@george-k said in WSJ: "Not Demosthenes, but...":
Mr. Bidenâs confusion extended to foreign policy, which is supposed to be his strength. Regarding Taiwanâa crucial issue with ChinaâMr. Biden misstated U.S. policy. Asked âcan you vow to protect Taiwan,â Mr. Biden said âyes.â
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper must have figured this was news, because he gave Mr. Biden another chance: âSo are you saying that the United States would come to Taiwanâs defense ifââ
Mr. Biden: âYes.â
Mr. Cooper: ââChina attacked?â
Mr. Biden: âYes, we have a commitment to do that.â
The actual U.S. policy toward Taiwan is âstrategic ambiguityâ about U.S. intentions. The Taiwan Relations Act commits the U.S. to help Taiwan defend itself but does not include a NATO-like commitment to go to war to defend the island democracy. Many people think the U.S. should make such a commitment explicit so Beijing doesnât miscalculate and invade the island. Was Mr. Biden announcing a change in U.S. policy?
Apparently not, because the White House soon walked back Mr. Bidenâs words. Strategic ambiguity lives, or perhaps we should say strategic confusion in the case of Mr. Biden. You have to wonder what the hard men in Beijing think of this performance. Does the fast White House retreat from Mr. Bidenâs words mean the U.S. doesnât intend to defend Taiwan? What is U.S. policy? Wars have started amid such mixed signals to adversaries.
Maybe this is like President Trump and his 4D chess. Act confused and befuddled and China will not be sure what exactly will happen. LOL