Taiwan's arms needs should be better met: U.S. senator
ROC Central News Agency
2011/11/10 18:51:55
Washington, Nov. 9 (CNA) U.S. Senator John Cornyn said Wednesday that he did not think that the administrative branch of his country's government had fully observed the U.S.' commitment to provide Taiwan with efficient weaponry systems to meet its defense needs.
In an interview with CNA, the Republican senator from Texas said although he tried hard to force the administration to deal with the sale of F16s to Taiwan, he was of the view that it did not totally fulfill the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act.
"We are looking for the opportunity to provide those airplanes to Taiwan. We will use every tool. We are still working on, trying to come up with, that strategy," said Cornyn, who sits on the Senate Finance, Judiciary, Armed Services, and Budget Committees.
He said the U.S. administration has made "bad decisions" in terms of arms sales to Taiwan, and "also made our allies believe that the U.S. is not reliable" -- a hint that might lead some countries to bully others.
"The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act requires the U.S. government to provide defense weaponry to Taiwan, our ally and friend. I do not believe that we remember that," he said.
"I think we need a strategy to help our friends and allies to protect themselves," Cornyn said.
He said the U.S. does not want to see a destruction of its security umbrella in the region, with other countries deciding that they need nuclear weapons.
In an address Wednesday at the Hudson Institute, titled "Defending Defense," Cornyn stressed the importance of the U.S. maintaining its defense budget.
"By cutting defense spending, we may be endangering our national security," he said. "The defense strategy should drive defense spending, not the other way around."
A U.S. "Super Committee" is expected soon to issue recommendations for trimming federal spending, which are seen likely to include cuts in the country's defense budget.
"The questions before us are stark but simple: What are the threats to America's peace and prosperity and to the peace and prosperity of other free peoples? Who are America's allies, partners, and friends? What's America's strategy to meet those threats? And what capabilities do we need to implement that strategy successfully?" Cornyn said.
He said that although other nations are facing similar economic and fiscal challenges to the U.S., they are making the investments in military capabilities they think they need.
"China still has hundreds of millions of people in poverty, yet it's made huge investments to upgrade its military forces. Iran has been willing to endure years of economic sanctions in order to pursue its nuclear weapons program. And North Korea has literally been starving its own people to feed its own military-industrial complex."
"So how do I suggest that we proceed? I say: Let's get the strategy right first." (By Tony Liao and Deborah Kuo) Enditem /pc
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