www.justaminuteradio.blogspot.com - Just A Minute: meaningful commentary on today's issues: RIOTS SPREAD IN CHINA -- TAIWAN DENIED NEW JETS

You can’t tell the players without a program… especially when there is a new game in town.

Here we are on a Thursday morning – and suddenly out of the blue comes a controversy over Jets for Taiwan again.

Back about 25 years ago – when Jimmy Carter was still President – the Congress passed the Taiwan Relations Act… which mandates the U.S. must defend Taiwan against China if threatened. It’s still on the books… and although Taiwan has never been obstreperous about enforcing it – especially in recent years – it’s part of our Treaty obligations.

So when riots start flaring up in Northeastern China – the city of Dalian – and Taiwan has asked the US to sell it a dozen or so new model jets to enable its defenses against its nearest neighbor – Mainland China – it appears that the DOD is going to turn down the request… at least that’s what DEFENSE NEWS is reporting.

The world of diplomacy – the striped pants set as they used to be called – is a funny world. People don’t always mean what they say – and like Bre’r Rabbit… what they say doesn’t always mean what they say they mean. Such is the case with the treaty between the US and the PRC – especially under the current circumstances

Right now China is the biggest holder of US debt. But what can they do with it? If they cause a default… doesn’t that hurt the defaulter as much or more than the defaultee? And what about the value of the ‘paper’ China is holding? Will they decide to sail that new single aircraft carrier right up the Hudson and shell the new construction at the site of the former World Trade Towers?

When the financial world is in the chaotic state it’s in… who knows what will happen or perhaps has already happened – as in the case of the paper being held by the U.S.D. O.T. Se when you’ve got money surging out of the hose of repaying loans or air in the hose that’s supposed to be handling the other side of the transaction – then hardly anyone *knows* what’s going to happen… it is guessed at.

Well – enough of that idle financial channel. We all better buckle down and do the best we can.

So… stick with us – we guarantee ACTION (sometime)!

Cordially, IN HIM

Jack

“JUST A MINUTE”

RIOTS SPREAD IN CHINA – TAIWAN IS DENIED NEW JETS

Just a Minute: Dalian, in Northeastern China, has exotic sightseeing and beautiful beaches and is called the “Northern Hong Kong.” But tourists find themselves in street riots – twitter nets turned off and crowds demanding a toxic chemical plant be moved to a safer location.

Meantime, Vice President Joe Biden, lands in Beijing – far removed from street riots and travels to an athletic facility to kick off a four day low-key diplomatic visit.

However, a US publication -- DEFENSE NEWS -- reports Washington has already officially turned down Taiwan’s requests for new fighter jets to maintain defenses mandated by America’s defense treaty with Taiwan. Now it’s a touchy situation with America’s newly minted Ambassador to China, Gary Locke, arriving just last week in the middle of it all. The US is legally bound to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack by China. Right now both China and the US need to avoid stepping on one another’s toes.