{"id":1912758,"date":"2023-04-10T22:11:15","date_gmt":"2023-04-11T02:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressman-mccaul-taiwan-not-where-they-need-to-be-militarily-u-s-weapons-systems-years-late-getting-there\/"},"modified":"2023-04-10T22:13:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-11T02:13:15","slug":"congressman-mccaul-taiwan-not-where-they-need-to-be-militarily-u-s-weapons-systems-years-late-getting-there","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressman-mccaul-taiwan-not-where-they-need-to-be-militarily-u-s-weapons-systems-years-late-getting-there\/","title":{"rendered":"Congressman McCaul: Taiwan \u2018Not Where They Need To Be\u2019 Militarily; U.S. Weapons Systems Years Late Getting There"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">34<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcongressman-mccaul-taiwan-not-where-they-need-to-be-militarily-u-s-weapons-systems-years-late-getting-there%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1912758&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) said that the island nation of Taiwan is not where it needs to be in terms of having the capabilities that it needs to repel an invasion from communist China.<\/p>\n<p>McCaul made the remarks during a Saturday interview on NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet The Press\u201d that aired on Easter Sunday.<\/p>\n<p>McCaul\u2019s remarks came as other top Republican lawmakers also warned on Sunday shows that the U.S. needed to increase its support of Taiwan to prevent a war from breaking out with China.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey\u2019re not where they need to be. If we\u2019re going to have deterrence for peace, we need to get these weapons into Taiwan,\u201d McCaul said. \u201cI sign off on all foreign military weapon sales. Twenty-two weapon systems over three years ago that have yet to get into Taiwan, onto the island. That will provide deterrence to Chairman Xi to think twice, you know, about an invasion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>McCaul, echoing recent remarks made by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA),\u00a0 added that it was in the best interests of the U.S. and the world that Russia loses its war in Ukraine because that alone would serve as a strong deterrent against China invading Taiwan.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve talked to the prime ministers and the presidents of Japan, you know, South Korea, and Taiwan, what\u2019s happening in Ukraine will determine what happens in Taiwan and the Pacific,\u201d McCaul said. \u201cI think the prime minister of Japan going down to Ukraine to signal their support \u2013 and he said himself, \u2018What happens in Ukraine today will happen in the Far East tomorrow.\u2019 I believe the best deterrence to Chairman Xi is a failure for Putin in Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>WATCH:<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>TRANSCRIPT:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: Welcome back. Despite the domestic political divisions on full display this week, the effort that the United States made this week to show a united front on Taiwan was extraordinary, when you think about it, as lawmakers at home and abroad met with Taiwan\u2019s president and promised a U.S. commitment to the island\u2019s security. It was bipartisan. In response, China launched three days of military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, deploying at least 71 fighter jets into Taiwan\u2019s airspace and surrounding the island with war ships, all in an attempt to simulate a naval blockade. On Saturday, I spoke exclusively to House Foreign Affairs chairman Mike McCaul, at the end of his congressional delegation\u2019s visit to the island of Taiwan, and I began by asking him about whether the drills represented an escalation.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>[START TAPE]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>We have a large number of sorties, those are Chinese aircraft fighter jets in the air right now as I speak from the island. And this is in response to President\u2019s Tsai\u2019s trip to the United States, but also our delegation\u2019s visit to Taiwan and with President Tsai. This is an intimidation tactic that they\u2019re known for. The size of this one is \u2013 is quite large, one of the largest ones we\u2019ve seen. And \u2013 but it\u2019s not going \u2013 it\u2019s not going to intimidate us. We have every right to be here, to meet with President Tsai. And it actually strengthens our resolve.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>The Taiwanese themselves seem to be downplaying this. Look, you\u2019ve got a first-hand look. How would you assess their defensive capabilities right now?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>They\u2019re not where they need to be. If we\u2019re going to have deterrence for peace, we need to get these weapons into Taiwan. I\u2019ve \u2013 I sign off on all foreign military weapon sales. Twenty-two weapon systems over three years ago, Chuck, that have yet to get into Taiwan, onto the island. That will provide deterrence to Chairman Xi to think twice, you know, about an invasion. And, and secondly is the combat training that is occurring on the island. We need to ramp that up to a larger scale so they can provide that projection of strength and deterrence. They\u2019re not where they need to be right now.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>Do you have a sense of what the Taiwanese people want? And I say that in that we know pre-sort of what China did before it took over Hong Kong, it was always this sense that you know, a lot of people in Taiwan wanted some sort of relationship with mainland China that was negotiated, that was sort of respectful. Is that what they still want? Or do they think some sort of military confrontation is now going to be inevitable?