An alternative plan
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan's (連戰) idea of reducing the military service term to three months is dishonest at best, since it will surely throw the armed forces into complete chaos. But after all, what would he know about military affairs, since he made sure that not only himself but also his male offspring dodged the draft?
His idea does not resonate well with all those youths who see the draft not just as a useless thing to do, but also as something that severely hampers their future career prospects. This is especially true for students in scientific or engineering disciplines, where technological changes take place at breakneck speed and where a year's absence is worse than coming back straight from the Stone Age.
For this reason I would like to suggest an idea that would reconcile national security with draftees' career aspirations. The length of the military service term could remain unchanged at one year, but it can be broken down into monthly installments over a period of, say, 12 years. And, needless to say, the training would focus on the "nuts and bolts" of military training -- shooting, self-defense and familiarization with items of military hardware such as tanks, machine guns, etc. Of course this draft service in installments would have to be backed up by a core of professional soldiers.
This is the method adopted by Switzerland, which has over the past 100 years enjoyed not only a highly efficient army but also constant economic growth. This is a proposal that the Democratic Progressive Party should introduce in order to counter Lien's dishonest populism and mark a further step towards a victory on March 20 that is so badly needs in order to project Taiwan in the future.
It will also deliver a powerful slap in the face to those like Lien who live in a fantasyland China that has never existed in 5,000 years of history marked by instability, dictatorships, great leaps forward and even greater leaps backward, constant massacres and blood-letting.
George Dukes
Sunderland, UK
Stay the course
I have talked much to my friends in Taiwan about the election, the referendum and democracy in general. It is difficult of course to tell anyone experiencing uncertainty and doubt to "stay the course, be brave and don't worry."
Many people that I talk to are embarrassed about the election, about politics in general, and even sometimes about their president and their country's position in the world. They say Taiwan is a tiny island in a sea of established nations. They look to the US, see its democracy and institutions, and feel somehow insignificant. "Stay the course, be brave, and don't worry," I say.
First, I remind them that Taiwan's democratic institutions are barely a decade old. Taiwan is holding only its third democratic presidential election. By comparison, the US has over 225 years of democracy to work with. Its institutions, such as its Congress and Supreme Court, have 225 years of precedent to draw upon. And US history has not been free of controversial issues, or painless.
But its thriving democracy guarantees that every four years, the people get to choose the government. The country, its Constitution, its laws and its institutions always remain intact. Only the people in charge change. This continuity enables the nation to always move ahead.
Taiwan's transition to demo-cracy has been relatively remarkable and painless. In many countries that become democratic, there are years of turmoil, bloodshed, economic difficulty and uncertainty. Throughout the many decades of KMT rule, Taiwan suffered and survived some such things and it ultimately excelled.
I remind my friends that Taiwan is young. Its democracy is brand new. Its institutions are growing and its laws and Constitution are a work in progress. Its multi-party system is learning how to work and the government is learning how to steer the ship. It will take time.
Stay the course, be brave, don't worry. These are the days of joy and frustration, the days of celebration and fear. We hope freedom and democracy will prevail. We hope this young democracy will stay free, and whom ever wins this election will not trade Taiwan's principles and freedom for a single dollar. I say to my friends "vote -- hopefully for A-Bian (
Lee Long-hwa
United States
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