Therese Shaheen, former chairwoman of the American Institute in Taiwan, was given an award on Monday by President Chen Shui-bian (
Shaheen has been treated most unjustly by such invective. The rationale is simply that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the People First Party (PFP) have yet to awake from the bad dream of their electoral defeat and are venting their anger on her. They cannot believe the fact that, having formed an alliance, they were still unable to garner a majority of votes. Therefore they refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the Chen administration and continue to proclaim to the media "no truth, no president."
If these opposition legislators believe their own words, then why did they vote to ratify Chen's nomination of Wu Rong-ming (
The key to the contradiction is that Wu once served in important posts in the KMT and PFP and is a political figure whom they acknowledge. Yet their confirmation of Wu's appointment also amounts to an acknowledgement of Chen's presidential authority.
Doesn't the contradictory nature of the opposition's political maneuvering reveal their hypocrisy? Politics need not be based on double standards, and sometimes sincerity is more appreciated by the majority.
Since both the KMT and the PFP have pretended to refuse to recognize the legitimate status of the DPP government, they have objected to whatever is favorable to the government, and have only supported things that are favorable to themselves. As for the people or things that they oppose, their only consideration is their connection with the government. They don't give a thought to possible benefits to the nation or public, and object for the sake of objection.
Therefore, trampling on Shaheen's reputation is, in their eyes, completely unrelated to damaging Taiwan-US relations. However, in the eyes of the Taiwanese people, this political maneuvering is motivated by the opposition's own considerations and lacks any thought or concern for the national good. Opposition parties that act in this way are unable to convince the public that they are playing the role of a loyal opposition camp.
Let us presume that Shaheen was really here to lobby for US arms sales. As a retired diplomatic official, what could she really do? There are many members of the US Congress, retired high-level military personnel and arms lobbyists who have been watching this deal since way back. How can Shaheen compare with them in terms of influence? Therefore, it's unwise to extend domestic political disputes to the diplomatic scene.
The mudslinging directed at Shaheen is unlikely to improve Taiwan-US relations in any way. The opposition parties can unseat the government through elections, but they should not destroy the nation's diplomatic interests in the process. For the sake of Taiwan's people, they should accept this basic moral responsibility.
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