Pretty place
Pretty place
that really depends... for starters... the US shield of protection seems pretty questionable from here. since no permenant military unit or bases have been in Taiwan for over 30 years, and the shield seem to come at the price of buying a lot of stuff at extrodinary price with questionable uses. US's protection nowadays really comes in the form of general presumption that if China is going to outright mass and attack the US supposedly wont' let them... but how much of that is real is anyone's guess. but obviously the stakes too high for China to really gamble on it, and politically speaking it seems that it's too high for most president to back down from as well.
If the US openly oblige that they'll turn a blind eye... then really the PRC can sink us without firing a shot anyway. since their a UN security council member and we're not even in the UN. they could simply declare Taiwan a warzone and that no foriegn ship should sail there... a full blockade with nothing but words. and if the US let them do that hey they just managed to do a full blockade without lifting a finger. what can we do? even with nukes we can't do $#@!e.
The truth is, if the US really REALLY openly back out from Taiwan, there will be very very strong pressure for us to simply join the mainland while we still can. because as I've pointed out above, the international circumstances is insanely against us if that happens. where the PRC can essentially destroy our economy instantly with nothing but a UN resolution.
We could and do want to raise our military budget, the problem is that generally there's a sense that it doesn't make a difference, if the US is going to interfer then the more we spend the more it goes to the USA anyway, and if they're not we can spend everything and it still won't do jack.
Last edited by RollingWave; 05-06-2012 at 01:32 PM.
The 7th Fleet is stationed in Japan, IIRC they intentionally don't come too close to Taiwan normally, though during my tenure on the Navy I did one spot an Arleigh Burke (i think it was that... at least) rounding the Bashi Channel, but obviously that's not a fleet. (I spoted many more PRC survellance ship FWIW.)
They did bring it into the strait during the 1997 missile crisis but that's very very rare because at the point the PRC actually massed units in the South East in for an unschedueled exersice (which is obviopusly a huge redlight to any military planner.) we havn't even held joint excesive with the US fleet since the official relationship ended in 1979. which pretty much sums it up (though the protocal for cordination with the US in the event of war is still in place). though the presence of the 7th Fleet is obviously the most concrete deterence for the PRC to make anymove off their shores.
Last edited by RollingWave; 05-06-2012 at 01:50 PM.
Isn't the fleet at Japan close enough to protect Taiwan should China choose to invade?
The eastern world, it is exploding, violence flaring bullets loading. you are old enough to kill , but not for voting, this whole crazy world is just to frustrating, and you tell me over and over and over again my friend, you don't believe we are on the EVE of DESTRUCTION.
Never approach a bull from the front, A horse from behind, or a fool from any direction.
Japan is about 1400 miles from Taiwan. http://www.mapcrow.info/Distance_bet..._Tokyo_JA.html
How long would it take the American carrier group to get within striking range of the Chinese logistical trail?
not sure but I think they travell at about 30 knots an hour so about 20 hours or so.. when minutes count the navy is just hours away.
The eastern world, it is exploding, violence flaring bullets loading. you are old enough to kill , but not for voting, this whole crazy world is just to frustrating, and you tell me over and over and over again my friend, you don't believe we are on the EVE of DESTRUCTION.
Never approach a bull from the front, A horse from behind, or a fool from any direction.
I would think that a US navy carrier battle group within 20 hours of Taiwan would give China pause in considering an invasion.
How soon could the air group engage?
Apparently the right wing think it sucks here because they hate liberals and everything they stand for. I suggest they leave. Find a better place.
Faith can move mountains, but don't forget to bring your shovel.