"Once a secret agreement between the two sides’ security apparatuses is signed, it wouldn’t be hard to cooperate electronically to track and pressure pro--independence bloggers, activists and politicians.That'll be J.Michael Cole getting his op-ed out early. I'll bet the electronic tracking has been going on for at least several years already.
If meetings like this become the norm... then the public won’t know when their actions — which might have been legal in the past — will suddenly be considered dangerous or illegal."
This totalitarian creep will not be stopped by democratic elections. Get busy on strategy, tactics and network independent technologies.
Hi Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking the TT editorial on the matter. Unfortunately, I'm not the author of this one — someone beat me to it while I was taking a much-needed break in Hualien. I still intend, however, to write about the impact on intelligence-sharing, which the Oct. 1 editorial didn't address in much detail.
All good wishes,
Michael
Michael,
ReplyDeleteWell I am a little surprised. I'll look out for your editorial when it's eventually published; it'd be interesting to find out what leeway for "obfuscation" there may be in any agreements that may render their implementation difficult.
Hualien is magnificent, especially following an exhausting drive up from Kenting. I trust you enjoyed your time there?
Mike:
ReplyDeleteMy editorial on the matter will appear in Tuesday's paper (tomorrow). It takes a closer look at the cost of intelligence-sharing, especially when one of the parties is an authoritarian regime that does not recognize the other and in the context of the Ma administration resurrecting the ROC Constitution, what with all its implications for minorities such as Tibetans and Taiwanese.
Hualien was great, as always. Went river-tracing and white water rafting. Every muscle in my body is reminding me today that I ought to get back into shape.
All good wishes,
Michael