Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Hopeful signs of the times are found in the strangest places. A newsletter from Taiwan's quasi-embassy in Washington, D.C., reports that there are more McDonald's hamburger stands in Taiwan than in mainland China, 341 to 326. Making the world
safe for Big MacsThe newsletter suggests that defense planners in Taipei, Beijing and Washington have overlooked this strategic factor as they have concentrated on counting Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan across the 120-mile-wide strait separating the mainland from the island. The newsletter contends that if Thomas Friedman of The New York Times is correct is saying that countries with McDonald's don't fight each other, "the missiles may be irrelevant."
Intelligence officers and missile counters at the Pacific Command, please take note.
Richard Halloran