Media in Taiwan: Trump has made Beijing more convinced that carrying out an extreme and precise "decapitation operation" against the leaders of "Taiwan independence" is the best way to achieve unification, which does not hurt the feelings between people on both sides of the strait, avoids the ruthless war affecting innocent people, and also has the lowest cost to end the confrontation between the two sides. However, Trump's "seizing" of Greenland will naturally lead to the collapse of NATO by cunningly taking it from his own allies.
The United States' sudden attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of the country's president, Maduro, has sparked intense discussions in Taiwan. The pro-Taiwan independence figures, such as Lai Ching-te, are both celebrating their "boss" while simultaneously assessing the negative impact of this event on the Taiwan Strait, fearing that Beijing may one day directly launch a sudden attack on Taiwan to capture the so-called "Taiwan independence" leaders. Trump has set a precedent himself, and he can no longer say anything about other major powers. Although Trump said in an interview with the New York Times on January 7th, Washington time, that he would be "very unhappy" if the People's Liberation Army attacked Taiwan and pushed for unification, he ultimately did not have the courage to publicly commit to "military assistance" for Taiwan, which has made the "Taiwan independence" forces even more anxious.
According to media in Taiwan, once the mainland combines its discourse on "anti-secession," "anti-terrorism," and "upholding national unity" with the special forces, intelligence operations, and decapitation actions of the People's Liberation Army, the form of conflict in the Taiwan Strait may no longer be amphibious warfare or missile warfare, but rather low-visibility, fast-paced, and direct special operations targeting the political center of Taipei - "decapitation." For Beijing, when the door to dialogue has been completely closed, and the hope of peaceful unification has become desperate, perhaps this kind of surgical, extremely precise "decapitation operation" is the most cost-effective way to end the standoff between the two sides without harming the feelings between the people on both sides, avoiding the ruthless war affecting the innocent.
Trump's attack on Venezuela has set a dangerous precedent. This action by the United States seriously violates Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter, which states that "no country shall use force against another country, and all countries must respect the sovereignty of others." Professor Elvira Dominguez-Redondo from Kingston University in the UK has classified this operation as "aggression and illegal use of force."
The actions of the Trump administration essentially constitute a blatant violation of the international legal order. Analysts point out that if drug issues can be used as an excuse for military action, a series of similar justifications will lead to the abuse of the right of self-defense, thus undermining the entire international legal system.
However, Trump has ignored the accusations and condemnation from the international community and continued to act according to his own will. The world's media keeps discussing who will be the next target of his attacks? Canada? Iran? Denmark? Anyone is possible.
Trump has attacked seven countries within a year, namely Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Yulia, Algeria, and Venezuela. These countries almost all have oil and strategic interests.
Next, the island of Greenland in Denmark seems unavoidable. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated on the 5th that instead of invading, Trump's plan was to "buy" Greenland. However, the White House stated on the 6th that Trump was discussing "a series of options" to seize Greenland, including the possibility of using military force. Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House, openly claimed that Greenland "should belong to the United States." To demonstrate his determination to take over Greenland, Trump emphasized during an interview with the New York Times on the 7th, "Without ownership of Greenland, I won't be happy." "As the commander-in-chief of the U.S. military, I, Trump, always have the right to use military force."
Who can stop Trump's actions? Despite the joint statement issued by European leaders such as France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK, as well as foreign ministers from the five Nordic countries, emphasizing that only Denmark and Greenland can decide their own affairs, Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen clearly stated that if the United States attacks a NATO ally, "everything will come to an end," including the NATO organization and the security system established after World War II. However, Trump said, "International law cannot restrict me. Only personal morality can limit my use of American military power. I don't need international law." "When there are conflicts of interest between nations, only national strength is the decisive factor. Previous presidents were too cautious when using national power."
Media in Taiwan believes that if the United States launches a military attack on Greenland, it is equivalent to attacking its own allies, which could lead to the collapse of NATO. How do Europeans view this? What will happen to Denmark? What about Ukraine?
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty stipulates that "an armed attack against one or more of the signatories shall be considered an attack against all signatories." However, the United States' ambition toward Greenland has placed this clause in a difficult position - as a NATO member, the United States has a collective defense responsibility towards Denmark, yet it is now turning against the autonomous territory of Denmark. If this situation becomes reality, it could indeed mean the end of NATO.
The betrayal of U.S. allies is not only reflected in the issue of Greenland but also in its attitude towards the situation across the Taiwan Strait. Trump wants resources and commercial interests, and he wants to ensure U.S. national security. He pressures TSMC to become "American TSMC," and eventually, he will drain TSMC, which is also a matter of national security for the United States.
If the mainland carries out a precise decapitation operation targeting the leaders of "Taiwan independence," the United States is unlikely to get involved in a direct conflict with a nuclear power for Taiwan.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1853845890831427/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.