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Comparisons between Israel and Taiwan seem to get a very wide variety of comments and I’m well aware this is a controversial issue. Still, I’ll mention an article I came across the other day titled “The Three Nos–What do Israel and Taiwan have in common?” by one John G. Adams.
This article makes what I’m sure is an even more controversial comparison between Israel and Taiwan’s political status:
[…] Israel and Taiwan are small democracies facing serious threats from totalitarian ideologies. Both are rejected and even hated by much of the so-called "international community." Both lack oil. Both face regimes that hold the free world economic hostage. Both would be sacrificed by the likes of Jimmy Carter on the alter of appeasement.
But both are allies of the United States and have been since they became independent nations, both, in the late 1940s.
The totalitarian regimes in the Arab/Persian Muslim world and the Communist regime in China ("People’s Republic of China") seek the destruction or subjugation of Israel and Taiwan, respectively. Like other totalitarian regimes, they cannot tolerate democratic countries or free people on their borders. They do not adhere to "multiculturalism."
They do not follow the Geneva conventions. They do not worry about the Red Cross or belated disapproval the editorial writers at the New York Times.
[…] the Arab leaders passed the infamous "Three No’s" resolution at the Khartoum conference in September 1967: "No Peace with Israel. No Recognition of Israel. No Negotiations with It." Terror and propaganda continued.
Communist China has its own "three-no’s: No "Two Chinas." No Independence for Taiwan. No membership for Taiwan in international organizations.
Like the Jihadists attacking Israel, Communist China has amassed more than 800 missiles aimed at Taiwan, only 90 miles away. Calling Taiwan a "renegade" province, China has repeatedly threatened to attack Taiwan if its leaders declare independence or demand "state-to-state" relations. A few years ago, commenting on the possibility of a nuclear standoff, a Chinese general confidently said that the U.S. would never sacrifice LA for Taipei, the Taiwanese capital, in a nuclear standoff. […]
Though separated by thousands of miles and facing different enemies, Israel and Taiwan are "canaries in the mine shaft." They warn the free world of danger. If five million Israeli Jews and 23 million Taiwanese citizens can stand up to 1.2 billion in Communist China and more than 300 million Arab Muslims, the free world surely can do so – if it has the will. But, as George Orwell said: "The quickest way of ending a war is to lose it." And the quickest way to lose your freedom is to lose wars, not defend your allies and appease and embolden and strengthen your enemies. Churchill put it better: "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last."
The crocodiles are hungry. One only has to look at the Islamists committing Jihadocide throughout the world, not just Iraq. Thanks to United Nations, Jimmy Carter and appeasers, Taiwan is not recognized as a sovereign nation, which is why each year since the early 1990s it applies for membership to the UN and each year it is rejected.
While the UN was kicking out Taiwan, it was inviting in the PLO and Terror Arafat, shortly after the 1972 Munich massacre of Jewish athletes. Consider that moral equation and it makes you sick. And while Israel is in the UN, it is subject to the most grotesque and unfair criticism and held to standards to which that no nation could or does adhere. In the UN, Jews become "Nazis" and terrorists become "freedom fighters." Good is bad and bad is good, in this living embodiment of Orwell’s 1984.
[…] it was President Carter in December 1978 who unilaterally withdrew U.S. recognition of Taiwan and abrogated the 1954 Taiwan defense treaty. President Carter’s actions betraying an ally caused the (Democratic-controlled) Congress to pass the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act (TRA), which pledges that any attempt by the Communist China to determine the future of Taiwan by other than peaceful means would be "a threat to the peace and security of Western Pacific area and of grave concern to the United States." Sec. 2(b)(6) of the Act requires the United States to maintain the "capacity to resist any resort to force or other forms of coercion that would jeopardize the security, or the social or economic system, of the people on Taiwan." While Carter was ready to cast more than 20 million Taiwanese adrift, Congress and the American people were not. […]
The United States supports these nations, not because of oil or the "Jewish lobby," but because they are free nations that support our national interest, because we stand by our allies and against evil and aggression. The US offers the world a moral clarity that is sorely lacking. […]
"Three" of the great dangers we face – a remilitarized China, Militant Islam and appeasers – are being directly faced by Israel and Taiwan. Let’s support Israel and Taiwan. The freedom we save will be our own.
Whether you agree with this or not, there are some valid points in there, one being the problematic situation Israel and Taiwan are facing and our moral nakedness. I personally believe there are striking similarities between the two very different nations, although it’s easy to find differences as well. Still, many sides to this, and you can find plenty of other opinions on the net.
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cat
| July 3rd, 2008 at 7:29 am #
Shalom, Fili, manishma?
I know you are trying to induce me to jump out to gossip blahblahblah with you. XD
It’s non-sense to make such comparisons. The biggest common-place that Israel and Taiwan share is just they are both supported by the USA; without the United States there will be neither Israel nor ROC existing on the earth. This is the common sense and I will not say more about it.
