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> And that's why all those countries are firmly beholden to the US, for protection. Yeah, but from the US perspective, it's the weakest zone of that protection
by ardy42 6y ago
> And that's why all those countries are firmly beholden to the US, for protection.
Yeah, but from the US perspective, it's the weakest zone of that protection. So they'll be firmly beholden until suddenly they're not.
- SpaceRaccoon 6y agoI'd consider the area pretty fortified. The US has military bases in both South Korea and Japan, and they just sold billions of dollars worth of cutting edge weapons to Taiwan.
- ardy42 6y agoBut not invincibly so. You usually want your defense industries located in the rear, not near your front lines. The US relying on critical defense suppliers in Taiwan is like the Soviets doing the same in Cuba (which they didn't do). Also, IIRC, the China team has won every recent US war game simulation of a shooting war in the Taiwan Straight. Also the Taiwanese don't get the really good US weapons, because of legitimate fears of Chinese espionage.
- SpaceRaccoon 6y agoYou make a compelling point. I tried to rationalize their behaviour, but maybe they really are making a mistake.