U.S. State Department Blocks Arms Sale To Taiwan Over Fears Of Chinese Retailiation

Photo: SAM YEH/AFP/Getty Images

State Blocks Taiwan Arms -- Washington Times

The State Department is holding up final approval of Taiwan’s request for a multibillion-dollar arms package to upgrade Taipei’s fleet of aging F-16 jets.

U.S. national security officials close to the issue said the arms package, along with a report to Congress on Taiwan’s air power that is more than a year late, is being delayed by senior Obama administration officials, including Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, who are seeking to avoid a third rupture in U.S.-China military relations over Taiwan arms sales.

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My Comment: There was a time when U.S. policy makers did what they felt was right and in the best interests of the United States, especially when it came to giving support to our allies who we felt were being intimidated and threatened by other countries and our adversaries. Today .... it seems that we live in an alternate universe. We do not want to offend those same countries who have no problem in threatening and intimidating our allies and long term friends .... and we do so openly.