Yet, both actions were lionized in the mainstream media and by most of the foreign-policy establishment. But just as they heavily supported those foreign-policy shifts, they almost unanimously oppose the President-elect taking a congratulatory phone call from the democratically-elected president of Taiwan. Taiwan is a nation to which we sell hundreds of millions of dollars of weapons. Taiwan was a founding member of the United Nations and held a seat on the Security Council until 1971, when the UN conveyed its membership and gave the seat to Communist China. Taiwan has a population of 23 million, giving it a rank of 53rd out of the 195 places considered “countries” by the United Nations.
What we do not comprehend is how the Obama administration’s decisions to boost the Iranian regime and to recognize the Cuban regime (two countries that support our enemies and attack our friends) were greeted with applause by the establishment, while the incoming administration’s telephone conversation with the Taiwanese president (with which we share many basic values) was greeted with horror. Some applecarts, it would seem, shouldn’t be upset.