Republican Senator John Cornyn on Tuesday accused US President Barack Obama of treating Taiwan in a “deplorable” way and said he was attaching an amendment — aimed at forcing the White House to sell Taipei advanced F-16C/D jets — to a vitally important trade bill.
The provision was to be introduced yesterday, when the Obama administration was expected to officially unveil its latest Taiwanese arms deal package to Congress.
Senior administration officials have already leaked word that the package will not include the 66 F-16C/Ds that Taiwan desperately wants to modernize its air force.
Rather, it will focus on an offer to refit and refurbish Taiwan’s existing fleet of aging F-16A/B aircraft.
Large numbers of both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are furious at the White House’s refusal to sell the new jets and have accused the president of bowing to Chinese pressure.
They are ready to stage a major fight to force the sale and Cornyn’s move is generally seen as the first round.
At a “media availability” arranged by the Republican leadership, Cornyn said: “The bill on the floor is a trade bill, and the good thing about trade is the things that we grow and that we make in the United States and sell abroad create jobs right here at home.”
“But I’m going to introduce an amendment having to do with foreign military sales, specifically the sale of 66 F-16 aircraft to Taiwan,” he said.
“Both the people who would be our adversaries, as well as our friends around the world, look at the way we treat our allies. And, frankly, the way the administration is treating our ally Taiwan — covered by the Taiwan Relations Act, which requires us to provide defensive weapons for Taiwan to defend itself against a possible Chinese attack — is deplorable,” he added.
The legislation to which Cornyn’s amendment will be attached is the Trade Adjustment Assistance Bill, which Obama favors and supports.
If Cornyn can raise enough votes in the House and Senate to pass the bill containing his amendment, Obama would then be forced to either sign it and sell the F-16C/Ds or veto the entire bill and lose the trade provisions for which he has fought.
“Unfortunately, as the bullies around the globe look at the way we treat our friends, it emboldens them and does not cause them any concern that we will meet force with force if absolutely necessary and if there’s no other alternative,” Cornyn said.
“And finally, making things here in America and selling them abroad for cash doesn’t cost taxpayers a dime and it creates jobs here at home. This would help create jobs here at home, in addition to the national security requirement,” he said.
Cornyn’s amendment is based on a bill he introduced last week with Democratic Representative Robert Menendez called the Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act of 2011.
That bill was cosponsored in the Senate by Democrat Richard Blumenthal, Independent Joe Lieberman, Republicans Tom Coburn, James Inhofe and Jon Kyl.
Republican Senator John McCain has said that he is leaning toward supporting Cornyn and that he has “serious concerns” about Obama’s decision not to sell the advanced fighters.
Reflecting the arguments the White House will make to Congress this week, administration officials speaking on the condition of anonymity say the decision to upgrade the old fighters rather than sell new ones is “a smart defense policy — it makes a real and immediate contribution to Taiwan’s security.”
They add that refurbishing the older planes will cost less and will provide Taipei with planes that are essentially as good as the F-16C/Ds.
Other administration officials have said that Obama was prepared to consider “further sales in the future.”
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