The Guardian reported on 10 April that the USA has threatened to withhold $250m in aid to Israel, if Israel goes ahead with the sale of an airborne radar warning system to China. The USA purports to be concerned about Taiwan's security. William Cohen, the US defence secretary argued that such a sale would give China an advantage in the Taiwan straits and would upset the "strategic balance" there.

But this 'concern' over Taiwan's interests barely veils the USA's true concerns: that the USA defends its position as the most powerful military and economic nation in the international community. Other powerful states fall into two categories: 'predictable' and 'safe' nations (like Europe and Canada) that can be controlled by alliance and friendship, and 'unpredictable' or rogue nations (like India or China, i.e. nations of non-European makeup) that have to be controlled by sanction. Either way, the USA controls.

However, it is one thing for the USA to object to a 'rogue' nation acquiring offensive weapons like long-range missiles which are clearly a threat to its security. But to object to a country buying defensive technology is paranoia bordering on the ridiculous.

As for Taiwan, the "strategic balance" has been slowly whittling away since the USA officially moved its embassy from Taipei to Beijing. Any show of US support for Taiwan now against China seems more to come from a sense of guilt rather than any real intention to protect Taiwan's interests. As they say, there are no common friendships in international affairs, only common interests.