President Biden told reporters Wednesday that the US military thinks it’s “not a good idea” for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan.
Media reports on Tuesday said that Pelosi plans to make the trip to Taiwan next month, prompting China to warn it will “take strong and resolute measures” in response.
When asked if he thinks the trip is a good idea, Biden said, “The military thinks it’s not a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the status of it is.”
It’s not clear from Biden’s comments if his administration expressed to Pelosi that the trip wasn’t a good idea or if she still plans on going through with it. If she makes the trip, it will be the first time a sitting House speaker visits the island in 25 years.
China would view the trip as a major provocation because Pelosi is a high-level government official, and it would be a major signal against the one-China policy. The US severed diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 as part of its steps to normalize with Beijing.
But in recent years, congressional delegations to Taiwan and high-level visits have become more common. In August 2020, the Trump administration sent then-Health Secretary Alex Azar to Taiwan, making him the highest-level US official to make the trip since 1979.
China often responds to US officials visiting Taiwan with military action. Earlier this month, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) traveled to the island and met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. China responded by sending warplanes across the median line that separates the Taiwan Strait.
Get Nancy drunk and pull her passport. Her trip is a bad idea.
She’s drunk without the booze. Drunk on power.
Anyone sane enough knows it’s a bad idea. That’s exactly why she’s going.
She has to keep her pro-war base energized.
For comparison, China has 38X the population of Afghanistan, which is almost twice the number of Nancy’s fingers and toes.
Ok the military needs to shut up and stand down. I don’t agree with Pelosi’s trip. I think the US should work towards returning Taiwan to China. But the military are order followers, not policy makers. After news of Milley usurping power under Trump we have to be very careful to keep the Pentagon knuckledraggers firmly in their place unless we want the military running things. Trust me, you don’t.
In this case I think it’s good. Any provocation nipped in the bud is a good thing. Even broken clocks are right twice a day.
I agree. As stupid and dangerous an idea as this is by Pelosi, since when does the military tell the civilian leadership what to do or not to do. Nothing other than military advice should be coming from the military leadership.
Maybe when it could set off war??
I get where you’re coming from … but even “setting off war” is a political issue, not a military one. China’s sensitivity in re to One China is a political matter, not a military matter.
What the military can legitimately be telling Biden is we’re not ready to fight a war against China in Taiwan … and, btw, we never are going to be.
I guess we’d have to hear what the general actually said. I’m sure there was an explanation behind it. I certainly am not in favor of generals having a say in anything non-military.
So far “advice” appears to be all they were doing. Biden went public with it to reign in in Pelosi while diverting the onus from himself and the Speaker.
I don’t know if they gave “orders” vs advised, probably that advice was sought. Consider they (the military) will have to execute and do the dying for whatever schemes and fallout(pun intended) from the visit, I hope they advised very loudly.
operation blah blah blah
It is a bad idea to Biden, because he believes that as president he can preempt anything a congressman/woman does. We are already aiding Formosa, and, we are having warships cruise the Taiwan Strait.
Isn’t Formosa a drink?… Nah, that’s Hermosa… No, Hermosa is a place, I think…No, Mimosa’s a drink!… Isn’t the Taiwan Strait a gay bar?…
Just funning…
War is in the air…
Har! Good one Donna! 😁
:-}
I wish Bye-Done could say things with a little more clarity and less off the cuff… Off the cuff he sounds a tad senile…
How can you expect anything from byeDone when he is already history…?!
https://media3.giphy.com/media/TIRlx3Fzi1A7L2d5z7/giphy.gif
One was not enough…! US now has Two Secretary of State…!
Yes, like when we had both Pompeo and Giuliani as two Secretaries of State, especially in regard to Ukraine.
So it occurs to me what the f*ck is Pelosi supposed to do in Taiwan? Fundraise? Inspect the fortifications? March in a parade? Is there some conceivable reason for her trip besides antagonizing China? Does she not antagonize enough people here in the states? With a hundred and fifty some odd other countries in the world is there some reason besides preening warmongering that a steady parade of US politicians needs to go to Taiwan? WTF?
I am hoping that Nancy’s trip to Taiwan will drive China and Russia closer together.
What has Pelosi ever done that was a “good idea”?
The jury is still out on that one…
You’ll get no argument from me, Mr. Christian!
Biden said, “The military thinks it’s not a good idea right now, but I don’t know what the status of it is.”
Then who the fuck does? How about you kibosh it and you’ll know the status.