Would be nice if we could just recognize Taiwan as an independent country.<p>I realize there are good reasons not to do so right now -- RoC itself still says on paper they own all of China, and the West is still too dependent on Chinese manufacturing -- but it would be good to move towards recognizing reality.
US troops on Kinmen (alias Quemoy) ? That is interesting.<p>Maybe US frogmen can join Taiwanese frogmen in going ashore on the mainland and going to the movies. At least that's what Taiwanese frogmen were doing some decades ago.
I get the impression that somehow China had started fearing US and NATO a bit less in the last few years. While the war is going on Ukraine, I think this might be the golden opportunity for China to step up and try to take Taiwan. I think the US and Taiwan understand this perception as well, so that's why the permanent "training mission".<p>At the same time, there is a danger Putin will try to call NATO's bluff and start something with one of the East European members: attack one of the Baltic states or Poland and see how willing US and West European countries will to be take a step closer to WWIII. If NATO hesitates just a moment, it would be its effective end, the alliance won't be worth the paper it was signed on.