Donald Trump

Yes, Trump Can Talk to Taiwan

Mark Noonan19 Comments

Trump spoke to the President of Taiwan and it set off a firestorm of criticism. A lot of people are worried about what effect this will have on US-China relations. I can only think it will work to an improvement. The best relations are maintained when both sides are firm and understand each others position.

First off, a little history lesson:

Over the past 121 years, mainland China has ruled Taiwan for a total of four (4) years. The Island was annexed by Japan after the Sino-Japanese War of 1895 and then stayed in Japanese hands until 1945. From 1945 to 1949, Taiwan was ruled from the mainland, but in 1949 the government of China was chased out and made itself a home in Taiwan. Officially, the government of Taiwan considers itself the legitimate government of all of China, while the Chinese government considers itself the rightful owner of Taiwan. Both positions are absurd. The writ of the People’s Republic of China has never run to Taiwan and the youngest Taiwanese who could possibly have been a part of a Chinese government would be about 90, now. About 87% of Taiwan’s population is native to Taiwan – wasn’t born in China, nor under the rule of the People’s Republic of China. While plenty of people in Taiwan still desire a theoretical reunification with China, no one wants to come under the rule of the current government in Beijing – and the younger generation is ever more Taiwanese. To say that Taiwan must be considered part of China is as silly as saying that Austria must be part of Germany, simply because for a brief while Germany ruled Austria and the people of Austria are ethnic Germans.

Also, China needs to know that for all their economic advancement and their desire for increased global power, the United States is still far ahead of China and that we much prefer the people of east Asia and the western Pacific rule their own destinies. Trump’s action will cause some shrieks from China’s leaders – but the bottom line is that it lets them know that the days of the United States playing the patsy to China are over. Trump did a good thing – an honest thing; the hypocrisy of our position vis a vis Taiwan has been a nauseating relic of the Cold War and it is past time it as done away with. If Taiwan ever freely decides to unite itself with China, all well and good – but unless and until such time, it is our duty as the premier free nation on Earth to ensure that the free people of Taiwan are not forced into Chinese servitude.

Misunderestimating Trump

Mark Noonan8 Comments

I love to read Allahpundit’s articles over at Hot Air – one of the best writers out there; but this bit is, well, just wrong:

…That’s not the first clue we’ve gotten that Obama intends to run a charm offensive at Trump, at least at first, in hopes of getting a foot in the door for Democrats to influence him on policy. (It’s also not the first time we’ve heard that Trump was blown away upon learning what the job he just spent 16 months competing for actually entails. “He was nervous and jolted … by the 90-minute Oval Office meeting with Mr. Obama,” according to people close to Trump who spoke to the NYT, “and for the first time appeared to take in the enormousness of the job.”)…

First off, I’m astonished at people still lending credence to whatever the New York Times says – they are entirely devolved from a news organization to an arm of the DNC. Might as well believe DNC talking points. But I’m also amazed that anyone can believe the story that Trump was shocked about the job of being President…and that Obama, who came into the White House with zero executive experience, is some how some sort of elder statesman who can help Trump.

There is no way that Obama will want to in any way, shape or form help Trump. He will want Trump to fail in a spectacular fashion because only in such failure is there any chance of preserving Obama’s legacy. Also, after eight years in office, there is no indication that Obama has learned even the first clue about how to be a successful executive. He’s been surrounded by yes-men and sycophants, his hideous errors have been covered up by the press and his whole demeanor speaks of an attitude that he didn’t have and never will have anything to learn. If anything, Trump took the measure of Obama and figured, “just do the opposite of what this guy did, and I’m ok”. I can only guess that Allahpundit hasn’t read The Worst President in History (pick up your copy, today!). It details a man who relentlessly failed at every task he set himself. He’s not a mentor for anyone. Ever.

But it isn’t just Allahpundit – I see it all over the place among those who were flat-out Never Trump or at least highly skeptical of him. The idea is that Trump will surround himself with Pence and Romney and such people will “control” Trump and make it all ok. It won’t be like that, I think. Trump is building up a team of people he thinks will be effective at carrying out Trump’s policies. His people, if they are good (and his picks so far are good) will polish and strengthen his policies, but they will be Trump’s policies. And that is for good or ill.

I remember stories like this early on in the Reagan years – how he was really viewed as an amiable dunce whom his handlers had to keep control of. Many years afterwards, the truth emerged – mostly in Reagan’s own writings – that policy was Reagan’s and he pushed it all through and made it all happen. It is a rare genius in leadership to have the ability to make people think they are leading you when you are leading them. Lincoln had it. MacArthur had it. We’ll see if Trump has it. Right now, he’s acting like he does – even the mere consideration of fierce-critic Romney for Secretary of State or other high Cabinet position shows a man who is secure in his abilities. Trump may be deceiving himself, of course – only time will tell on that. But this idea that he’s malleable clay in the hands of his betters should be jettisoned by everyone. This is going to be Trump’s show.