If we view the US attack on Iraq from the perspective of morality and justice, we can find a number of justifications.
Some people condemn the US for attacking Iraq in order to take control of its oil wells. They claim that the overthrow of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would not necessarily bring long-term peace to the Middle East and that it will hurt innocent civilians. They also assert that the "reckless" US invasion will weaken the UN's role in maintaining peace. But Saddam's regime is a constant threat to peace in the Middle East. It has also oppressed its people and slaughtered ethnic minorities, turning Iraq into a country of evil. The Iraqi regime remains a great worry for international society as long as it exists.
In fact, the strong objections to the war from France, Germany, Russia and other countries are not a result of those countries' desire for peace. The reasons they oppose the war are that they do not want Washington to benefit from the sale of Iraq's oil, giving it greater control of the world economy.
China is even more devious. On the one hand, it does not want to directly oppose Washington, while on the other it simultaneously curries favor with Iraq and Muslim countries. In regards to Taiwan's position, while it is unnecessary for us to support every US decision, we should not naively wave the flag of idealism. Taiwan should make its decision on the issue in a practical manner, from the perspective of our national interest.
The outcome most favorable to Taiwan would be a swift US victory and stabilization of the political situation in Iraq. The scenario most unfavorable to us would be the perpetuation of tensions, and continued wrangling among the leading powers.
First, oil prices are unlikely to drop significantly if the second Gulf War does not end quickly. Taiwan's economy will also be damaged if the US' economic downturn continues due to lack of consumer confidence. But if the US can secure a swift and total victory, oil prices -- currently far too high -- will drop dramatically. This will have a positive effect the world over.
Next, if the US secures absolute victory, the international community will be able to return to the era of "hegemonic stability." A more confident and influential US will be better able to deter China from threatening Taiwan by force, and therefore better able to maintain peace across the Taiwan Strait. In contrast, if the Iraq problem persists, US prestige in the international community will be damaged, and diplomatic struggles will drag on. Beijing's bargaining chips will increase under such circumstances, forcing Washington to make concessions on the Taiwan issue.
China has carefully nurtured Sino-US relations, because it relies heavily on the US market and US technologies. China is not strong enough to confront the US, and cannot conceal the full extent of its weakness forever. Neither a decline of US power nor a strengthening of Chinese power are in Taiwan's national interests.
Individuals may attach importance to justice. If they do so, they should act morally. So the anti-war campaign launched by members of the academic community is morally acceptable -- although one can assert that justice has been upheld. But in our immoral global community, a responsible government should keep self-interest in mind, and not be led by idealism alone. Democratic Taiwan's exclusion from international organizations has clearly shown that the international community believes only in material power, not justice. In light of our national interests, our government is absolutely right to support the US-led war on Iraq.
Lin Wen-cheng is director of the Institute of Mainland China Studies at National Sun Yat-sen University.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
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