Should the US commit to defending Taiwan?

[Del Tachi]

Atlas is sounding like Lindsey Graham - LOL

No, the U.S. should not commit to a military defense of Taiwan.  An underappreciated purpose of strategic ambiguity is to allow the U.S. and Taiwan to informally cooperate (i.e., arms sales, low-level military exercises, a de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan, etc.) without provoking a military reaction from Beijing.  An impending formal alliance increases the possibility of war because 1) it gives the mainland the rationale it needs to invade and 2) it encourages Taiwan to take more aggressive steps towards independence, which itself provokes China.