Taipei is ‘Fiddling While Rome Burns’
Taipei Is ‘Fiddling While Rome Burns by for Domino Theory.
Former U.S. admiral accuses Taiwanese political leaders of moving too slowly on defense reform.
Retired U.S. Admiral Mark Montgomery delivered a blunt assessment of Taiwan’s defense trajectory during a tabletop exercise simulating Chinese pressure on the island. Organized by National Chengchi University and KMT officials, the exercise provided the platform for Montgomery to address the stagnant state of military reserve reforms. He asks a simple yet bold question, is Taiwan is prepared to make the necessary sacrifices needed to reform its military reserves? He identifies three specific operational requirements that Taiwan must meet to establish a credible deterrent.
- First, the state must secure a commitment from 200,000 citizens to undergo training one weekend per month and several weeks each summer.
- Second, the government must implement legal frameworks that compel companies to support these training cycles without penalizing employees.
- Third, the Taiwanese army must reallocate two active duty brigades to serve as the dedicated training apparatus for twenty new reserve brigades.
The analysis further highlights significant technical and demographic deficits that hinder modernization. Chen Yeong-kang, a sitting KMT legislator and former head of the Taiwanese Navy, notes that a declining birth rate reduces the available manpower pool, while a lack of English proficiency complicates the operation of newly acquired U.S. hardware. Current legal structures in Taiwan only permit all-out mobilization, leaving the state without the flexibility of partial mobilization during a developing crisis.
Montgomery argues that the defense budget has become a political football, a situation he deems unacceptable given the increasing likelihood of Chinese economic coercion or military action. He specifically warns that future U.S. administrations may view Taiwan’s failure to reach a defense spending target of five percent of GDP as a reason to reconsider the depth of the bilateral security relationship. emphasizes that reserve readiness remains unaligned with the actual mission requirements of modern cross-strait conflict.
Additional Insights
The PRC exploits slow, bureaucratic processes within Taiwan as a means to stifle Taiwan’s ability to defend itself. Read China’s Way of Occupation: Implications for Taiwan by SWJ’s own Dr. Ken Gleiman and Jocelyn Garcia to learn more.
