The best way I can translate an Egyptian proverb, which is relevant to this discussion, is as follows: He who gets between the onion and its skin, suffers the full brunt of its biting stench.
The proverb is used to warn people who have
the nasty habit of making themselves the third party in disputes that involve
two others. The latter may be reasonable antagonists that have legitimate but
unresolved claims, or they may be unreasonable antagonists trying to score
gains where they have no legitimate claim. This, however, does not deter those
who poke their noses in the business of others. They poke them either way.
Well then, who in this day and age, needs to
be reminded of the necessity to heed the wisdom that’s stowed in that proverb?
Without a moment’s hesitation, the answer can only be this: The United States
of America is the one that needs to be reminded. This should be done in a most
forceful manner to impress upon the Americans that they have gone too far
already, meddling in the affairs of other nations. Whether by its own desire or
by invitation from others to get involved, America must develop the habit of saying
no. It should only mind its own business and forever leave everyone else alone.
Past experiences have not been kind to
America. With the exception of its intervention in the Yugoslavian civil war
where it might have done some good, nowhere else during the dozens of other
interventions has America done anything considered useful. In fact, everyone of
the major interventions, such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Somalia,
created its own horror stories that serve to denigrate America today, and will
forever tarnish its image.
Unless America ends the habit of interfering
in the affairs of others now, as would the drug addict that’s told to stop
cold, all that happened in the past, will prove to be a mere rehearsal for what
is yet to come. That’s because what’s in the offing, promises to be a nuclear
exchange with China.
Two writers have recently discussed this
subject, and we should look into what they say. One article came under the
title: “Does China want war?” and the subtitle: “Japan joins US in defense of
Taiwan,” written by John William Middendorf II, and published in the Washington
Times on August 18, 2021. The next day, August 19, 2021, the same Washington
Times published an article by David Keene who asked the question: “Will the US
risk war with China to defend Taiwan?” It became the title of the article.
John Middendorf who used to be Secretary of
the Navy, is preoccupied with the maneuvers executed lately by the Chinese navy
around Taiwan. Whereas some analysts believe the moves were in response to
American warplanes paying a visit to Taiwan, Middendorf goes further than that,
and suggests that Japan’s behavior must have played a role too. In fact, the
Japanese have stated clearly that they and the Americans may intervene
militarily if China attacks Taiwan.
That warning-in-disguise started an angry
verbal exchange between China and Japan, culminating in a Chinese official
warning that China may not be restrained by its policy of not being first to
use nuclear weapons. China will respond, said the Chinese official, with an
all-out war against Japan, “striking with nuclear bombs and continuing to use
them till Japan surrenders unconditionally”.
After reminding the readers that US Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin promised to help Taiwan and other allies in the
Indo-Pacific region to defend themselves against China’s aggression, John Middendorf
ended his article by warning that it may be true China does not want war, which
is what we all believe, we should nevertheless revisit everything we know about
China.
As to David Keene, who is an editor at large
of the Washington Times, what he did in essence, was to say something which
goes like this: the Titanic is sinking, and we’re going down with it. Even if
we cannot do anything about it, we must not let it happen. This is paradoxical
thinking that you’ll have to see for yourself to believe.
Here, let me show you. David Keene began his
discussion by warning that China has been threatening for years to regain
control of Taiwan by any means necessary. He went on to give a brief history of
how the country split into two parts, and mentioned the early failed attempt to
reunite it.
Thanks to the support of the United States,
says Keene, Taiwan was able to live as an independent nation and prosper. But
the problem now is that however-much the people of Taiwan relish their freedom,
they can no longer count on America’s support at a time when Beijing has become
convinced that the United States will not risk war with China to protect the
independence of Taiwan.
That’s a shame, says David Keene, because if
Taiwan goes, the sea lanes and the entire western Pacific region will fall
under the control of Beijing. This in turn will force Japan, South Korea,
Vietnam and India to kowtow to the Chinese hegemon. Worse, says Keene, Beijing
will get its hand on the Taiwanese chip manufacturers who, along with those of
South Korea, produce the most advanced chips today, supplies that America
relies on for much of the hi-tech military and civilian products it makes.
And here is the paradox that exposes David
Keene:
“Allowing that to happen would prove
disastrous to the world economy. As one expert put it, even a failed attempt to
take Taiwan by force would do major damage to the world economy. We
cannot afford to let that happen any more than we can afford to
abandon Taiwan”.
David Keene has failed to suggest the obvious
solution, which is for America to cultivate normal relations with everyone, to stop
provoking others, and most of all, to stop getting between the onion and its
skin, thus avoid suffering the full brunt of its biting stench.
America desperately needs to learn how to leave everyone alone, and enjoy smelling the sweet scent of being honest with itself.