Taiwan or Not Taiwan, That is the Question

Is Pelosi the Face That’ll Launch a Thousand Missiles? Were you forwarded this email? [Sign-up to Rude Awakening here.]( [Unsubscribe]( [The Rude Awakening] Taiwan or Not Taiwan, That is the Question - House Speaker Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan. - China insists she will do as she’s told. - Will the 82-year-old replace Helen of Troy for future generations? Recommended Link [Urgent Note From Jim Rickards: “You’re Running Out Of Time!”]( [Click here to learn more...]( [Your exclusive “Pro level” upgrade to Strategic Intelligence is ready to be claimed.]( This is your chance to claim 3 exciting new benefits along with a whole new level of service. Hurry… you only have until the timer hits 0 to act. After the timer runs out, you’ll forfeit your chance to upgrade… and you may miss out. Please don’t waste any time. Just click below to see how to confirm your upgrade: [Click Here To Learn More]( Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening Happy Tuesday! There are fewer preposterous ways I can spend a Monday night than thinking about an octogenarian starting World War III. Well, if she were in her 60s - a sexagenarian - then the last sentence might read better. I mean… really? What on earth was Joke Biden thinking? Oh, never mind. He doesn’t mind the intellectual store anymore. And if that’s the case, why does the Deep State want to provoke a confrontation? Look, I love Taiwan. I’ve been to Taipei, and it’s a cracking city. But is it worth a nuclear confrontation? No. Plainly, no. And not because freedom isn’t worth fighting for. It’s because 4,000-mile supply lines are hard to maintain. Just ask the British during the Revolution. Even if the US sends in the Seventh Fleet, it won’t last long. And let’s be honest, we don’t know about the true nature of China’s “carrier killer” missiles. In this Rude, I’ll walk through the idiocy of this entire scenario. Nancy of Bay Was this the Botoxed-face that launched 1,000 missiles And burnt the topless tower of Taipei 101? Sweet Nancy, make me immortal with a miss. Her lips suck forth our collective soul, See how it dies? Come, Nancy, come, give us our soul again. Kit Marlowe would’ve shit himself were he still alive. Can you imagine Marlowe, Billy Wigglestick’s great rival, writing about an 82-year-old bint trying it on against Red China? Instead of the sweet Helen of Sparta, ripped from the arms of Menelaus by Paris, who kidnaps her back to Troy? If you’ve read The Iliad and think Paris was a dopey idiot, what could you possibly believe now? Why on earth was this trip allowed to proceed? Thinking about it does my head in. Ukraine is to Russia as Taiwan is to China Though I think Russia will prevail and the US has no chance against China, let me make something clear. Like Hans-Hermann Hoppe, I’d love to see 1,000 Lichtensteins bloom. There’s no reason for a people not to self-govern as long as they don’t infringe on the rights of others. Pretty bog standard stuff. However, if you’re building biolabs on a much bigger neighbor’s border, you will get smacked. Just like Ukraine. Can Ukraine govern itself? Yes, if poorly. Can Taiwan govern itself? Yes, and well. But the problem is this. Both countries have neighbors who oppose the goal of self-governance. So both Ukraine and Taiwan have to negotiate that challenging diplomatic terrain. Both countries have sidled up with the United States, the world’s policeman. That was the correct strategy 30 years ago. But I’m pretty sure that strategy is a busted flush now. And truth be told, that strategy would never work forever. Because empires rise and fall. And sooner or later, America will fall. So it’s much better to negotiate a long-term, lasting bilateral peace agreement. Ukraine could’ve said, “Sure, we won’t oppose Russia, and we’ll trade with Europe as well.” Except Ukraine wanted to break entirely with Russia, which was never a realistic scenario. As for Taiwan, it’s 81 miles from China at its closest point. Credit: [Zero Hedge]( And… Taiwan is 4,600 miles… from Alaska! Taiwan is 5,069 miles… from Honolulu. But the Seventh is based in Yokohama! So what? Taiwan is undefendable. Period. And that’s why a serious, bilateral solution between China and Taiwan must be found. Of course, that solution will eerily resemble the same answer Hong Kong got from China. And I’m terribly sorry for that. Hong Kong was a fantastic place. It was the bastion of capitalism for the world for over 150 years. But to imagine America can simultaneously finance its Ukraine charade and a full-scale war defending Taiwan against China is just incredible. Recommended Link [URGENT: Drug Stock Could End Arthritis?]( [Click here for more...]( Will This Company’s Breakthrough Give New Hope To Millions? If You Or Somebody You Know Suffers From Arthritis, Pay Close Attention [Click Here For More Details]( So What’s Next? In a blog post titled, “[Red Clouds of War Looming Over Taiwan]( a Westerner who’s a Taiwan-based researcher writes of scenarios that may occur. His likeliest is “A serious attack but no invasion.” This would involve air and sea warfare only, no boots on the ground. A full aerial and naval blockade, a protracted set of naval and aerial battles designed to degrade Taiwan’s military, combined with ballistic missile attacks on military targets. Aggressive cyberattacks turning off the internet and shutting down critical infrastructure for days or weeks. Once air and naval superiority were established, China could pick off targets at will, ratcheting up the threat until the government breaks. There were two much worse scenarios that I won’t bother with, as they’re unrealistic. [The Wall Street Journal]( chimes in: A largely symbolic visit by the Speaker of the House isn’t a good reason to trigger a U.S.-China showdown. But China has raised its threats even beyond its usual bluster, and President Biden didn’t help by saying in public recently that the Pentagon thinks it is the wrong time for her visit. This encouraged Beijing’s leaders to think they could stop Mrs. Pelosi if they were even more obstreperous, which is what they have become. At this point, Mrs. Pelosi almost has to visit lest the U.S. appear to be backing down amid China’s threats. That sign of weakness would encourage more Beijing brinkmanship, and it would echo throughout the region, especially with our allies in Japan and Taiwan. So we’re in a completely avoidable situation that the Speaker started… for what? What was her reason for stirring things up? I’d feel better if the USG was like, “She’s the Speaker, and she wants to go. So China can have a nice cup of shut the f*ck up.” But the USG is pretending like nothing’s changed. From [Zero Hedge]( "There’s just no reason for this to escalate," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said as a warning to China. "There’s every reason given that our national security interests — as well as the interest of our allies and partners that are that are staking the Indo Pacific on any given day — there’s every reason for this to not escalate." Kirby didn't confirm whether she'll go through with it. China reiterated over the weekend and into Monday that it will take "strong and resolute measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity" - seeing in a possible Pelosi visit a violation of 'red lines'. "Put simply, there is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with long-standing U.S. policy into some sort of crisis conflict or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait," Kirby continued in his statement. I think my favorite ever Socialist has it right: Credit: [@caitoz]( Wrap Up My goodness, it doesn’t get dumber than this. Pelosi doesn’t need to be there. And she’s probably not wanted there. But there, it looks, she’ll go. The markets were flat to down after a fantastic July. But the Botoxed Face may launch 1,000 missiles. Or is Nancy of Bay just this stock market’s Trojan Horse? Until tomorrow. All the best, Sean Sean Ring Editor, Rude Awakening [Whitelist Us]( | [Archive]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( Rude Awakening is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We do not rent or share your email address. 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