Author: Jim Fitzgerald

For decades Israel has been given a free pass by Western countries to do things against the Palestinian people that would be thoroughly condemned if attempted by other states. Intellectual honesty demands of us that we use the same standards to judge Israel’s actions as we do for other states no matter how controversial our conclusions may be.

By internationally recognized standards, a state that segregates an entire ethnic population, and confines them to an extensive “open air prison,” is by definition an apartheid state. And this is precisely what Israel has done to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. It has imprisoned  over two million ethnic people while maintaining control over the air, land, sea, and everything that comes in and out of Gaza.

Continue reading “Accusations of Apartheid, Genocide, and Ethnic Cleansing by Israel: Do They Have Merit?”

Taiwan’s days are numbered. Not in terms of their existence, but in terms of their energy reserves. The Chinese military exercises encircling Taiwan are essentially an economic blockade preventing vital energy supplies from arriving on time. On August 3, 2022, the Asia Times quoted Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs saying "the island had only 146 days of oil, 10-11 days of gas, and 39 days of coal in reserves."

Also, the Asia Timescited a report stating that these exercises are probably not a one-time reaction from China, but most likely will be a regular and repeated tactic. This is what Tod Hall, Director of the China Center at Oxford University, calls the "diplomacy of anger" employed "to make the US, Taiwan and other potential audiences realize the sensitivity of the issue."

China risks embarrassment at this point since it voiced such stringent warnings against Pelosi’s visit. However, it’s not just their external reputation they are worried about. Internal politics are at stake too, and no one wants to be seen as responsible for mishandling and exacerbating the crisis in Taiwan.

Continue reading “The Clock Is Ticking for Taiwan”

During a presidential news conference in August of 1986, Ronald Reagan reminded Americans of the nine most terrifying words in the English language: "I’m from the Government and I’m here to help."

Well, Speaker Pelosi has uttered four words more terrifying than Reagan’s nine: "America stands with Taiwan."

Pelosi’s statement has been broadcast from nearly every news outlet on the planet, and everyone assumes they know what she meant, but experience would suggest her words should not be taken at face value. So, what do her words actually mean? When an American politician says "We will stand with you," it’s usually code for "We’re going to give you just enough help to let you be defeated by your enemy."

In addition to the current war in Ukraine, there is historical evidence directly related to the history of Taiwan to back-up this thesis.

Continue reading “America Stands With Taiwan: What It Really Means”