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>Well, they don\u2019t want a military confrontation. We certainly don\u2019t want that. I think after Hong Kong, it was a wake-up call for the people of Taiwan. President Tsai, we spoke with her today. That obviously helped her in her re-election. But I also think Putin\u2019s invasion in the Ukraine was an eye-opener, right? It \u2013 it woke up the Taiwanese people that now you\u2019re seeing what we haven\u2019t seen since World War II, and that is dictators invading sovereign territory and getting away with it. So Putin in Ukraine, wake-up call here. Chairman Xi in his addresses to his congress about wanting reunification of Taiwan to China, I think they\u2019re very nervous. Now there\u2019s a political debate here, the two different parties. One party wants to talk to China. President Tsai\u2019s party does not want to be a part of China. And I think the next elections in next January are going to be extremely important because I do believe with the former President Ma in China right now, China\u2019s going to try to influence this next election and take over the island without a shot fired.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>I want to play something that Speaker McCarthy said, because he \u2013 it seemed to at least shift a perception of where he is on the issue of Ukraine. Let me play it.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>[START TAPE]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>SPEAKER KEVIN McCARTHY: <\/em><em>I think what\u2019s happening in Ukraine is an atrocity, and I think Ukraine \u2013 not just Ukraine, the world has to win there. What Russia has done is wrong. And a phase that I used, the \u201cblank check,\u201d I use that for anything. Well, I look at every dollar of taxpayers that we would use. But the one thing I know that, in Ukraine, we have to win, because it also would save Taiwan at the same time.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>[END TAPE]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>Are you reassured now, and should the Ukrainians, should President Zelenskyy be reassured that House Republicans are not going to stand in the way of more aid to Ukraine?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>You know, I traveled with Kevin, Speaker McCarthy, to Poland, Romania. He\u2019s always believed this, felt this way. When you\u2019re over here, Chuck \u2013 when you talk to \u2013 and I\u2019ve talked to the prime ministers and the presidents of Japan, you know, South Korea, and Taiwan, what\u2019s happening in Ukraine will determine what happens in Taiwan and the Pacific. I think the prime minister of Japan going down to Ukraine to signal their support \u2013 and he said himself, \u201cWhat happens in Ukraine today will happen in the Far East tomorrow.\u201d I believe the best deterrence to Chairman Xi is a failure for Putin in Ukraine.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>I have one political question for you. I know this is a very bipartisan trip. Really, there\u2019s been \u2013 you know, not about partisan politics, and I know that\u2019s the message that\u2019s being sent. The Republican Party\u2019s had a rough week, your party here, while you\u2019ve been overseas. You\u2019ve had the former president\u2019s indictment. You had what happened to the conservative in Wisconsin, this situation in Tennessee. I don\u2019t know how closely you\u2019ve followed that. But if you put all of it together, it\u2019s not a good look for the Republican Party. Are you concerned that the Republican Party is not being as responsive to, say, the middle of the electorate right now, whether it\u2019s on abortion, whether it\u2019s about Donald Trump, or even democracy?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>You know, I have to say, Chuck, I\u2019m kind of a Reagan Republican. I grew up, you know, 1980, first president I had the opportunity to vote for. I believe in what Reagan stood for, and I ask the question of my colleagues: What would Reagan do? Reagan, who brought down the Soviet Union, what would he do in Ukraine? What would he do in \u2013 with respect to Taiwan, and freedom, and democracy, and human rights, which Reagan stood for? I personally think my party needs to go to, you know, rejuvenate itself with the principles of Ronald Reagan, who I think was a very popular president for a lot of reasons. But what he stood for is what many of my colleagues stand for in the House and Senate. We may not just be the loudest ones in the House.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>CHUCK TODD: <\/em><em>All right. You seem to \u2013 I get that you sort of ducked this question, but do you think, right now, the party\u2019s headed in the wrong direction?<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>REP. MICHAEL McCAUL: <\/em><em>No, I don\u2019t. I mean, look, we still believe in, you know, limited government, strong national security. There is a bit of an isolationist wing in the party that, you know, concerns me with respect to foreign policy. And we\u2019re going to have those internal discussions, you know, as a family. But, you know, I don\u2019t see President Biden\u2019s policies working so well. Since Afghanistan fell, we\u2019ve been projecting weakness, and this is precisely why you\u2019re seeing aggression from Putin, and Chairman Xi, and the Ayatollah, and Kim Jong-Un, all four of them and the struggle for the global balance of power. And I think that the turning point was Afghanistan, when this president started to project weakness. So I think \u2013 I disagree with your premise. I think Republicans have a very strong argument when it comes to, particularly, national security and foreign policy.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) said that the island nation of Taiwan is not where it needs to be in terms of having the capabilities that it needs to repel an invasion from communist China. McCaul made the remarks during a Saturday interview on NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet The Press\u201d that aired on Easter Sunday. McCaul\u2019s remarks came<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":134,"featured_media":1912759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[541],"tags":[7446,11280,5408,5752,13724,24039,9674,9105,7238,7788],"class_list":["post-1912758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-daily-wire","tag-not","tag-be","tag-congressman","tag-late","tag-mccaul","tag-militarily","tag-systems","tag-taiwan","tag-u-s","tag-weapons"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1912758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/134"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1912758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1912758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1912759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1912758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1912758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1912758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}