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Letter: Peace requires defense

Mo Tzu (墨子), one of the greatest philosophers in the War-ring States period, proposed char-ity and peace, and was able to dis-suade many from going to war.

One day, however, the Duke of Chu (楚) hired the most famous carpenter of the time, Kung Shu-pan (公輸班), to invent a deadly weapon to use to invade Sung (宋). When Mo Tzu heard this, he set out on a journey to stop the invasion project. But the Duke of Chu did not want to give up his invasion plans. He told Mo Tzu that the construction of the weapon was complete and he did not want it to go to waste.

Mo Tzu answered that he had constructed a defensive weapon to bolster Sung's castle defenses and warned the Duke of Chu that if he invaded Sung, he would lose so many troops that it would imperil Chu's national security.

The Duke of Chu ordered that Kung Shu-pan test his new weapon against Mo Tzu's defensive weapon. But no matter how hard he tried, Kung Shu-pan could not breach the weapon's defenses. In the end, the Duke of Chu abandoned his plan.

Even though Mo Tzu despised war, he still knew that only a strong national defense would make peace possible.

Taiwan has been threatened by China for over 50 years. China has pronounced continuously that Taiwan is one of its provinces, and passed the controversial "Anti-Secession" Law earlier this year. Beijing also says that cross-strait issues are nothing but China's domestic problems.

The hostility of some Taiwanese toward China has declined recently because China has been trying to create the impression that "We are family" -- but the actual meaning is that "We are still enemies."

It was said that one who wishes to be good at his work must first sharpen his tools. The necessity of having weapons to enhance our national defenses has nothing to do with cost. It is necessary to buy advanced weapons to force China to consider the cost of attacking Taiwan. However, because of quarrels between the pan-blue and pan-green parties in the Legislative Yuan the arms sale bill has been postponed again and again.

How can we ask others to protect us if we have no intention of protecting ourselves? People who still love Taiwan should appeal to the Legislative Yuan to pass the arms bill as soon as possible.

Jui Su
Kaohsiung
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