Defense chief Lee threatens to resign over weapons deal

Facing tremendous pressure from a public relations blunder and vehement objection from 170 retired generals over the plan, Lee lost his temper when combative Legislator Chin Hui-chu questioned him at the Legislature.

Chin, of the People First Party, was obviously ready for the verbal fight, dressed in a jet fighter pilot suit she received as a gift from the U.S. air force.

The legislator described the military as an ostrich who refused to discuss the arms deal with people against it.

“The military is supposed to be an ostrich. Now we’ve done more than we should have,” Lee retorted, referring to his ministry’s advertising campaign that used a poor strategy linking the arms procurement to bubble milk tea.

Chin ripped off a military poster that said the money needed for the arms was only equal to the sum saved by all the people from drinking one less cup of milk tea each week for five years.

She demanded the minister comment on Premier Yu Shyi-kun’s previous remarks saying that the retired generals speaking out against the arms deal were “ideologically wrong.”

Lee said he believed those generals loved Taiwan as much as he did, but he defended Yu by saying: “The premier probably made the remarks after seeing the Defense Ministry work so hard.”

He said he would never agree to the retired generals taking to the streets in protest of the arms deal.

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He revealed that the ministry has succeeded in talking many of the generals out of taking part in today’s demonstration in Taipei.

He also objected to calls that a referendum be held on the arms deal.

The minister lamented that the present arms deal is the “most painful” work the military has ever dealt with.

When Chin asked him why it was the “most painful” work, Lee replied, “I don’t know.”

His answer prompted Chin to tell him to go see a psychiatrist.

“I’m the one who least needs to see a psychiatrist here,” Lee reproached.

Lee promised to step down if the budget for the massive arms deal could not be approved by the end of the Legislature’s current session, which ends in January.

It is uncertain how many of the 170 retired generals who have signed a petition against the arms deal will turn up in today’s massive protest in Taipei.

The organizers yesterday said four major religious groups would join the street demonstration.

The anti-war activists warned the arms procurement would only provoke China into an even more serious arms race.

But Premier Yu told lawmakers that the NT$610.8 billion plan was meant to maintain Taiwan’s security in the next 30 years.

He criticized the PFP, who supported the procurement, for making a U-turn in its position.

Meanwhile, President Chen Shui-bian promised that the government would not fund the arms deal by slashing spending on social welfare and education.

But he maintained that the weapons would be needed for the island’s safety.

“If Taiwan is not safe... can we still sleep well at night? Can teachers still teach comfortably at school?” Chen asked in a keynote speech delivered at a meeting of teachers.

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