Taiwan is now being directly armed by the US Taxpayer...

 

Chinese warships including the frigate Yulin and the minesweeper Chibi. BBC/Getty. 

The United States is stepping up efforts to arm Taiwan and is arming the country "to the teeth". BBC. Taiwan has been given $80 million for the purchase of US weapons. However, unlike previous sales to Taiwan the US taxpayer is paying for this grant under the foreign military finance program. The move has angered China as they say it legitimatizes the claim that Taiwan is an independent state, though the US says that their "one China" policy has not changed. Taiwan has fallen behind China militarily and are also sending two battalions of troops to the United States for training, for the first time since the 1970's. Taiwan has a need for modern tanks, missiles and, especially, air defenses. Taiwan has also been shocked by the Ukraine war where it shows their artillery systems would be woefully inadequate against modern artillery. 

My Comment:

Great, another country we have to fund. We are already funding an entire war in Ukraine and we are now helping Israel in Gaza as well. At some point enough is enough and that line might be Taiwan. It will probably take billions of dollars to properly arm and train Taiwan to the point where they could actually fight off China. Money we really don't have. 

One also has to wonder where these arms are going to come from. We have shipped so many of our weapons to Ukraine there is little left in the coffers. And now we have to supply Israel as well! America's arms production can't keep up with the demand there is already, let alone if we have to fun Taiwan too. 

The biggest problem is air defenses. We have long run out of those weapons a long time ago after sending them to Ukraine. They have tried to step up production but those weapons won't be ready for a long time. And the Ukraine war has shown how overrated American air defenses are, Russia currently has air superiority over Ukraine. 

The article also made it sound like Taiwan troops are unmotivated and poorly trained. That is why they are getting trained in the United States. But the problem is the fact that American combat doctrine has been shown to be outdated in Ukraine as well. It depends on air and artillery superiority and that doesn't seem likely for Taiwan in a war with China. 

Of course, China has huge problems for any invasion or blockade of Taiwan as well. An amphibious invasion of Taiwan would be a huge problem for China, even if their military is more modern then they used to be. They would also have to find a way to deal with the US Navy which would not be easy. 

Still, if a war comes now would be the time to do it. America is distracted by two wars and major domestic problems. Many people would not even want to fight for Taiwan even though the strategic reasons there are lot more valid than in Ukraine and Israel. And the longer China waits the more troops get trained and weapons get delivered to Taiwan. 

As for me, I just wish we weren't spending tax dollars on Taiwan. I don't mind selling them weapons and possibly loaning them money, but I do not approve of us sending weapons to them directly, same with Israel. I am opposed to even selling weapons to Ukraine, but that's another issue. We just don't have the money to keep spending like this when our own people are suffering so.