Afghanistan Politics Overturned, Why Can Taiwan Still Be So Indifferent？
By Chang Ching
United Daily News, August 15, 2021
The development of chaotic conflict in Afghanistan is so astonishing. Progress of the Taliban armed forces is literally invincible. Comparatively, the United States is pretty embarrassing to face the ugly realities. Medias in various nations all address that the strategy of the United States involvement in the Afghanistan domestic politics for the past twenty years is unquestionably wrong. Although pouring unbelievably huge amount budgets on infrastructure construction, yet, it totally failed to correct the corruption within the current governing authority. Further, the discipline of its forces is so awful thus completely undermining the war-fighting capabilities. The trend cannot be turned anymore. The fate of the pro-US regime is already foregone.
The New York Times has published a special commentary with no reservation indicating the scheme of the United States adopted for managing international relations treating the pro-US regimes always started with disordered policies and betrayed them in the final moments eventually will inevitably questioned by the international community. Particularly, several extremely pro-US nations in the world that desperately expecting the United States will exercise military intervention measures during crisis situations to support the survival of their regimes by providing military force protection are specifically named.
Although Taiwan is explicitly addressed in the list, nevertheless, why the situations in Afghanistan are basically ignored by the whole society in Taiwan except scholars and experts of the relevant field have ever delivered several warnings. Given the scale of media coverage or the political talk shows seems deliberately avoiding this issue, even the politicians of the ruling and opposition parties have never adopted this significantly international variation as an example for appealing to take precautions measures. Why can Taiwan be so blind to this matter? It is basically shaped by the following three factors:
Firstly, it is necessary to note that the politicians in Taiwan, either the members of the ruling party or those who in the opposition parties are generally retaining a concern, more precisely, fear, of the United States. Even deep in their mindset, they have strong reluctance to be pro-US, however, they are clearly understand that the United States undoubtedly has the capacity to destroy any particular political figure though Washington may not necessarily have the sufficient influence to guarantee his political success. Likewise, Medias in Taiwan are also generally clever enough to evade any issue possibly embarrassing the United States. Even we all know that the Washington may not necessarily be trustworthy, yet, we are also lack of the willingness to touch such an unpleasant topic. Hence, not to heat up the issue possibly causing the embarrassment of Washington whether is simply originated from the kindness or the fear of the “Voldemort”, so that Washington turns to be “He Who Must Not Be Named”, the answer is quite obvious.
Secondly, policies chosen by the top level of the governing authority in Taiwan have already been completely surrendered to the United States. Meanwhile, the tight grip media control policy is effectively exercised by the current administration. It is no surprise to see the media may have the wisdom to stay away from the trouble by not recklessly challenging those inconvenient truths in politics and starting to question the political ecstasy frequently sold by the ruling team of the present administration that claiming the United States will definitely come for rescue, should Taiwan encounter any crisis in the future. Keeping on taking self-encouraging stimulants is the only necessary prescription for the government to overcome massive difficulties and to sustain its final authority after making so many terrible decisions that causing such poor governance in Taiwan. So, if anyone who so bluntly try to awake the general public from the illusions caused by the ecstasy, it is of course extremely politically incorrect. The media therefore show their compliance by not reflecting the realities and never challenging the government’s policy. It is totally understandable.
Last but not least, it is simply because there is no social linkage between Afghanistan and Taiwan. People here are literally lack of interest in international affairs. Efforts paid for the diplomacy by the government, the vision only covers Washington and Tokyo. The death of the pet dog owned by the host of the White House and the landslides in Atami of Japan will trigger the top leadership to enthusiastically express her concern through social media open notes. On the other hand, the Haiti President who is the leader of a nation with formal diplomatic relations with us was assassinated and immediately suffered an earthquake as well as the significant flood disaster in Europe are totally unaware by the eyes of the top-layer government leadership. If you expect the high level officials may express their concern on the situations in Afghanistan and further considering the possibility to acquire any inspiration for Taiwan, given the results by so doing will get no vote in any future election, to get any substantial response from the political is just like to get blood from a stone.
Merely thinking of nobody in Taiwan concern of the collapse of the Afghanistan regime, we should ask whether we will also get the same treatment and no one care about us in the Unites States society as Taiwan encountering difficulties in the future. And it may even more unrealistically expect any intervention by actively taking substantial actions.
Taiwan’s economic strength or the technological industrial capabilities are not completely indispensable. Neither may we have the natural resources desperately needed by the international society. As for the lobbying in the United States Congress, what will happen when there is no fund and resource to support our efforts? Even Taiwan may possibly be willing to play the role as the policy tool at the mercy of powers; nevertheless, given the weakness like a babe in arms, Taiwan may not have the chance to get any help to save a lame duck.
Taiwan society can be so indifferent to the situations in Afghanistan simply because there is a strong conviction that Taiwan is not the same case like Afghanistan and subsequently the United Sates will never abandon Taiwan. Such a self-comfort conviction may have the efficacy like the Talisman once used by the Boxers. Should a conflict actually happen across the Taiwan Strait, whether the magic power granted by the United States will attain as the spirit? All media in Taiwan are very clever to keep a distance to this embarrassing issue. What an inconvenient truth to those political commentary talk shows!
The Author is a Research Fellow of the Society for Strategic Studies, Republic of China.