I must point out the biggest DIFFERENCE between Israel and Taiwan: the enemy that the Israelis are facing is the people that are much different from the Jews, either ethnically or religiously; this, however, is totally not the case for Taiwan: the people across the Taiwan Strait are truly brothers. This is also the case of both Koreas. Last November a former South Korean diplomat to Israel came back and gave a lecture on the current political status of the Peninsula, in which he also claimed a lot of so-called commons between Israel and South Korea. It is amazing that I see almost 80 percent of the “commons” that he claimed can also be found in your article. Indeed, such “commons” can even be found in former West Germany, former South Vietnam, and so forth. These are nothing but the produce of the Cold War, and I am really surprised that there are persons who are still thinking and talking with the Cold War thoughts even now almost twenty years after the end of the Cold War.
BTW, I’m also a Japanese anime lover. Which anime is your favorite? What are you keep watching now?
Adam
| July 8th, 2008 at 9:08 am #
The John Adams article you quote was so full of distortions that it was hard for me to get through. Israel wants the world to recognize it as the Jewish State. Wouldn’t this give them license to kick out the rest of their non-jewish folk?
America used to support Taiwan against China. Now they want Taiwan to buy expensive weapons systems from America to support US military industrial complex. Whereas Israel still receives tons of US support-mostly military aid.
I always bring up this point in my conversations with blue people when they talk about how good it was in the good old days under KMT dictatorship.
I ask what policies the KMT will introduce to help Taiwan and they go on anti-Chen shui bien rants. But, the US isn’t aggressively buying Taiwanese goods anymore, so how will the KMT recreate the economic miracle? And if they do achieve 6% growth it will be at the expense of the environment and create incredible economic and social inequality.
fiLi
| July 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm #
Cat - I won’t argue about the differences, they’re quite apparent, although it is the fact that Taiwan and China share ethnicity that is in the core of the Taiwan national identity issue. The Chinese people may be, although some disagree, brothers, but the current Chinese and Taiwanese governments are very much apart. Many different nations share ethnicity, but that doesn’t legitimate claims by either side. If anything, the ethnic claim makes it an even more difficult case, although there was no real aggression between China and Taiwan as there was in the Middle East.
The statements made about the US, although perceived common truth by most people, are as problematic. The US politics has done so much irreversible damage to Taiwan that the positive influences of such a “sponsorship” are questionable. I would argue the same for Israel, on various issues, although it would be even harder for an outsider to sympathize with.
Last, this is not MY article. I bring it as is with the needed restrictions. It is meant to raise a discussion, as it has with you. I do not agree with many of the points made as is, although there are some points I find interesting. Quoting an article doesn’t mean I ssee it as ultimate truth.
fiLi
| July 8th, 2008 at 12:30 pm #
Adam - the US issue is a sensitive one. The so-called military support to both Israel and Taiwan are questionable to the same degree, and the point that you’re making about US using political connection and almost forced aid to better their arms industries is at the core of things. The US sells and supports sides it best suits it, regardless of any policy, sometimes arming both sides, sometimes just waking up one day and switching sides. If the Israelis were to depend on American aid in any of the wars with the close neighbors, I’m not sure Israel would still be here. As for Taiwan, the US policy regarding Taiwan is nothing short of a tragedy. Moral nakedness is a very soft word to describe the injustice of the current situation, regardless of whether one supports the so-called “Taiwan independence movement”.
Adam
| July 10th, 2008 at 12:15 pm #
As for Taiwan, the US policy regarding Taiwan is nothing short of a tragedy. Moral nakedness is a very soft word to describe the injustice of the current situation, regardless of whether one supports the so-called “Taiwan independence movement”.
So, does Taiwan have a choice to make. Be a US client state and pay incredibly high prices for obsolete military equipment (which might be of no use if China just decides to blockade Taiwan and impede it from doing trade). Or be a client state of China?
Is the first option necessarily better?
Dave
| July 21st, 2008 at 8:44 pm #
I disagree with you on your opinion that US supplies obsolete military equipment. If you were to look at the current Taiwanese equipment, that’s whats called obsolete. Many country wants what US has offered to Taiwan, such as Kidd class, P-3C Orion, and etc. Its not always about getting the newest and the best available but sometimes its also about the cost effectiveness of things and being able to receive it within a reasonable time frame. And I would like to say, diesel submarines are not obsolete. What’s obsolete is the two US diesel submarines that the ROCN still operates. Those belong in a museum along with countless other equipment still being operated.
You seemed concerned about China blockading Taiwan, then I suggest you support the purchase of new submarines, because those are what Taiwan can use to effectively remove or deter a blockade, and not your or any politician’s tongue.