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Originally posted by IAF101
I completely agree with Pyros,
Even though China has all "that" , it still isn't going to give them even half a chance, remember they would have to cross through the strait against an alert navy and subs to back them up. Plus they would have to contend with the Taiwanese airforce, most of which would be scrambled and engage the Chinese in their own airspace with the backing of SAM's and the like. Even if the Chinese pull out a completely aerial assault they still don't have a chance in taking even the beach heads. Their only option is to strategically nuke Taiwan and cripple their resources before they launch an invasion, but alas even this path is doomed because then their would be a barrage of tomahawks from bases across S.Korea, Japan, Taiwan and maybe even from the Philippines.
The Chinese Politburo are in quite a dilemma, if they do invade Taiwan they will give the USA to blow them away and if they don't they face ridicule at the home front and a growing voice of dissent against the peoples party. So their present course is their only course- Threaten, Intimidate and Threaten again.
IAF>
Originally posted by Broadsword20068
Who cares what China is called (Communist, Socialist, Fascist, whatever) their gov't rules over the people and the people have no real say in what the gov't does.
the media is entirely state-run and entirely misleading.
As for Taiwan's will for independence, I am just going by what I was told here, but I have spoken with a few U.S. military officers who said they were in college with some guys who are now officers in the Taiwan military and that those guys are incredibly patriotic, professional, and freedom-loving, and DO NOT want anyone like China in there.
Originally posted by Countermeasures
Even with enough vessels (maybe a load of merchant vessels included) A D-day style landing is hard to keep secret nowadays, the preperation would likely not go unnoticed, enough time to call in American backup....
I would think that if the chinese ever feel forced to settle this matter in a forcefull way, they would rather opt for some economic extortion tactic by using many many attacksubs to try block traffic in/out taiwan....Chinese shore based cruise missiles could project a threat to taiwanese vessels including sub destroyers as well.
The Chinese would want to keep their airplanes under their own SAM umbrella as opposed to exposing themselves to fire from taiwanese/american sams/planes.
Originally posted by Broadsword20068
Who cares what China is called (Communist, Socialist, Fascist, whatever) their gov't rules over the people and the people have no real say in what the gov't does. the media is entirely state-run and entirely misleading.
Originally posted by Odium
Also remember Taiwans force is spread over three islands and they only have 50,000soldiers. It would not need to be anything like D-day/on that scale.
Originally posted by Odium
Taiwan has 20,000 people in two bases not on the Island of Taiwan. A few missiles and you could take out 40% of their army. Small island and modern weapons make it easy to destroy and invade, rather then a larger land mass where missile silos, air fields, etc, can be spaced out and take longer to find and hit.
Taiwan isn't a stronghold, it'd be very hard to defend well.
Originally posted by Odium
China would bomb them till they gave in and only base troops there to stop any form of uprising. Also remember Taiwans force is spread over three islands and they only have 50,000soldiers. It would not need to be anything like D-day/on that scale.
Originally posted by Odium
As for America getting involved, I'd say on an economic scale not Military. I doubt they'd want a long war, with China that could cause a lot of lost lives in America.
Originally posted by Odium
So what would matter if it was called a democracy? Either you elect people who lie to you and rule over you or they bi-pass this and save you the time of having a pointless vote.
Originally posted by COWlan
I have commented on Broadswords posts for some time now but I got tired of posting trying to make him stop his biased and un-informed posts. Do what I do, block him.
Originally posted by IAF101
Yeah! and the whole world would watch and let the Chinese bomb a democratic state and kill thousands for some vain ideology!!
It would be a repeat of what happened in the Gulf War, the UN declares that china is the aggressor and a coalition is formed with USA leading it, asks china to withdraw in 24hrs- china refuses => USA + allies unleash a wave of aerial and missile strikes all across China. If china retaliates the USA + allies nuke'em and force china to sign some ridiculous treaty and install a democracy. USA will never engage in a land war in Central Asia- thats and unwritten rule the Pentagon obeys!
No, a war with Taiwan would just jepordise their efforts in becomming a modern economic power like those in the west. So I don't think they would go to war knowing that they would lose everything they've worked for in the last 30 years just to satisfy their pride.
Nobody wants war, if taiwan is attacked they will fight back and the can put up good fight, I am sure the PLA is aware of this. As for an economic embargo America economy is quite widely distributed and with a fall of the chinese economy many other nations would benefit greatly [like India,Russia,Brazil,Indonesia etc] , even local business in the US will benefit . Initally the US economy would be hit but later on it would pick up faster as their would be lesser cheap chinese goods for the local companies to contend with. More over the crude prices across teh world would also come down if the chinese industry collapses. The Chinese would be effected drastically because their economy depends mostly on meeting the demands of the US economy and with that gone it would mean economic collapse!
The chinese are aware of these things and know that to acheive their dream of economic prosperity they would have to make scarifices and the international line for the preservation of democracy in Taiwan.
You still haven’t understood the meaning of democracy, its not just about casting your vote and let things unfold as they like. The right to hold the government/elected officials accountable, the knowledge that you will get justice even if the accused is an elected official, the ability to voice your dissent/criticize government policy and give people a new view point to any situation that one may feel as unjust are what you can't do in Post-Communism/ Neo- Communism / Pre- Democracy [call it what you will!] China.