Enlightened Comment of the Week

Congrerssman Tom Tancredo calls for the United States to end the "one China" fallacy "in favor of a more honest and defensible 'two-state solution' that extends full diplomatic recognition to both Taiwan and China (Taipei Times, courtesy Brian McAdam, member since 2005). It is a fantastic piece, and just what the doctor ordered after the abysmal performance of Ray Burghardt.

Tancredo's piece is terrific throughout, but here are some of the highlights:

. . . the US relationship with China has long been one of "give and take" -- the US gives, and China takes. Each time the US makes an accommodation, Beijing sees only weakness and becomes more aggressive -- which in turn prompts the US State Department to offer yet more concessions.

. . .

And for all of this pandering, what has the Bush administration gained? Half-hearted Chinese cooperation in the "Six Party Talks," Chinese obstruction in the human tragedy unfolding in Sudan, renewed Chinese threats of military action against Taiwan, and now the brazen and public humiliation of the US in barring the USS Kitty Hawk from Hong Kong's harbor.

And China, certainly no help in encouraging transparency in Tehran's nuclear ambitions, is now using the latest National Intelligence Estimate on Iran as a rationale for pressuring the US, the Europeans and the International Atomic Energy Agency to ease off on demands for access to what is still a very troubling ongoing uranium enrichment program.

. . .

The US relationship with Taiwan isn't the only thing that has suffered as a result of our hopeless policy of appeasement vis-a-vis China. It highlights a glaring hypocrisy in US foreign policy, undermines our international image, emboldens our enemies and enhances the credibility of our detractors like China.

The Bush administration's practice of trying to limit Taiwan's democratic development and diplomatic space in return for China's illusory "cooperation" on North Korea, Myanmar, Iran or Sudan sends the message that the US is ceding Asia to China's hegemony.

Tom Tancredo' s campaign for president has not been what it could have been; in fact, the presence of both he and Duncan Hunter in this race more likely hurt the anti-Communist movement than helped it. That said, Tancredo is still one of us, and it is great to see he can still speak truth to power.