7mo ago

US President Biden authorizes $571 million in military aid to Taiwan

www.ibtimes.com

US President Biden Authorizes $571 Million In Military Aid To Taiwan

Summary

President Joe Biden approved $571.3 million in military aid to Taiwan, reinforcing U.S. support amid increasing Chinese military pressure.

This package follows a $567 million aid approval three months ago and Taiwan’s recent acquisition of 38 Abrams tanks, its first new tanks in 30 years.

Taiwan expressed gratitude for the U.S.‘s security commitment while maintaining discretion on the aid’s specifics.

China, which claims Taiwan as its territory, has condemned U.S. arms sales and escalated military activities around the island, vowing not to renounce force for unification.

38 comments

Presumably he’s been on this military aid spree out of fear Trump won’t send any more?
- It's so weird.
  Trump is only slightly less pro-war than Bush/Obama/Biden, but the thing is, when he pulls the military from a war he almost certainly does it for the wrong reasons.
  I'm anti-war myself, so for me, it's a win. Obama had us at war in seven countries (Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, and Libya) and the US military is still active in most of them. Personally, I think it's more of a business move than a political one. Lots of war profiteers spent a lot of money on Biden and Harris' campaigns, and they expect a return on that investment while he still has the power to give it.
  
  Being against helping the little guy isn’t anti-war, it’s pro-imperialism
  
  Meanwhile trump is throwing around the idea of invading mexico and... canada?
  
  Ah isn’t it fun? Liberals downvoting you for speaking out against arms sales. The world is itching for war and preparing for it unfortunately and many liberals are fully onboard.
But we can't afford single payer healthcare.....
- Single payer healthcare would save money. No amount of unrelated spending is preventing us from having universal coverage. It would be cheaper to switch.
  
  Do you happen to have a source for that? I'm not challenging you, I want to have a good one handy for other discussion, and don't.
- I'd love single payer healthcare, but it would cost like 1000x more than this.
  
  Correctly implemented (cf Europe) it would cost less than what currently exists.
Isn't $500 Million in Military terms like a McDonald's cheeseburger in human terms? Like the B2 Bomber cost $44 Billion to develop and $2 Billion a piece.
Well, that's good news.
Definitely didn't need that 571 million here in the US for anything.
- Don't worry. The corporate plutocracy guarantees these funds would've never benefited the American people either way.
  
  Likely.
  Still needs to be said every time our money is spent on military boondoggles and not our own needs.
- I see these comments every time military aid is talked about. Military aid isn’t just sending money. It can include weapons, equipment, training, or other support to help a country defend itself or strengthen its military. Sometimes, the aid is in the form of funds, but often it’s specific resources like tanks, aircraft, or technical expertise. Believe it or not, it helps the US economy while also helping our allies protect themselves without risk to american lives. Taiwan has the right to stand up for itself, unless you are against that policy stance I’m not sure what else to say.
  
  Military aid isn’t just sending money. It can include weapons, equipment, training, or other support to help a country defend itself
  Not unlike how corporate donors buy thousands of Trump's books, or stays at his hotels, or whatever other bribe they render to get him to take their phone calls. In short, legalized bribery.
  Works the same way with war profiteers. All those bombs aren't free, and they are 100% marked up.
  My entire life I've watched the US spend like drunken sailors to wage war around the world. I'm going to remind the chickenhawks that our people are dying while these boondoggles take place, because apparently your preferred news program, the one trying to manufacture your consent, certainly won't.
- The government should be giving every American a bucket of 30 year old 5.56 and a tank that hasn't been maintained since 1986!
  
  No, friend.
  The government should be giving everyone health care.
  Look at Canada and Mexico. Combined they spends a little over $30 billion a year on their military. Both have universal health care. Here in the US we spend well over two trillion a year on war, and if you have an injury or illness, you will go bankrupt.
  Doesn't matter what China does if you're out on the street, because SCOTUS just paved the way for homelessness to be criminalized.
- It’s under $2 per American.

38 comments