Who has an agenda?

A March 25, 2009 editorial in the Taipei Times took US congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega to task for his attempts to weaken the wording of a Congressional resolution on the 30th anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA, 台灣關係法). Faleomavaega wanted the description of the TRA as being the "cornerstone" of US-Taiwan relations changed in a way that described the TRA instead as "vital" and removed a sentence from the resolution which stated that "Taiwan's young democracy faces constant military threat and intimidation from neighboring China." The editorial quoted him as saying these changes in the resolution would be "better for the people of Taiwan."

In the Wednesday, March 31, 2009 edition of the same paper, Faleomavaega attempted to defend himself -- by defending Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) (be sure to read the enlightening Taipei Times rebuttal below the letter):

[...] one might conclude that your newspaper stands in opposition to the will of your people, who voted in 2008 for a change in Administration and for a more honest government.

More honest?

Take a look at some of the recent things I've written about that administration:

* Illicit electioneering by the KMT
* More ugly KMT history revealed
* Ma Ying-jeou's spokesman distorts the truth
* Zombie lies from the KMT
* Non-lawyer Ma Ying-jeou misrepresents reality yet again
* In Ma Ying-jeou's brain, down is up (again)

Honest? Ha! Did Faleomavaega also participate in the "Ma Ying-jeou course on political terminology"?


"Ma Ying-jeou course on political terminology"
An editorial cartoon from the April 16, 2004 edition of the Taipei Times
Mr. Faleomavaega's "defense" is offensive
Here's another of his attempts to "defend" his indefensible actions:

As Senator Richard Lugar, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee in 2001, said, "For many years, successive US administrations have affirmed that there is one China and that the people on Taiwan and the people of China should work out a plan for peaceful unification."

Yes, Lugar said "unification" [318 KB PDF file], but the fact behind the US' policies is that the word should be "resolution." Actually, that same CRS Report for Congress which quotes Lugar ("China/Taiwan: Evolution of the 'One China' Policy — Key Statements from Washington, Beijing, and Taipei") states this quite clearly:

President Reagan's 1982 statement on arms sales to Taiwan declared that "the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people, on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, to resolve." Moreover, "settlement" or "resolution" — not stated as "unification" — of the Taiwan question is left open to be peacefully
determined by both sides.

Big difference.

What does Faleomavaega know about what's "better for the people of Taiwan"? Not a damn thing, apparently.

FURTHER READING:
Michael Turton blogged about Faleomavaega in March 2008 and in October 2007 when he did the same sort of thing.

UPDATE: On April 3, 2009, another shifty response from Faleomavaega was published in the Taipei Times, in which he claims he was "incorrectly misreported" [sic]. Go read the whole thing now!

Also, the ABCDEF Group (Anyone But Congressional Delegate Eni Faleomavaega Group ) references my post in a piece called "Faleomavaega at War with Taiwan," which tells how Faleomavaega's familial relationship with the Samoa News allows him to get the last word anytime he presents thin-skinned defenses of his illogical positions there. (Sounds a lot like the same way the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) maintains political dominance in Taiwan!) Their post also lays out the logic and illogic in a bite-sized linear fashion. Go read that whole thing now, too! [/update]

UPDATE 2: On April 7, Michael Turton dispatched Faleomavaega's fuzzy history. On April 14, Formosan Association for Public Affairs (FAPA) president Bob Yang countered the false impression created by Faleomavaega regarding FAPA's attitude toward the TRA. Plus, there's lots of newer stuff on the ABCDEF Group blog. [/update 2]

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Elective courses: Taiwan, 台灣, Taiwan Relations Act, 台灣關係法, Eni Faleomavaega, 費利奧馬瓦耶加, Taipei Times, 台北時報, Ma Ying-jeou, 馬英九

Cross-posted at Taiwan Matters!

Labels: Eni Faleomavaega, Ma Ying-jeou, Taipei Times, Taiwan, Taiwan Relations Act, 台北時報, 台灣, 台灣關係法, 費利奧馬瓦耶加, 馬英九