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MAY 22, 2022

A MAJOR COMMITMENT – OVERNIGHT:  President Biden appears to be committing the United States to defend Taiwan.  We have no written commitment, and no treaty to that effect, so this may constitute a change in policy, or it may not.  We need clarity here, and we're not getting it.  From Fox: 

President Biden stated that the U.S. will send the military to defend Taiwan if the People's Republic of China were to invade the island nation.

"Very quickly, you didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons. Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?" a reporter asked the president during a news conference in Japan.

"Yes," Biden replied.

"You are?" the reporter pressed.

"That's the commitment we made," the president said.

A White House spokesperson told Fox News that the administration's policy "has not changed."

"As the President said, our policy has not changed," the spokesperson said. "He reiterated our One China Policy and our commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

He also reiterated our commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself."

The "One China policy" refers to the U.S. recognition of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, but only acknowledges, without endorsing, Beijing's claim that Taiwan is part of China.

Russian President Vladimir Putin considers Ukraine a part of historic Russia, and Xi considers Taiwan a part of China.

In October, Biden said the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacks. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson responded by saying, "No one should underestimate the strong resolve, determination and capability of the Chinese people to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. China has no room for compromise."

China launched military exercises in the disputed South China Sea as Biden's trip to East Asia began Friday. 

Asia expert Gordon Chang, author of ‘The Great US-China Tech War," said the Biden administration is trying to backtrack previous indications that America fears China by proceeding with Taiwan discussions in the face of public warnings from Chinese officials.

Chang told "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday that China's recent military drill is "connected" to Biden's Asia visit because his joint statement with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol mentioned Taiwan directly. 

"They are connected because, before Biden touched down in South Korea – the first stop on the trip – the Chinese publicly warned him not to talk about Taiwan and so there was the joint statement between President Biden and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea, which specifically mentions Taiwan," Chang said. "There are going to be a lot of Taiwan discussions in Japan, the second and last stop on this trip - and so really what the United States was saying to Beijing is, "'I'm not afraid of you anymore.'"

COMMENT:  Okay, we back the president on that.  We should never signal weakness to the Chinese, who are not friendly.   At the same time, the American people must understand exactly what Biden is talking about when he says we will intervene militarily if China invades Taiwan.  Words have meanings.  How far does our commitment go?  Equipment?  Troops?  Good wishes?

Congress will want to have a say.

The United States has fought two bitter wars in Asia – in Korea, and in Vietnam.  The costs were high, the outcomes open to interpretation.  This site favors a defense of Taiwan as an entity independent of China.  But we want all the details.

May 22, 2022       Permalink 

MAY 21, 2022

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – OVERNIGHT:

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN' ME – FROM THE NEW YORK POST:  New York Mayor Eric Adams may be eyeing a White House run if President Biden doesn’t seek a second term, confidantes and City Hall insiders told The Post.  “Eric has told me repeatedly that he thinks that he has a platform to run for national office, for president in 2024. He has said that repeatedly. He thinks New York is a national platform. He thinks the national party has gotten too far to the left and he thinks he has a platform to win,” a person close to the mayor said.  A Brooklyn Democratic elected official who was also frequently in talks with the mayor said Adams was “considering a White House run in 2024 if Biden doesn’t seek re-election,” adding that Adams’s advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin was “running point” on the issue.  There is growing chatter that the gaffe-prone president — now 79 years old — may call it quits after one term, though he has privately insisted he will seek re-election.  Are we serious here?  Adams just became mayor in January.  He doesn't have a single accomplishment on his record...and he's already running for the top job?  Some grown-up should sit down and talk to the chap, informing him there's a real world outside New York City politics, and he ain't a part of it.  Break the crime wave in New York, Eric.  Then we'll talk.

May 21, 2022       Permalink

CRUSADE FOR TRUTH – OVERNIGHT:  Slowly, but carefully, the truth about "Russian collusion" by President Trump is coming out.  The mainstream media outlets are trying to avoid the story, but I can't see these ridiculous efforts going on much longer.  From Fox: 

EXCLUSIVE: Former President Donald Trump reacted to the bombshell testimony out of the trial of Michael Sussmann that Hillary Clinton herself approved the dissemination to the media of false information alleging a covert communications channel between the Trump Organization and a Russian bank.

Trump told Fox News Digital that the entire Russia investigation is "one of the greatest political scandals in history," and that he will "never" get his "reputation fully back."

Former Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook on Friday testified as part of the first criminal trial out of Special Counsel John Durham’s years-long investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, saying Clinton approved and "agreed" to share the discredited data with the media.

Former FBI General Counsel James Baker testified Thursday that the bureau investigated the data alleging a Trump connection to the Kremlin-linked bank, and found that "there was nothing there." 

"This is one of the greatest political scandals in history," Trump told Fox News Saturday morning. "For three years, I had to fight her off, and fight those crooked people off, and you’ll never get your reputation fully back."

"Where do I get my reputation back?" Trump said again.

"I had to fight them off," Trump said. "And if we had real leadership, instead of people like Mitch McConnell, they would do something about it. And guys like Bill Barr. They would have done something about it."

Trump said that the law enforcement and intelligence community resources devoted to investigating him and members of his 2016 campaign distracted officials from what "could have been a real danger with Russia."

COMMENT:  The question, "Where do I get my reputation back?" actually originated with Ray Donovan, who was secretary of labor in the Reagan administration.  He was forced from office by charges that later turned out to be false.  In response to his exoneration he famously asked, ""Which office do I go to to get my reputation back?"  Fear of destruction of one's reputation has probably kept many good people from entering politics.  Humiliation is a powerful political weapon.

Mr. Trump is correct in his outrage.  He should be equally outraged by the behavior of the press, many of whose members set out to destroy him, regardless of the lack of evidence.

The Sussmann trial has already revealed much that was rotten in the Clinton operation.  But don't necessary expect a conviction.  Sussmann is being tried before a Washington jury.  Incredibly, the judge has already allowed on the jury contributors to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.  No, I'm not kidding you.  And the jury is drawn from the most Democratic constituency, Washington, D.C., in the country.   

May 21, 2022       Permalink