Comments by "King Ace" (@kingace6186) on "Why Taiwan matters to the United States" video.

  1. I am always interested in learning more about the Island of Taiwan's pre-20th-century history. It is evocative and interesting.
    38
  2. TSMC had brilliant scientists and managers that steered the company toward the right investments. And now, they are Taiwan's greatest strategic deterrence.
    32
  3. This is anti-ROC rhetoric if I have ever seen one.
    7
  4. I wasn't going to say anything but since you pointed it out: ACTUALLY!!! 1) Shirvan just misspoke. 2) Although the Qing did (de-jure-ly) cede the Island of Taiwan to the Japanese Empire with the 17 April 1895 Treaty of Shimonoseki, the de-facto truth is much more nuanced. Due to the power-vacuum created after the Qing left, the short-lived Republic of Formosa was born and existed for just 5 months from 23 May to 21 October 1895. This short Republic came to an end when the Japanese conquered the island and took over the Republican Capital of Taipei. And the Japanese spent the next years, if not decades, fighting Taiwanese resistance in the mountainous interior of the island. So YES. The Japanese Empire DID conquer Taiwan.
    6
  5. US N Pacific Command like: This guy knows too much.
    5
  6. It's like having a mansion but being robbed because you have no alarm system. Or, having millions in crypto but not having a VPN to protect your passwords.
    3
  7.  @ShuCarolina  Yeah. I guess we both have areas where we could improve our democracies.
    3
  8.  @MB2.0  Ben's quote and Shivran's quote are completely different down to the meaning. Only the sentence structure was similar. L.
    3
  9. Love from California.
    3
  10.  @globalhumanism  This is honestly why I am so supportive of the government in Taipei.
    3
  11. True. There are a view small islands scattered across the Taiwan Straits that are administered by Taipei. In fact, in any invasion scenario by the PLA, these islands are likely to be the first ones targeted.
    2
  12. I agree. I especially liked that he prioritized the parts of Taiwanese History that almost never get mentioned.
    2
  13.  @Doochos  The Republic of Formosa had a really cool flag. I wished they reincorporated it when the KMT retreated to the island.
    2
  14. That last part you said. "--a direct vote in [the] presidential election." As an American, that has to put up with the electoral college and whose vote is basically symbolic, I am extremely jealous.
    2
  15. "Wealth is great, but it has no value without the means to secure it. When faced with a choice between guns and money, it is better to arm oneself. Because those who pick wealth over security will soon be left with neither." -- Shirvan; Caspian Report, 2022.
    2
  16. Since the real power of the US Armed Forces stems from its logistical hyperpower-dom, all the decaying & neglected infrastructure is a real threat to the efficiency of American hard power.
    2
  17.  @xsu-is7vq  The CCP's credibility and legitimacy to stay in power depend on reunification. Or at least the CCP not giving up on the rhetoric of reunification.
    2
  18. Cool opinion. But they definitely won't do that. It would be like abandoning the bedrock of their foreign policy and how they view themselves. Not to mention that would provoke a military response from Beijing.
    2
  19.  @dominicjohnson307  Despite the size discrepancy, I agree. Taiwan has the advantage due to sheer geography and the innovative geopolitics + technology of the Taiwanese people.
    1
  20.  @dominicjohnson307  Don't get me wrong; I agree with you. But I think you could benefit from some nuance.
    1
  21. I learn my pronunciation of distant places from Shivran; his progression translates into my progression.
    1
  22. Hence, the Chip Wars.
    1
  23. Yes. And the First Island Chain doctrine's importance to USN Pacific strategy. And the new and strong democracy on the island nation. And countering a "superpower". Plus more. But, yes, it is mainly about semiconductors.
    1
  24.  @martinfiedler4317  He fought the Ming on several bloody occasions, too.
    1
  25. I am glad you made this video when you did. Taiwan's importance keeps skyrocketing on the global stage. President Biden is leading the US into a Semiconductor "War" (which US is winning) that is ultimately crippling Beijing's technological rise and stopping the PROC from truly being a superpower. Meanwhile, Xi Jingpin has been consolidating more and more power leading up to the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and his third term, as he has doubled down on reunification. Even Japan, Australia, and India (the other 3 members of the QUAD) have been trying to quickly get their affairs in order and prioritizing their efforts to counter Chinese power moves. It is fair to say that things are heating up in the Pacific "Theatre".
    1
  26.  @loks117  I wonder why people keep saying the term "copium". It must be MAGA's new catchphrase. SMH.🙄
    1
  27.  @chillxxx241  Oh trust me. TSMC got capital. And strategically speaking, it might be more important for Taiwan than Samsung is for S Korea.
    1
  28. Actually, that is false, the "Soviets" chose neither security nor wealth. Communistic rule was forced onto them when Lenin gave up on democratic socialism and Stalin chose violence + oppression.
    1
  29.  @crrtpf  ? In what world? The Soviet states & republics needed security from Moscow, itself. Just as the ex-soviet states of Eastern Europe need security now.
    1
  30.  @crrtpf  It's relevant because I think it didn't. The Kremlin prioritized both wealth (stolen from small businessmen/farmers -- see Holodomor) and security (buffer areas that connect with natural barriers).
    1
  31. Your suggestion would lead to World War 3 or at least conflict in the Pacific. Also China is NOT really a superpower. And the US is a hop, a skip, & a jump away from becoming a hyperpower.
    1
  32. This is exactly the nonsensical bs Russia used to justify its war in and subsequent invasion of Ukraine. The only difference is China has learned this excuse doesn't hold any water (I hope Xi doesn't prove me wrong). The truth is Beijing's and Moscow's tensions with the "West" are due to the fact that they want to expand their power and spheres of influence and Washington won't allow them.
    1
  33.  @ARW.7  Well, okay. But your semantics are very misleading.
    1
  34.  @doujinflip  China is NOT a better economic partner than the US. Smaller, poorer nations chose to work with China over the US because China has fewer regulations and rules for trade than American investments. But the real big-brain option is to work with both like Brazil.
    1
  35.  @doujinflip  And btw everything you said about the US towards the end is exactly what China does in the South China Sea. So kinda hypocritical.
    1
  36. Ben was always a wise guy. No wonder he is on the 100-dollar bill. (Wait, I accidentally contradicted our point. Oops, my bad.)
    1
  37.  @michaelashley2855  It was a great quote. Chill and let it marinate with us CaspianReport fans.
    1
  38. LMFAO. -- General Sheperd, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (I still remember playing this game on the Xbox 360. It was my first and favorite COD. And it's still F Makarov!)
    1
  39. Strategic policy-making.
    1
  40. Facts. And Amen.
    1
  41. That would cause the PLA to immediately invade Taiwan and hurl rockets at US military bases in the Far East. This comment, if fulfilled, would cause millions of dead soldiers and civillians. There is a reason Strategic Ambiguity is essential to US foreign policy.
    1
  42.  @FumetsuGolf  Dude.... So, the Taiwanese people be damned!? Chill. Your stance is more hawkish than the Washington geopolitics hawk. We're trying to prevent a world war by playing the long game, not trying to stoke it.
    1
  43.  @FumetsuGolf  The Taiwanese value the current status quo more than the PROC or the USA. So unless you're Taiwanese, chill.
    1
  44.  @FumetsuGolf  LOL Which polls? Where? Taiwanese polls asked the people of the ROC, conducted by the state and independent sources, directly contradict this statement.
    1
  45. I agree. One can always count on Shirvan and the team at CaspianReport for stellar analyses. . . Wait a second. Ground News, is that you!!??
    1
  46. Thanks for the information
    1