Saturday, March 26, 2005
Big Taiwanese Protests
Apparently, 1 million Taiwanese marched through Taipei to protest the new Chinese law mandating force should Taiwan refuse to be rejoined with the mainland. There's about 22 million people in Taiwan, so for America to have a comparably-sized demonstration, about 15 million people would have to descend on Washington.
I'm never going to understand why one group of people thinks it's so important to keep another group of people within their country (and ruled by them), even though they clearly do not want to be. But, that's like asking why America fought a civil war over secession of the South, Turkey has spent so long squashing national aspirations of its Kurds, or Serbia inspired a civil war to prevent the dissolution of Serb-dominated Yugoslavia.
Taiwan, by rights, should be independent. They've been so, at least in a de facto sense, for 50 years, and within that timeframe have moved from third world to first world and replaced a military dictatorship composed of former members of the escaping ruling party of China. That's impressive, and it simply isn't fair to deny them the fruits of all that work by returning them to control by absolute rulers on the Chinese mainland.
But, but, but...remember that China won't remain ruled by the Communist party forever. Just as the Kuomintang lost power once its people demanded it, the same will happen in China.
So, go slow. Time is on your side. The protests are good, as people power make it a lot harder for China to force your government to do what you don't want them to do (not that they would, as Chen is firmly in the independence camp). If it comes down to it, passively resist. You will win in the end.
Apparently, 1 million Taiwanese marched through Taipei to protest the new Chinese law mandating force should Taiwan refuse to be rejoined with the mainland. There's about 22 million people in Taiwan, so for America to have a comparably-sized demonstration, about 15 million people would have to descend on Washington.
I'm never going to understand why one group of people thinks it's so important to keep another group of people within their country (and ruled by them), even though they clearly do not want to be. But, that's like asking why America fought a civil war over secession of the South, Turkey has spent so long squashing national aspirations of its Kurds, or Serbia inspired a civil war to prevent the dissolution of Serb-dominated Yugoslavia.
Taiwan, by rights, should be independent. They've been so, at least in a de facto sense, for 50 years, and within that timeframe have moved from third world to first world and replaced a military dictatorship composed of former members of the escaping ruling party of China. That's impressive, and it simply isn't fair to deny them the fruits of all that work by returning them to control by absolute rulers on the Chinese mainland.
But, but, but...remember that China won't remain ruled by the Communist party forever. Just as the Kuomintang lost power once its people demanded it, the same will happen in China.
So, go slow. Time is on your side. The protests are good, as people power make it a lot harder for China to force your government to do what you don't want them to do (not that they would, as Chen is firmly in the independence camp). If it comes down to it, passively resist. You will win in the end.
Dr. Rice ain't stupid
From this article
Rice, in an interview with Washington Post editors and reporters, said she was guided less by a fear that Islamic extremists would replace authoritarian governments than by a "strong certainty that the Middle East was not going to stay stable anyway." Extremism, she said, is rooted in the "absence of other channels for political activity," and so "when you know that the status quo is no longer defensible, then you have to be willing to move in another direction."
That was why I supported the invasion of Iraq. The status quo ante in Iraq wasn't exactly wonderful, with large numbers of American troops in Saudi Arabia maintaining a UN-created cage that slowly starved millions of Iraqis. I also didn't want to just remove the cage, leaving Saddam Hussein free to pursue his dreams of being a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar.
In other words, reshuffling the deck in the middle east can't be too problematic, as everybody was losing anyway.
From this article
Rice, in an interview with Washington Post editors and reporters, said she was guided less by a fear that Islamic extremists would replace authoritarian governments than by a "strong certainty that the Middle East was not going to stay stable anyway." Extremism, she said, is rooted in the "absence of other channels for political activity," and so "when you know that the status quo is no longer defensible, then you have to be willing to move in another direction."
That was why I supported the invasion of Iraq. The status quo ante in Iraq wasn't exactly wonderful, with large numbers of American troops in Saudi Arabia maintaining a UN-created cage that slowly starved millions of Iraqis. I also didn't want to just remove the cage, leaving Saddam Hussein free to pursue his dreams of being a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar.
In other words, reshuffling the deck in the middle east can't be too problematic, as everybody was losing anyway.
On the other hand
The Taiwanese clearly enjoy running their own affairs. I don't think I'd be too keen on giving up political control to Mexico or Europe.
One could have argued that it would have been better for India to avoid risk of harsh crackdowns and death by choosing not to confront British control of India. On the other hand, they did it in a smart way, choosing largely NOT to engage in military action and simply saying "we will not be ruled by you anymore" (Ghandi being an illustrative example). The minority cannot long overrule the will of the majority.
