Political instability risk in Taiwan comes from polarization between the Democratic Progressive Party - DPP, which promotes development of Taiwan's national identity and its' independence, verses the Kuomintang - KMT, which promotes Chinese culture and unification with China.

Why is the KMT content to have unification with the CCP on the mainland when they were opposing parties in fight with military arsenals which forced the KMT to Taiwan? The KMT at that time was not fighting for Democracy, they were a dictatorship under the leadership of Chiang Kai Shek, WWII. At one time America supported this dictator. But now with the opening up of Mainland China, things have changed. The KMT party has many investments on the Mainland, and they are hoping in content to recouping their investment profits, by dangling the carrot of reunification with the Communist party. Big mistake in my view.

Then we have Chen Shui-bian and his DPP who are seeking independence for Taiwan. How is this responsible leadership in Asia, along side with the current Bush administration who has done NOTHING in the past 8 years in this political inebriation?

Why would they be content with Independence while knowingly maintaining their Communist neighbor China? If the tea leaves were soaking in the right tea cup, Bush should have been convincing Chen Shui-bian to drop his Independence pleas, and seek his foothold on China's mainland; thereby freeing China from the grasp of Mao Zedongs CCP Communist's party!

In order to end communism, especially the last big bastion of communism on the planet, requires the fundamental step in introducing a 2nd political party. This basic step would bring great changes and benefits to the world-stage.

China needs to realize there will be a crossroad or a line drawn in the sand, when it comes to Democracy and Communists control. Someday America and the rest of the free world are going to realize that China has had a free ride long enough while still maintaining its communist control over the people. The free world is not about to let Communism become stronger than Democracy, while Democracy helps them do it. There will be a choice for the Chinese leadership, to either allow a 2nd party to compete in China's economy, or face closed doors of trade from the West, in concern to National interest, and basic human rights. China will have to decide. The CCP. needs to let China be free if they expect China to join the world of nations in these modern times.

The failure of Bush toward addressing this has put a peculiarly bad taste to his policy in the Middle East, with Iraq. Who says Iraq wants to be a democracy, when it see's big China who is not a democracy; thriving and happily going along, becoming each and everyday a main contender expo- superpower along side the United States. Is it no wonder why they think we are an occupational force, as if we are a bully picking on a little guy? Why not pick on someone your own size? CHINA.

America needs to get its foreign policy right so we are not doing one thing in one hand and something else in the other. China needs democracy in a big way, and it can happen just like it did with Russia. Point being...when they change we need to be supportive. We have not been that supportive to Russia. This needs to change.

I hope Chen Shiu-bian will wake up from his gunshot wound and see the big picture, and what he could accomplish as a successful politican in Asia. Not for his own selfish Independence wants, but something far greater, while affecting the lives of a billion and more people, by bringing Democracy to this Red part of Asia.