R Kagan @brookingsfp is largely right here. That said, I think it's important to distinguish the special import of defending Taiwan from the kind of 360 hawk assertiveness that Kagan typifies. Don’t let justified bitterness over ME Forever Wars cloud views re defending Taiwan. 1/ https://twitter.com/PostOpinions/status/1295383894657839109

Defending Taiwan is key for blunting China’s pursuit of hegemony over Asia. It is therefore US military priority #1 – meaning (& this is key) that we need to do less elsewhere, incl esp the Middle East. See eg https://www.wsj.com/articles/end-forever-wars-and-face-chinas-threat-11574634656 @HawleyMO & https://www.wsj.com/articles/dont-let-iran-distract-from-china-11569366901. 2/

Kagan on the other hand argues for US “as an enforcer of peace and order throughout the world,” as beating back the evergrowing jungle of chaos. See here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576193/the-jungle-grows-back-by-robert-kagan/) This is NOT the real argument for defending Taiwan. 3/

The real argument for defending Taiwan is a) its military value in First Island Chain b) US credibility attached to it given past precedent, Taiwan Rels Act, 6 Assures et al, & regional expectations & c) (if you’re more ideologically inclined) Taiwan’s status as free society. 4/

The truth of the matter here – and I don’t want to be uncharitable – is that a big part of the reason in we’re this very tough situation militarily in WestPac vis a vis China is b/c people listened to the R Kagans of the world & frittered away immense US advantages in the ME. 5/

Sorry if it’s a bit impolite, but I think people need to see the difference. END/