IMMINENT ATTEMPT ON THE PART OF
CHINA TO INVADE TAIWAN.
>> Dana: LET’S BRING IN MARC
THIESSEN SPIREMEER SPEECH WRITER
FOR GEORGE W. BUSH AND GENERAL
JACK KEANE, FORMER VICE CHIEF OF
STAFF FOR THE ARMY OF CHAIRMAN
FOR THE INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY
OF WAR.
GENERAL KEANE, INTERESTING IT TO
FOCUS THE MIND TO UNDERSTAND
THAT BIDEN AND XI HAVE NOT MET
IN PERSON SINCE BIDEN BECAME
PRESIDENT AND BIDEN SAYS THAT HE
INTENDS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE
AMERICA COMPETE WITH CHINA BUT
NOT HAVE CONFRONTATION.
DO YOU THINK THAT’S POSSIBLE?
>> WELL, I HOPE THAT’S CERTAINLY
POSSIBLE BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT
LISTEN, THERE IS A LAUNDRY LIST
OF TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT BUT ONE
TOPIC THAT HAS A SENSE OF
URGENCY SURROUNDING IT.
CERTAINLY SECRETARY BLINKEN
FLAGGED IT TWICE IN THE LAST
MONTH.
HE SAID IT APPEARS THAT CHINA IS
MOVING TO THE LEFT IN TERMS OF
USING MILITARY FORCE TO REUNIFY
TAIWAN, TWO TIMES IN THE LAST
MONTH.
WE HAVE A MILITARY LEADER AT
STRATEGIC COMMAND WHO IDENTIFIES
THE MILITARY WEAKNESS OF THE
UNITED STATES IN CONFRONTING
CHINA IN A WAR AND WOULD WE LOSE
THAT WAR.
SOMETHING THAT I HAVE SAID
MULTIPLE TIMES AND OTHER
ANALYSTS AND OBSERVERS HAVE SAID
AS WELL.
IN MY MIND THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE
THAT NEEDED TO BE PUT ON THE
TABLE AND DOESN’T APPEAR THAT
PRESIDENT BIDEN DID, AT LEAST WE
DIDN’T GET IT OUT OF THE PRESS
CONFERENCE.
LOOK AT XI AND TELL HIM LISTEN,
IT IS YOUR AGGRESSION,
INTIMIDATION AND COERCION OF
TAIWAN THAT’S FORCING US TO UP
GUN TAIWAN AND INCREASE THEIR
TRAINING AND ALSO TO USE OUR
ALLIES IN A POLITICAL AND
MILITARY ALLIANCE.
IF YOU INVADE TAIWAN, YOU ARE
FORCING MY HAND AND I’M GOING TO
CONFRONT THAT MILITARILY.
HE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AS A
MATTER OF FACT.
THE PRESIDENT HAS SAID THAT FOUR
TIMES IN RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS.
NOW HE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PUT IT ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF
HIM.
WE DON’T WANT TO WALK OUT OF
THAT MEETING THINKING THERE IS
ANY AMBIGUITY SURROUNDING THIS
ISSUE.
AND THE FACT THAT HE SALLIES IT
IS NOT IMMINENT, I DON’T KNOW
WHAT THAT MEANS.
CERTAINLY THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THINKS SOMETHING IS GOING ON
HERE.
HE HAS ACCESS TO INFORMATION
NONE OF US DO.
SO THAT’S MY NUMBER ONE CONCERN
COMING OUT OF THIS MEETING, THAT
I DON’T BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT
PUT IT ON THE TABLE THE WAY HE
SHOULD.
>> Bill: THE TONE SEEMED TO BE
RATHER CONCILIATORY, FRIENDLY, I
GUESS YOU COULD USE THAT WORD.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT XI’S POSTURE
WOULD BE IF HE WERE STANDING
SIDE-BY-SIDE.
THE QUOTE THAT STUCK OUT TO ME.
HE SAID XI IS WHAT HE HAS ALWAYS
BEEN, WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON
MANY ISSUES.
HAVE YOU SEEN COMPROMISE OUT OF
BEIJING?
>> NOT MUCH.
LISTEN, THEY LOVE TO TALK.
THEIR TONE IS ALWAYS
CONCILIATORY.
USUALLY PRETTY FRIENDLY EXCEPT
FOR A COUPLE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.
TALKING IS GOOD AND CERTAINLY
THEIR COUNTERPARTS WILL TALK
AFTER THIS AND IT ALL BROKE DOWN
THAT’S A GOOD THING.
LISTEN.
WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT
THIS AND DON’T PUT TOO MUCH
COMFORT INTO IT.
WE HAVE HAD COUNTERPART TO
COUNTERPART TALK WITH RUSSIA
PRIOR TO THE INVASION.
SECRETARY OF STATE, SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT
CHIEFS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
AND WHAT HAPPENED?
PUTIN DID WHAT HE WANTED TO DO
BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE COULD GET
AWAY WITH IT.
SO LET’S NOT BE TOO COMFORTED BY
THE TALKS.
DO WE ALL WANT THAT TO HAPPEN?
OF COURSE WE DO.
THE CHINESE ARE NOTORIOUS FOR
TALKING THEIR FOOL HEADS OFF AND