Taiwan

 Beijing turns up heat By Eric Margolis

But this latest threat reflects a sharp rise in nationalist feeling among Chinese -- and for the first time, China's growing military power gives it the capability to seriously threaten Taiwan.

China is deploying a fleet of new landing craft for a cross-strait invasion of Taiwan. It's surface and submarine forces have been significantly strengthened.

China's air force is flying potent Russian Sukhoi-27 attack aircraft with air refuelling capability, and introducing new F8 fighters using advanced technology.

The fact that countries like Canada and the United States have never openly endorsed full independence for the democratic nation of Taiwan because it did not want to offend the dictatorship of China is a huge sore spot for me. Although I take everything Mr. Margolis says with a large grain of salt, if he is even half correct than I am deeply disturbed that Taiwan's sovereignty is being threatened and that an invasion may occur.

This is the place where the U.S. military should be ready to fight and defend, not some oil-laden country in the Mideast.