We run FreeBSD - Bring it on biotch! They (SCO) better hope that they win their various lawsuits because they have made themselves an impossible vendor for most corporate customers with their litigious tendencies - Who wants to buy from someone who is likely to sue you?

[Found on /.]

This has been a semi-scary situation for years now. The idea is if China were to invade Taiwan, the U.S. would have to go to the little island's defense. We don't want a piece of China (and they don't want a piece of us) if we can at all avoid it. I believe the general principle for us defending Taiwan is something like: Taiwan is considered an ally. If any of our allies are attacked without just cause we have a responsibility to defend them, otherwise being an ally becomes virtually meaningless.

Foxnews is reporting that a high official in China stated, "the use of force may become unavoidable" (if Taiwan pursues independence). That is scary.

I believe in the notion of protecting our allies, no matter how small they might be, if they are attacked for no good reason. The question is, what can we consider to be reasonable from Taiwan. There are certain things which tend to provoke China (like a formal declaration of independence) and if Taiwan insists on provoking China are we still obligated to protect them?

I wonder if Taiwan is for sale? Even if you disagree with China's assertion that Taiwan is part of China, would China consider selling it and would we (or the Taiwanese) pay the ransom? If China were able to "sell" Taiwan they would certainly "save face" and tensions could be removed. Would it set a bad precedent? I can't see that far in the future myself but I'm of the mind that war should be avoided at [virtually] all cost, even the cost of a small island with a huge price tag.