In 2008, I tagged along on a tour by a U.S. Army delegation to Kinmen Island. It’s been held by Taiwan, but lies within sight of the Chinese mainland. It was a friendly visit, not an inspection of anything secret but we got to see interesting stuff like their artillery emplacements and even a movie theater carved out of solid granite underneath the island.
One of the Taiwanese officers told us that in the event of war, they could garrison an extra 100,000 men within 48 hours. At lunch, an American colonel chuckled at the 48 hours comment. He remarked that it would be over in two. Oh yeah, and nobody was in uniform. It’s provocative to put uninvited soldiers on someone else’s soil.
Back then, China’s military capabilities versus America weren’t as alarming as they are today. Much of the wealth of Taiwan was invested in China. At least a million Taiwanese were working there, so the relationship had actually been peaceful and productive for quite some time. If it was cut off, Taiwan would turn into a failed state. Also, China didn’t have an existential security issue on its hands and the notion of deliberately provoking a conflict with them was insane.
As for the terms of reunification, China offered to let Taiwan keep its entire system, including the military, and choose its own representatives to be part of the government in Beijing. There would be no trials for traitors or anything of the sort. China simply saw reunification as the final step in rectifying the humiliations of the past.
Many Taiwanese would’ve liked full independence as the nation of Taiwan, but realized that the status quo was good enough. It seemed like that’s where it would stay for many years to come. If you’d asked me if the island would be a focal point for conflict, I would’ve pointed out that it was nowhere near Israel.
Luckily, we’re under the grip of people (see country mentioned above) who think it’s a viable proposition and are working on it right now. They’ve had a string of successes: Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and now Ukraine, so don’t feel daunted by the audacity of their plans. Oh, wait. Well, don’t get worried for them either as they’re above criticism and accountability.
Russian and China exist outside their system of plutocratic control with Satanic objectives. If that sounds too hyperbolic for serious international commentary, well even Putin is saying it now. Because this pair exist, countries like Iran can also exist. If one goes under, the other is in big trouble. Once they’re both gone, the entire planet can experience freedom, human rights, and democracy.
That’s the essence of the great game being played. They can’t stop playing or even slow down, only speed up. In this regard, the astonishing escalation of domestic insanity isn’t much different than the world stage. It seemed as if Russia was in the weakest position of the pair, so it would be taken down first.
China would be a much easier task after it’s economy had collapsed when Russian imports were squeezed off. Naval blockades don’t work as good when the world’s largest country is sending resources overland via rail and pipeline. It all sounds so neatly academic and feasible, right?
However, Russia’s economy was supposed to have collapsed back in the spring, and the militias in Donbass slaughtered. At this point, it should be mired in anarchy as various color revolutions unfold and the puppets installed work on an arrangement for breaking the federation up. That’s been a spectacular failure, just like all the others.
So, things are going to have to start with China. It’s not helpful to look at it from the perspective that they could accept a multi-polar world and content themselves with abusing the denizens of their swath. First of all, they believe that the Earth belongs to them and everyone else are soulless disposable cattle to be used in the service of its transformation. It’s a lovely religion. Second, the people being abused could observe that the people in those other two places aren’t being abused which creates significant problems for the abusers. Third, the resource-rich nations in-between could choose the best deal and be protected.
They can’t accept any outcome but total domination, that’s the only way to make sense out of things. There’s no feasible plan to defeat either Russia or China. The U.S. has to fight them on their home turf and their capabilities were developed to counter our capabilities. For instance, China has made enormous investments into being able to sink aircraft carriers. Even if there was a conventional way to wipe them out, the next step would be nuclear conflict.
Moreover, outright war in a globalized economy would entail the collapse of supply chains and civilization itself. These are so complex that it’s probably impossible to unravel and diagram everything that goes into the production of an automobile. The components are easy, but each is the tip of an iceberg. Instant death in a nuclear blast would be a mercy compared to what could happen in this scenario.
