No need for independence
The hawks say that Taiwan and the US must do something about China’s military bases in the South China Sea.
The hawks do not say that if Taiwan or the US attacks these bases or mainland China first, China might retaliate with nuclear weapons against Taiwan, causing a holocaust at best or a genocide of 25 million people at worst.
The hawks say that if we do nothing we are appeasing China.
The US is bombing Yemen and has troops fighting there. The US struck first. The hawks are silent and appeasing the US.
The US is bombing Syria. Again, the US struck first and the hawks are silent and appeasing the US.
The US is still bombing Iraq and has troops there. Again, the US struck first and the hawks are silent and appeasing the US.
Osama Bin Laden has been dead for seven years, almost a decade. The US is still bombing Afghanistan and still has troops there. Again, the hawks are silent and appeasing the US.
The Republic of China (ROC) government has stolen land from Aborigines. Again, the hawks are silent. In this case they are appeasing the ROC. The hawks are also appeasers.
The goal of an independent Taiwan is not war. The goal of an independent Taiwan is to meet the needs of the people living here.
Specifically, the people of Taiwan need a military, a government democratically elected in free and fair elections, universal healthcare, little violent crime and a distinct identity.
Taiwan already has all of that.
Pragmatically, Taiwan does not need to declare independence.
Andres Chang
Taipei
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