[corethree]

The final choice for starting a war is basically in the hands of the US. By not joining the fight for Ukraine and by not joining the fight between Israel and Hamas it shows that the US doesn't typically join foreign wars that aren't it's business.

The West will not be "choosing to defend Taiwan" because the West doesn't actually truly care about Taiwan, Ukraine, gaza or Israel.

The West cares about being the number one power and to this end it will be the US "choosing" to engage in war with china.

I'm Taiwanese, china isn't being coy with words here. They will invade Taiwan to force reunification in the same way the north forced reunification in the US civil war. They truly believe this.

This is entirely different from how the US is hiding behind the "defense of Taiwan". No the Taiwanese know the US doesn't care about Taiwan. They care about staying number one economically and they will may use the "defense of Taiwan" as an excuse to use war to stop Chinas economic advancement.

[YZF]

It's really hard to say. I think saying "the west doesn't truly care" isn't 100% accurate. Some people in the "free world" do truly care about these things. Some are more internally focused- it's a mix. It is not impossible that the US will defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion. It depends on who is president, who their advisors are, what are they thinking about. "Caring" about Taiwan or Taiwanese might be some part of that calculation. For one thing the US having declared that it will do so increases the chances that they actually will, and their presence in the region also increases the probability. Do they have a variety of other considerations? Sure. Are they acting out of self interest, also sure. But the interests appear to somewhat align (i.e. it is in the US's interest that Taiwan remains in the western sphere of influence and it's also what Taiwan seems to want, and it's what China doesn't want).

If it was clear that the US would stay out of it then perhaps China would have already retaken Taiwan. Arguably some of the other conflicts are really part of the same power struggle. Russia's half-failure in Ukraine is maybe causing China to take a pause.

Ukraine and Israel are a little different. Israel has the capability to defend itself. Ukraine is arguably less strategically important. A direct confrontation with Russia has perhaps a higher risk of turning into a nuclear war.

[koonsolo]

Every country wants to have power, so in the end acts in its own intrest.

We as civilians have to choose if we want to live in a democracy or serve a dictator. It's clear dictators like to invade democracies, as is the case with both Russia and China.

Economic advancement of a dictatorship is asking for problems.