Awful. Taiwan faces daily pressure from China, which considers the small island nation to be part of its territory. Mainland China just launched an aircraft carrier named after an admiral who once conquered Taiwan. And China has been hacking our computer systems and stealing our military technology for years.

But we’re so indebted to Beijing, apparently, that we need to abandon our long-standing ally by denying her the military equipment she needs to defend herself.

But we said no. Why? Because Barack Obama has decided that we’re too weak to tell China “no”. China. The same country that hacks our computers and has established a plan to take down our electrical grid should it feel the need to do so. China. The country that paid Pakistan for access to our stealth Blackhawk that crashed in Abbottabad.

TAIPEI – Bowing to Chinese pressure, the U.S. will deny Taiwan’s request for 66 new F-16C/D fighter aircraft, a Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) official said.

“We are so disappointed in the United States,” he said.

A U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) delegation arrived here last week to deliver the news and offer instead a retrofit package for older F-16A/Bs that includes an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

Sorry, you’re not allowed to purchase a new vehicle. But I’ll tell you what, we’ll give you a Garmin and change out your oil. An official says the weak offer is, “meant to soften the blow of denying new planes to Taipei”.

Cowardice.

And you know what’s worse? An independent report concluded that Taiwan’s proposed purchase of new planes would create 16,000 jobs and generate $768 million in new federal tax revenue. You know revenue — that thing we need so badly that apparently we need to raise taxes in the midst of a recession. That stuff. $768 million more of it. And 16,000 jobs.