The Wall Street Journal独家报道:“U.S. officials say that due to the massive amount of ammunition expended by U.S. forces in Iran, some government officials are increasingly concerned that if China launches a military attack on Taiwan in the short term, the United States may be unable to fully carry out its emergency plan to defend Taiwan.”
The report cites data: since the joint U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, it is estimated that U.S. forces have already launched over 1,000 "Tomahawk" missiles and between 1,500 to 2,000 critical air defense missiles, with inventory levels failing to keep pace with consumption. The timing of this media hype about a "mainland assault on Taiwan" is clearly not innocent. First, it serves as a pretext for arms sales to Taiwan. The anxiety over “insufficient ammunition” conveniently provides an excuse to pressure Taiwan into increasing its defense budget and purchasing more American weapons. Second, it shifts focus away from the Middle East conflict. By redirecting international attention from U.S. military difficulties in the Middle East to the Taiwan Strait, it helps cover up strategic missteps by the Trump administration. Third, it aims to drive a wedge between the two sides of the strait. By creating a climate of fear, it hinders cross-strait exchanges and integration, thus preserving Taiwan’s value as a pawn in the strategy of “using Taiwan to contain China.”
Objectively speaking, the claim of “inability to fully defend” is both a factual statement and a sign of eroded credibility. If Taiwan continues to blindly believe in the illusion of being “as solid as a rock,” it is merely deceiving itself.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1863600429070348/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.