While I #Taiwan, I agree that it's an open question whether it's in the US's interest to defend this place from invasion. But whatever the answer, I still think it matters that we try to accurately capture Taiwan's status in the world.

*I respect Rachel & ask for civility 1/ https://twitter.com/resplinodell/status/1306255523948494848

I tend to think arguments about the PRC's propaganda power are somewhat overblown (although denialism about the Uyghur camps is changing my mind). But 1 area where this propaganda has been astoundingly successful is in confusing people about what #Taiwan is & how it functions 2/

I know "quasi-nation" is meant to capture #Taiwan's geopolitical situation. But there are likely billions of people who don't know #Taiwan has a sovereign government & such a phrase only adds to that original confusion (deliberately pushed by the PRC) 3/ https://twitter.com/EliDFriedman/status/1243922170327097345?s=20

#Taiwan is sui generis. There is no other place on earth that is as well-& independently governed - & integrated into the global economy - that is also so diplomatically isolated. *This* is what stands to be lost if the US won't aid Taiwan militarily, *not* a quasi-nation 4/

#Taiwan is sui generis, pt 2. #Taiwanese want to remain independent. They *like* democracy. As a skeptic (to put it mildly) of US empire, I'd argue that there are no examples of recent intervention that would be analogous to defending democratic Taiwan 5/ https://twitter.com/gracejackson/status/1284264854128386050?s=20

#Taiwan is sui generis, pt. 3. Rachel's Tweet asks the hard questions. I'm an American, too. It *isn't* obvious to me that we should go to war over uninhabited rocks + a country that China coverts in a deadly way. I don't know #Taiwan's future & what...6/ https://twitter.com/resplinodell/status/1306252582571200520?s=20

the US should or will do. But that's a separate question from telling #Taiwan's story as precisely as we can. Only that way can we assess what will be lost if the US decides against intervention. Taiwanese have fought bravely. They deserve an accurate accounting of their story 7/