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Still not free

I am writing in response to the opinion piece by Nat Bellocchi ("China bound to increase meddling," Sept. 8, page 8).

Few Americans have really considered the Taiwanese issue of any real importance. The truth is, the "courtroom of public opinion" is staffed by a jury with a very short memory. Whether Taiwan goes to war and wins or loses is of little consequence to most of the world, and Taiwan leans solely upon the shoulders of America for guidance. This should stop.

American policy is flexible and changes with each president, and with it the views on Taiwan. However, there is an unwritten, inflexible rule of thumb that the current administration follows, and it has been the same through all previous administrations -- keep the Taiwan issue "undecided."

While Americans are all for freedom, we are no longer so eager to fight for someone else's freedom. Taiwan must assume that it is alone. Too long has the Taiwanese mindset aligned itself with whatever US administration happens to be in charge.

If Taiwan is going to be respected as an independent nation, it must start acting like one, or over time it absolutely will be absorbed by the single-minded machine across the Strait that has been program-med for decades to never give in to Taiwanese statehood.

I am reminded of the common phrase, "Take your best shot, and let the cards fall where they may." Taiwan would do well to consider these words, otherwise it will forever be the rope in a game of tug-of-war between "US interests" and "Chinese unification." The issue of Taiwan, if it is ever to be settled, must be settled by the Taiwanese people, regardless of the consequences for Taiwan-US relations.

Whether or not the US will "be there" for Taiwan needs to be thrown out of the decision-making process. For as long as Taiwan keeps looking over its shoulder for US support, it will never effectively be free.

Taiwan will always be governed by "US interests" or "Chinese reunification" until it makes its own choices. It seems Taiwanese people are content to be ruled by "US interests," but they are still not free.

John Jacksonville
Alabama

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