Political Crossfire Forums

[eynon]

Placemat wrote: Let’s just hope and pray that the French and German government don’t get the chance to lift the Tiananmen weapons embargo. Otherwise ultimately the people of Japan will have to worry about china aswell.

amen, selling weapons to China....bad idea....

[Bertrand]

What if the USA would try to convince its ally, Israel, to stop selling weapons to China?

[eynon]

Bertrand wrote: What if the USA would try to convince its ally, Israel, to stop selling weapons to China?

hey you know your s**t :-D well first there's the whole "2 wrongs don't make a right".....second thing is the Isrealis to it so the Chinese don't give weapons to the PLO....third it tends to be older crap, like tank gunnery systems....the thing we're worried about are modern air and naval weaponry...that's bad

[Placemat]

Exactly, Lifting the ban would further encourage the growth and modernization of the Chinese forces to a point at which they could quite simply squash the US pacific fleet. Leaving Taiwan and Japan open to a Chinese invasion. The countries of India and Russia could also become targets.

I don't think that China should be Isolated though, their integration into the international community should be seen as a positive thing. But their human rights situation, the main reason for the weapons embargo ( Tiananmen square 1989 and the massacre of peaceful protesters) still hasn't changed and in some way worsened.

The only reason why the EU (by the way I'm from the UK) is pushing for the lift is so that it can rival the united states in the international arms trade.

[Simon De Montfort]

I think the EU lifting the weapons ban on China will speed up a Chinese attack in Taiwan. Which of course will invlove the US and result in a large and bloody war.

Looks the Europe is going to mess up this century like they the last.

[Placemat]

An attack on the United states in the pacific would be a NATO issue and could result in world war 3.

[MasterChefD]

I personally don't care that much if China gets more advanced weapons. With the exception of Taiwan, I highly doubt they'll invade another country. The world is full of alliances ("entangling alliances" anyone?), and if push comes to shove, nukes far more destructive than the ones used in WWII could come into play. In addition, currently, China is playing the economic card, not the military card. I think China is getting more advanced weapons for national pride than for defence. They already have a good supply of nukes and a huge military. Who in their right mind would attack China even in it's current condition?

Oh, if China actually decides to invade Taiwan, after a few skirmishes, I believe the US will withdraw and will not engage in any major confrontations. Taiwan isn't worth starting WWIII over. Of course the US, will strongly criticize China in the international arena and provide weaponry to Taiwan, but that's about it.