The underlying logic of the situation is that we’re under the control of people so evil that they can’t even perceive that their brilliant plans will backfire on themselves. You can’t eat your plans, and your cushy think tank office offers no refuge from a nuclear blast, duh. However, they just don’t see it. That’s been a feature of their behavior condemned throughout history.
Fortunately, neither Russia nor China want conflict because they understand these sorts of obvious dynamics. They’re also cognizant that wars follow their own course and bring unforeseen consequences escalating at unpredictable speed. If you understand modern war and you’re not deranged, you can appreciate that they’re not for conquering the planet, but undertaken out of defensive necessity.
For example, to avert the current intervention, Putin sought to have the Minsk Accords for regional autonomy within Ukraine implemented. He calculated that the risk of escalation and loss of life wasn’t worth pursuing the security and political objectives Russia is now pursuing if compromise was possible. That’s why he agreed to them in the first place.
Likewise, China has offered terms to Taiwan so generous they appear bizarre and has resisted using force in response to outrageous provocations by the United States. The legitimacy of China’s leadership comes from protecting the Chinese people, providing them with law and order, and improving their lives. It’s not democracy nonsense or perpetual dynastic legitimacy. Slaughtering them en masse in a bombardment and invasion of Taiwan runs rather contrary to the principle.
Americans are unable to perceive the enormous patience and restraint showed by the countries that the media tells them are aggressive enemies. When our leaders prattle about values and the well-being of foreigners, millions of them have an appointment with the Grim Reaper. So, when foreign leaders say that they care about their people it’s hard to understand this means they don’t want them killed.
We’ve recently moved into the serious sanctions phase against China that precede a conflict. This is worrisome, but hopefully they continue playing the long game of holding us off while they wait for some form of imperial implosion and continue to integrate Taiwan economically. That process is already so far along that the U.S. staged a color revolution over it back in 2014. The Chinese government has a set of very serious domestic issues it would prefer to focus on. How severe the provocations become remains to be seen.
I’m proud to officially announce my candidacy for the office of Dogcatcher.
Again, right on the mark.
“If the public good falls, shall I think to enjoy my ease and my peace, my estate and my honor upon good terms? Cicero laughed at the folly of those men who, in his time, seemed to conceive such a windy hope that their places of delight should be safe when the commonwealth was lost.” p. 45.
Jeremiah Burroughs, ‘Moses’ Self-Denial’
https://europerenaissance.com/2022/10/23/the-people-dont-want-war-but-the-press-lobbies-for-nuclear-armageddon/
We may have to make a deal? When we “restructure” America into 4 or 5 new Republics we, CSA II, will have to “take” any islands in the Gulf Of Mexico that we can’t buy. ( Except Trinidad … too far and we don’t need it. ) If China and the world look the other way while “we” take … we look the other way while “they” take Taiwan?
Always open to other options ….
Did anyone else find it weird how often the word “basically” was used in that Twitter infographic? Not a word you usually see in official govt releases. Chinese-to-English translation weirdness?
Excellent essay, Mr Shackleford. The Yankee Empire is run by the war profiteers, whose campaign contributions keep the senators and congress critters on their $174,000 a year gravy trains. Practically nobody in the District of Corruption wants peace. War is incredibly profitable for a few. Smedley Butler nailed it. War is a racket. If you haven’t read War Is a Racket, do so.
Yes, and a witness to that fact doesn’t get any more credible than Smedley Butler, who was definitely NOT a D.C. armchair recliner General.
What this is all about with Russia is the estimated 70 trillion dollars worth of natural resources their Country contains. Left alone, in thirty years Russia would be the Wealthiest Country on the Planet. The “Crime Syndicate” called Government’s in the West want that wealth. The goal was/is to break Russia up into multiple smaller controllable Countries.
(Think Boer War gold & diamonds) In my opinion Russia really is fighting an existential war for their existence as a nation. So, the question is how far is the Crime Syndicate willing to go? How far is the Russian leadership willing to go? Who has the most to lose?
I really feel sorry for the Ukrainian people. Like the rest of us they are just pawns and playthings to the Satanic “gods” who rule us.