U.S. Forces on Taiwan for Typhoon Relief Mission　■Defense News（2009.08.19）

 【Comment】

According to the News Ma and the Minister of Defence Chen Chao-min have different orientations on the goal of armed forces. Chen resigned. Ma cut part of the Black Hawks order. This was valued “he's lost his mind” by a local defense industry source. Interesting!

U.S. Forces on Taiwan for Typhoon Relief Mission　■Defense News（2009.08.19）

TAIPEI - U.S. military forces are bringing aid and logistical support to typhoon-battered Taiwan, their largest military operation on the island since the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Command closed in 1979. The effort began despite raised eyebrows in Washington and Beijing and continues amid political aftershocks in Taipei.（行動仍舊在華盛頓與北京的不同意下展開，並在台北政治風暴中持續）

The catastrophe, which has drawn comparisons in local media to 2005's Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans, has shaken confidence in the administration of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou. During an Aug. 18 news conference, Ma appeared confused and exhausted, offering repeated apologies for his handling of relief efforts. He also announced the Taiwan military would reorient itself from defending the island from China to preparing for natural disasters.（台灣軍方將重訂其目標，由原本的防衛本島受中國攻擊，而為準備大自然的災難）

"Now our enemy is not necessarily people across the Taiwan Strait, but nature," Ma said.（馬說：現在我們的敵人不一定是「台灣海峽對岸的人民」，而是大自然）

During the news conference, Defense Minister Chen Chao-min contradicted Ma, saying the military's primary goal would continue to be the defense of Taiwan from mainland China. The next day, Chen offered his resignation.（國防部長陳肇敏與馬唱反調，說軍隊的主要目標人將防衛台灣免遭受中國攻擊。次日，陳肇敏辭職）

The Pentagon responded to Taiwan's request for international assistance after Typhoon Morakot dumped 80 inches of rain on the island Aug. 8, killing about 500 and leaving thousands homeless.

The amphibious transport dock Denver dispatched four helicopters Aug. 17, and two Marine C-130s based on Okinawa flew on Aug. 16 and 17 to Tainan Air Force Base in southwestern Taiwan, delivering four pallets of plastic sheeting and a half-ton of water-purifying chlorine tablets, said 2nd Lt. Scott Sasser, a U.S. Marine Corps spokesman based in Okinawa.

But the mission had to overcome political objections from China and opposition in the U.S. government.

"There was a lot of hand-wringing in the State Department over it,"（在國務院內仍掣肘不斷） said a former U.S. intelligence official.

China objects to any U.S. military assistance to Taiwan, even humanitarian, （即使人道救援，中國仍拒絕美國對台灣馳援） on the grounds that the island is part of mainland China.

A Washington-based U.S. State Department official said the mission sent the message that the U.S. is not inhibited by politics or sovereignty issues when dealing with humanitarian disasters.（美國並未因政治或主權議題而對人道救援退怯）

"In this situation, China has not lost its bark, （即使在此情況下，中國也未退讓）but how can it criticize when it is offering to send similar assistance to Taiwan and after Taiwan and the U.S. assisted in recovery from last year's Chengdu earthquake?" he asked.

"We are conducting these operations to assist the people of Taiwan in recovering from this disaster. These operations do not change our policies toward Taiwan or the People's Republic of China."（這些任務並未改變我們對台灣與中華人民共和國的政策）

China Support Rejected

Taipei rejected Beijing's offer of military helicopters and military support. （台北拒絕北京派遣直升機與軍隊救援）Although cross-strait relations are improving, China still has more than 1,000 missiles aimed at the island.

Despite local media reports that this is the first time U.S. military forces have entered Taiwan since 1979, the U.S. government official noted that every year sees at least one visit by a military aircraft, usually to ferry in congressional visitors.（美國政府官員說美國軍機至少每年一次抵台，通常是載送國會貴賓）

"Also, we have in the past quietly sent in U.S. military aircraft to support disaster relief operations in Taiwan,"（我們過去低調的派遣美國軍機救援灣的災難） he said, including Typhoon Aere in 2004 and the 9-21 earthquake in 2009.

But this does appear to be the first time U.S. military helicopters and a U.S. naval vessel have conducted military operations in Taiwan since the U.S. switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979.

On Aug. 17, the Denver sent two MH-53E Sea Dragon heavy-lift helicopters and two MH-60S Knight Hawk medium-lift helicopters to Tainan Air Force Base. The Sea Dragons helped lift heavy machinery into mountain regions cut off by mudslides and flooding.

Taiwan's own helicopters are aging. On Aug. 11, a UH-1H crash that killed three led to the temporary grounding of the UH-1s. The helicopter belonged to the civilian National Airborne Service Corps (NASC), which operates a mix of helicopters, including the Boeing Vertol 234MLR, a civilian version of the CH-47; Eurocopter AS 365, Bell UH-1H and Sikorsky S-76B.

In a bizarre twist, Ma announced plans during the news conference to reduce the army's order for 60 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks （減少黑鷹直升機的採購數量）to 45 and divert the savings to the NASC for more equipment.

Defense sources in Taiwan were shocked by the decision, （防衛新聞在台灣的記者對此決定深感震驚）saying the Black Hawks are needed to replace around 60 Army UH-1H helicopters in service since the 1970s.

"Yes, he's lost his mind,"（沒錯，他瘋了） said a local defense industry source, who suggested it would make more sense to reduce the 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters on order, rather than transport helicopters.

Others suggested reducing the number of Patriot PAC-3 air defense missiles on order.（其他人建議減少採購單上愛國者三型防空飛彈）

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