I guess what I'm worried about is that Taiwan will do something that will involve lots of Taiwanese, Chinese and American deaths. That's unnecessary given the shaky basis of the Chinese ruling clique. Better not to press the Chinese into doing anything rash, and count on the fact that time is on Taiwan's side.
Worst case scenario, Taiwan rejoins China and they refuse to do what the Chinese leaders want them to do. What would China do? Crack down on Taiwan militarily, thus attracting the opprobium of the rest of the world and seriously harming the economic growth that is CRITICAL to the "Communist" party's ability to continue their rule? Not bloody likely.
I DO understand Taiwan's desire to rule itself. I just consider inviting a Chinese attack as akin to teasing a tank that is running out of gas. It's much safer to wait until the tank ACTUALLY runs out of gas.
The Taiwanese clearly enjoy running their own affairs. I don't think I'd be too keen on giving up political control to Mexico or Europe.
One could have argued that it would have been better for India to avoid risk of harsh crackdowns and death by choosing not to confront British control of India. On the other hand, they did it in a smart way, choosing largely NOT to engage in military action and simply saying "we will not be ruled by you anymore" (Ghandi being an illustrative example). The minority cannot long overrule the will of the majority.
I guess what I'm worried about is that Taiwan will do something that will involve lots of Taiwanese, Chinese and American deaths. That's unnecessary given the shaky basis of the Chinese ruling clique. Better not to press the Chinese into doing anything rash, and count on the fact that time is on Taiwan's side.
Worst case scenario, Taiwan rejoins China and they refuse to do what the Chinese leaders want them to do. What would China do? Crack down on Taiwan militarily, thus attracting the opprobium of the rest of the world and seriously harming the economic growth that is CRITICAL to the "Communist" party's ability to continue their rule? Not bloody likely.
I DO understand Taiwan's desire to rule itself. I just consider inviting a Chinese attack as akin to teasing a tank that is running out of gas. It's much safer to wait until the tank ACTUALLY runs out of gas.
Friday, March 25, 2005
I want a chocolate Jesus
From the article...
Ward said Russell Stover considered making other traditional images out of chocolate but eventually opted not to.
"A molded Jesus, for example, would not be a good call and a cross with Jesus on it wouldn't be a good idea either," Ward said.
I just want to know when they're going to make the chocolate hangman's noose, the chocolate electric chair and the chocolate iron maiden. Okay, crosses have taken on certain religious overtones over the years, but's lets not forget that they got their start as a particularly painful instrument of Roman executions.
From the article...
Ward said Russell Stover considered making other traditional images out of chocolate but eventually opted not to.
"A molded Jesus, for example, would not be a good call and a cross with Jesus on it wouldn't be a good idea either," Ward said.
I just want to know when they're going to make the chocolate hangman's noose, the chocolate electric chair and the chocolate iron maiden. Okay, crosses have taken on certain religious overtones over the years, but's lets not forget that they got their start as a particularly painful instrument of Roman executions.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
I want one of these
Implant me with a chip in the brain, so I can acquire big mechanical arms and call myself Dr. Octopus.
Seriously, I think that within 10-20 years, this will seem rather pedestrian, because plenty of non-quadraplegics will be getting implants. And they won't just pass outbound signals, but inbound signals as well.
Matrix, here we come.
P.S. That has to be my geekiest post in all the years I've posted to this blog. I shall now cease showering, learn Klingon and join the local sci-fi club (which I might do anyway).
Implant me with a chip in the brain, so I can acquire big mechanical arms and call myself Dr. Octopus.
Seriously, I think that within 10-20 years, this will seem rather pedestrian, because plenty of non-quadraplegics will be getting implants. And they won't just pass outbound signals, but inbound signals as well.
Matrix, here we come.
P.S. That has to be my geekiest post in all the years I've posted to this blog. I shall now cease showering, learn Klingon and join the local sci-fi club (which I might do anyway).
Sunday, March 20, 2005
The democratic domino effect
These aren't the best of times for the world's dictators. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are all making strong moves towards democracy, Lebanese protesters are forcing Syrian forces out of their country, and the Palestinians even managed a sane election...and that's just in the middle east. The Ukranian and Georgian people both resisted fraudulent elections, and that example has now spread to Kyrgyztan.
To those not up to date on the wildly shifting geography of today's world, here's a map of the country.
These aren't the best of times for the world's dictators. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are all making strong moves towards democracy, Lebanese protesters are forcing Syrian forces out of their country, and the Palestinians even managed a sane election...and that's just in the middle east. The Ukranian and Georgian people both resisted fraudulent elections, and that example has now spread to Kyrgyztan.
To those not up to date on the wildly shifting geography of today's world, here's a map of the country.
