cut their troops some slack and quality of life.

[Risottia]

China will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Taiwan is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Cuba is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Iraq is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Venezuela is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Korea is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Bolivia is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Grenada is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Chile is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Texas is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. The Philippines are a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. Afghanistan is a special case.

America will do whatever it can to win this competition whether through military or economic might as it already has been doing. They'll use politics & rhetoric to get their way in world affairs. The Black Hills are a special case.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, hein?

[Risottia]

it's that the Anglo hegemony (and anyone culturally assimilated to Anglocentrism) are responsible for all the bad blood that's been boiling for over the last 550 years.

Looking at you, British Empire.

I'm not entirely sure the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian or French colonial empires would agree.

[Jolthig]

-snip-

I actually don't disagree with this. The world powers are after all, competitive for influence.

Which I implied in the OP.

[The Greater Ohio Valley]

I want war with China, but it shouldn't be a direct war because China is a nuclear power. I see plenty of potential to be had for sabotaging their belt and road initiatives across the board. There is perhaps just enough unrest in Xinjiang that can be exploited. The people there aren't loyal to China and are being oppressed. If a proxy war is sparked there, China's military might can be drained over time if the cards are played right. It should be like the Soviet's attempt to conquer Afghanistan.

China will be unable or unwilling to invade Kazakhstan as well because it is protected by Russia. If the vestiges of the Sino-Soviet split are still enough in terms of remnants, Russia can be persuaded to align against China as being more in its best interests.

You lost me at "I want a war with China."

Anyone who "wants a war" clearly has never lived through a war or felt its effects.

Chickenhawks do be like that.

[The Jamesian Republic]

WE ARE #2, WE ARE #2.

I think every country believes they are #1. You can’t tell me that Canada thinks it’s lesser than The United States. I don’t think we or any country should let what society or statistics say about themselves define their standing in the world. I think the United States is nothing like China and China is nothing like the United States and that will never change.

[Northern Socialist Council Republics]

I think every country believes they are #1. You can’t tell me that Canada thinks it’s lesser than The United States. I don’t think we or any country should let what society or statistics say about themselves define their standing in the world. I think the United States is nothing like China and China is nothing like the United States and that will never change.

Given the size of and cultural diversity present in both countries, the United States is barely like the United States and China barely resembles China. :p

That being said, while freedom, prosperity, and culture are difficult to quantify, there is value in trying to quantitatively measure these things and rank countries in accordance to them.

If we do not measure our successes and failures, how will we know if they occur, let alone identify why countries succeed or fail?

[Democratic Communist Federation]

Mainland China know that if it invades Taiwan, there would likely be a war (whether real or cyber).

[Saiwania]

Chickenhawks do be like that.

I'm proud to be a chickenhawk if being pro-war means that. I'm ineligible for military service unless the enlistment standards are lowered or there is a suitably permissive draft where even the Volkssturm tier is accepted in as cannon fodder.

Without politicians and other influential people who push for war, people in the military would perhaps be out of a job.

[North Washington Republic]

Mainland China know that if it invades Taiwan, there would likely be a war (whether real or cyber).

As it should be. No matter what Xi and the CCP thinks, Taiwan is a de-facto independent nation with their own independent government. I don’t believe the United States should turn it’s back on our allies.

[Ayytaly]

it's that the Anglo hegemony (and anyone culturally assimilated to Anglocentrism) are responsible for all the bad blood that's been boiling for over the last 550 years.

Looking at you, British Empire.

I'm not entirely sure the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian or French colonial empires would agree.

Empires founded by Germanics, mind you.

Portugal by Vandals

Spain by Visigoths

Italy by Lombards

France by the Frankish (hence the name)

And, of course, Britain by Anglo-Saxons

[Vikanias]

This isn’t relevant to the thread but its china related. The Micheals are still in China, after three years, as a Canadian. I know this crap is political and Trudeau is on a leash [still hate him] but i know that their trials aren’t gonna be fair, they aren’t even allowed to see evidence to fight back, China has no justice system. In turn, i hope the Micheals get back to Canada.

[Romextly]

I'm not entirely sure the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian or French colonial empires would agree.

Empires founded by Germanics, mind you.

Portugal by Vandals

Spain by Visigoths

Italy by Lombards

France by the Frankish (hence the name)

And, of course, Britain by Anglo-Saxons

What about Rome eh?

[Vikanias]

I would also recommend giving Taiwan nukes, to give China its own missile crisis. If they back off from all future expansionism, an agreement can be had to let it be that Taiwan won't be nuclear armed. But so long as China wants to invade, Taiwan must be able to nuke China in retaliation if it has to come to that.

You want to... create another missile crisis that almost destroys the world?

Well we need another Vasily aparkhov for that one

[Jedi Council]

Chickenhawks do be like that.

I'm proud to be a chickenhawk if being pro-war means that. I'm ineligible for military service unless the enlistment standards are lowered or there is a suitably permissive draft where even the Volkssturm tier is accepted in as cannon fodder.

Without politicians and other influential people who push for war, people in the military would perhaps be out of a job.

The point of the military is not to provide jobs. A few less troops and a bit less war sounds like a decent deal to me.