How tiny islands loom large for the next president
Kenneth M. Quinn May 27, 2016
On
Oct. 7, 1960, there was a significant moment in the Kennedy-Nixon
presidential debate about whether the United States should militarily
defend Quemoy and Matsu, two little-known, tiny islands off the coast of
China, then occupied by the Taiwan military. Should they be attacked by
the mainland Communist forces, Vice President Richard Nixon replied
yes, America should respond; Sen. John F. Kennedy said no. It was a seen
as a defining moment that helped differentiate the candidates in a
close campaign.
Fast
forward to Sept. 14, 2012, when, while being interviewed on Iowa Press
right before another presidential debate, I was asked by Radio Iowa’s
Kay Henderson to identify “hot spots” to which Americans should
pay closer attention. My immediate response was not North Korea or Iran,
but rather I noted the “disputed islands” in the South China Sea, which
could provide a “trigger point” leading to escalating tensions and
possible big power confrontation.
Now four years later,
observing President Barack Obama’s official visit to Vietnam last week,
I cannot help but worry that we might face another Quemoy-Matsu-like
decision point in the not-too-distant future, given the increasingly
intense situation surrounding the Spratly and Paracel islands, which are
claimed in part or in whole by China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia,
Brunei and Taiwan. With their potential impact on international shipping
lanes and the free movement of U.S. naval vessels, these conflicting
claims have made the South China Sea one of the more dangerous areas on
the globe.http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/columnists/iowa-view/2016/05/27/how-tiny-islands-loom-large-next-president/84935306/
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