Friday, June 15, 2007

A Knock Against Liberty

Costa Rica's president Oscar Arias just recently broke ties with Taiwan in order to establish ties with Communist China. I'm shocked for two reasons:

1) Costa Rica is a democracy, (albeit socialist). One would think that they would align themselves with another freedom loving democracy.

2) How can one man make such an important decision for an entire country? Appartently that's how it is in Costa Rica. Their congress doesn't have any say so in the matter. Strange.

Here's an interesting article about how China might try to take the liberty-loving "renegade province".
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/10/frontpage/defense.php

5 comments:

. said...

Hugo's silent assimilation of Central and South America to the 'other side'.

Be careful down there.

. said...

One phrase comes to mind: WWRRD?

What Would Ronald Reagan Do?

reason said...

I don't really see Arias thinking about going communist. I think he's going for the CA$H. He thinks that a relationship with China will benefit Costa Rica financially in the long run. I however think that the fre world needs to stand behind a free Taiwan.

. said...

China has been bullying smaller countries into 'denouncing' Taiwan. By developing economic santions, China is trying to force Taiwan back into their government.

reason said...

The word down here from some of the more politically astute is that China told Costa Rica that if they were to break relations with Taiwan then China would be more than happy to give Costa Rica a vote to be on the UN Security Council. That's what folks here are saying anyway.

Every Costa Rican with whom I've spoken with about this thinks that its a terrible thing.