US needs to beef up its Air Force. Thoughts?

[walrus]

Counterbalance is a bunch of nonsense argument. United States should not be anywhere in that area. We're not running on The White Man's Burden anymore it is not 1945

Ok white boy. I don’t make the rules I just interrupt them for tits

[TitoFan]

With a country like the U.S., where economic and national security interests drive almost every international action and posture, you have to constantly play the game of "What do we have to win..... and what do we have to lose." In the case of Taiwan, I fail to see where continuing to irk China over Taiwan serves any of the U.S.'s interests. Are there vast amounts of oil hidden deep below the Taiwanese island that only the U.S. government knows about? If it's strictly noble and humanitarian, then yeah...... I agree with the confounding lack of consistency. But then again I'm no expert on foreign relations. I just feel there must be something more here than meets the eye.

I hear ya tits officially we regocinize Taiwan as part of China but have a pledge to help them with defense

U.S.-TAIWAN RELATIONS

The United States and Taiwan enjoy a robust unofficial relationship. The 1979 U.S.-P.R.C. Joint Communique switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing. In the Joint Communique, the United States recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledging the Chinese position that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China. The Joint Communique also stated that the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) is responsible for implementing U.S. policy toward Taiwan.

The United States does not support Taiwan independence. Maintaining strong, unofficial relations with Taiwan is a major U.S. goal, in line with the U.S. desire to further peace and stability in Asia. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act provides the legal basis for the unofficial relationship between the United States and Taiwan, and enshrines the U.S. commitment to assist Taiwan in maintaining its defensive capability. The United States insists on the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait differences, opposes unilateral changes to the status quo by either side, and encourages both sides to continue their constructive dialogue on the basis of dignity and respect.

U.S. Assistance to Taiwan
U.S. development assistance to Taiwan in the 1950s and 1960s helped Taiwan create a more prosperous economy. Currently, the United States provides no development assistance to Taiwan.

Economic Relations
The United States has maintained and enhanced its commercial ties with Taiwan since 1979. Taiwan is the United States’ ninth largest trading partner, and the United States is Taiwan’s second largest trading partner. Taiwan enjoys Export-Import Bank financing, Overseas Private Investment Corporation guarantees, normal trade relations status, and ready access to U.S. markets. AIT has been engaged in a series of trade discussions that have focused on protection of intellectual property rights and market access for U.S. goods and services. The United States has a trade and investment framework agreement with Taiwan under the auspices of AIT and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States. As of 2013, companies from Taiwan employed more than 12,000 workers in the United States with total worker compensation of almost a billion dollars.

https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35855.htm

Good info. Surprising to read that Taiwan is the U.S.'s ninth largest trading partner. I would've put that figure much lower. Also, if the U.S. already acknowledged in the past that Taiwan is part of China, and only maintains unofficial relations with Taiwan..... there should be no beef, right? Unless Taiwan's chomping at the bit to break away from China, and the U.S. is encouraging it somehow. In any case, it's a classic case of weighing the pros and cons of everything.

[brocktonblockbust]

Walrus wants to Shanghai his way around the undeniable ~fact~ that String of Pearls has created "islands" out of the ocean, and I'm not talking about the Spratleys

[Freedom]

‘Maneuvered to prevent collision’: Chinese destroyer chases USS Decatur in South China Sea

https://www.rt.com/news/440077-south...a-uss-decatur/

[walrus]

‘Maneuvered to prevent collision’: Chinese destroyer chases USS Decatur in South China Sea

https://www.rt.com/news/440077-south...a-uss-decatur/

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/03/polit...ina/index.html
The US Navy's Pacific Fleet has drawn up a classified proposal to carry out a global show of force as a warning to China and to demonstrate the US is prepared to deter and counter their military actions, according to several US defense officials.

The draft proposal from the Navy is recommending the US Pacific Fleet conduct a series of operations during a single week in November.
The goal is to carry out a highly focused and concentrated set of exercises involving US warships, combat aircraft and troops to demonstrate that the US can counter potential adversaries quickly on several fronts.
Photos show how close Chinese warship came to colliding with US destroyer
Photos show how close Chinese warship came to colliding with US destroyer
The plan suggests sailing ships and flying aircraft near China's territorial waters in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait in freedom of navigation operations to demonstrate the right of free passage in international waters. The proposal means US ships and aircraft would operate close to Chinese forces.

[brocktonblockbust]

Us ships and aircraft will not be allowed to operate near Chinese forces. There will be a horrible price to pay those silkworm missiles are a b****