I'm John Batser with my colleagues Mark Montgomery and Brad Bowman

of the Foundation for the Defense of democracies.

Having penned an article posted in the Wall Street Journal I recommend.

This is a conversation about how Taiwan can prepare for what is promised threatened by Shijin Ping, the absolute power in China, which is to roll

over that democracy.

Brad, you have recommendations in your op-ed for kinetic warfare and what is to be done. I was very much attracted

by train the reserves like Israel and Estonia and Finland, especially like sea mines, very nice, all of this to make Taiwan a hard target.

The one that most attracted me of course was get Congress involved.

Is it involved Brad? You see very carefully because you've advised

Republican senators on defense policy. What they can do when they're motivated? Are they?

Thanks, John. Yeah, they are motivated. In fact, we have something called the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which is essentially something that Admiral Montgomery was involved with back when he was working in the Senate as well

where you basically had the Pentagon not doing what it should in my opinion to meet the legitimate

war fighting requirements of Indo-Pacific Command. So Congress got involved and demanded a direct report and has established

this separate vehicle to help fund and meet Indo-Pecom requirements for the purpose of deter aggression

defeating if it happens. So they are interested, they are moving out on this, but

not fast enough and not with enough oof behind it I would say. And I would just add back on the 2.5% thing even if Taiwan doubles that

doubles that to 5% which we all that would be wonderful. It's still not going to be decisive in terms of

deterrent aggression because Taiwan's economy is roughly 120th the size of

Beijing's. So if they do everything we recommend, it's going to the inn going to come

down primarily to build these military their China's perception of America's

military muscle and our political will to use that muscle.

Are we all muscle and no punch or not?

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