Sirs,
In response to Tuesday's headline item publicizing Tsai Chi-chang's call for the government to push for the purchase of the C/D class F-16s and diesel submarines from U.S. firms, I say that the value of helping Taiwanese pilots and naval captains to establish and maintain air and naval superiority over the Taiwan Strait is one I'd always be willing to support. Nothing however, must be allowed to distract from the fact that it is individual pilots and their support teams, individual captains and their crews who bear this awesome responsibility - it is not solely a matter of simply purchasing the right equipment. The morale of these people is crucially important and going out of one's way to thank them and show one's appreciation in person at airshows and other opportunities is the very least they deserve. That they are funded by the coercive operations of government however is something I cannot approve of - I would quite happily contribute more of my income than the rate I am currently taxed at if only I knew it was going directly to the air force or the navy and not into the coffers of government.
Heroes should never have to go begging to thieves.
Yours as ever,
Michael Fagan
(Sent: Tuesday 2nd February 2010. Unpublished by the Taipei Times).
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