New month, new Taiwan arms backlog update! Ben Giltner and I assess that the US arms backlog to Taiwan currently stands at $19.7 billion, a $520 million increase from last month.🧵
cato.org/blog/taiwan-ar…

Excited to share thoughts w/ Foreign Affairs on the underlying drivers of China's nuclear expansion, the implications for US-China security & overall relations, and essential measures needed to address core issues in nuclear and broader bilateral ties. 1/2
foreignaffairs.com/china/real-mot…

On the one hand yay for improvement on the other hand this still is really minimal, basic stuff

Cursed

Taiwan's political leadership is betting big that showing public support for high levels of US aid to Ukraine will bank points with Washington. And that these points will offset material tradeoffs like waits for weapons systems, which may increase
cato.org/commentary/bet…

High-ranking Taiwanese officials have been urging the US to keep sending weapons to Ukraine since the war began, so hearing this from the VP-elect is pretty rich.
politico.eu/newsletter/chi…

'This deal will prop up the Saudi dictatorship, possibly spur proliferation, and deepen US involvement in the region at a time we should be removing our forces'

vs

'No it won't.'

Bush 43: I made one of the worst foreign policy mistakes ever in the Middle East

Biden, for some reason: listen Jack hold my ice cream cone

Reporting that Saudi Arabia would not be allowed to enrich uranium 'initially' under the latest version of MegaDeal (TM) is... ummm... *not* remotely reassuring. (1/n)

theguardian.com/world/2024/may…

Spiciest gumdrop.

Next Tuesday Cato Institute is hosting a Hill Briefing event on the SLCM-N featuring yours truly and Robert Soofer of Atlantic Council. Details and registration link below: cato.org/events/sea-lau…

Gerard DiPippo As someone who prepared estimates of PLA spending for 30 years, and also contributed to Soviet defense $ estimates as a contractor....

If the customer (USG, Congress) wants the biggest possible number, you can apply sketchy PPP magic, or do cost replacement, which is what was…

US Amb to NATO expects allies at Washington Summit to “construct a bridge to membership by offering Ukraine a deliverable that will enable them to become even closer to this alliance.”

Part business-school mumbo-jumbo, part false hope.

Wow if only someone had said years ago full triad recap, absent significant (politically untenable) increases to the topline, would eat the budget

If you think this is bad just wait for what the DAF has to cut to fill that $35B hole Sentinel just blew in its budget

Good