Taiwanese soldiers stand guard during a military drill in January.

Photo: Daniel Ceng Shou-Yi/Zuma Press

Our admirals project that the Chinese Communists will attack Taiwan within six years, writes Seth Cropsey (“The Danger of Shrinking American Naval Power,” op-ed, Aug. 13). How about in six weeks? They have been laying the foundation for taking Taiwan for 25 years. Back then, the Chinese navy was a joke. No one is laughing today. Their modern navy with hypersonic cruise missiles is dedicated to one thing: taking out U.S. carriers.

They have ringed the South China Sea with stolen and fortified islands. We may have more aircraft carriers, but they have the biggest carrier of all: the Chinese mainland. Their modern land-based aircraft can control the airspace far beyond Taiwan.

President Xi Jinping may decide the time has come to eliminate that troubling democracy in Taiwan, as he has recently snuffed out liberty in Hong Kong. Will we fight to protect our friends and allies in Taiwan? Did we in Afghanistan? In Vietnam?

Stan Connell

Charlotte, N.C.

Maybe Taiwan should spend 10% of its gross domestic product, rather than the 2% it spends now, to defend its own freedom.

David Ritchie

Phoenix