The Conflict in the Middle East is Intensifying, and Rubio Has Called for Unleash Chiang .

On July 11, 2023, in Washington, Marco Rubio spoke at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol. (Madalina Vasiliu/Dajiyuan)

[People News] In the midst of the Middle East conflict, the name 'Chiang Kai-shek' has unexpectedly surfaced. Hasn't Chiang Kai-shek been dead for half a century? What relevance does he have to the U.S. military's operations in Iran?

On March 3, Rubio provided a briefing to the U.S. Congress regarding actions against Iran, declaring that he wants to 'Unleash Chiang'. This statement quickly ignited global debate. What does this phrase actually signify?

In reality, 'Unleash Chiang' is a historically significant Cold War code. According to explanations from U.S. media, this phrase indicates that the U.S. military is preparing to deploy an 'overwhelming force' and escalate its offensive.

So, where does this terminology originate? It traces back to the 1950s. At that time, the United States was at the height of the Cold War, and the right-wing group known as the 'John Birch Society' argued that the U.S. should arm the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek in Taiwan to help him reclaim the Chinese mainland from the Communists.

However, the Truman administration, aiming to prevent an escalation of the Taiwan Strait conflict, only dispatched the Seventh Fleet to 'neutralise' the Taiwan Strait, thereby limiting the actions of both the Nationalists and the Communists. By 1953, with the Eisenhower administration taking office and anti-communist sentiments surging, the U.S. decided to lift the restrictions on the Taiwan Strait, which was then referred to as 'Unleash Chiang', meaning that it would no longer impede the Nationalists' military actions against the Communists.

This phrase has even turned into a private joke within the Bush family. It is reported that the late President George H.W. Bush would often exclaim, 'Let Chiang Kai-shek take the stage' before serving in tennis, implying that he was about to deliver a 'powerful offensive shot.'

The U.S. military has confirmed the sinking of an Iranian destroyer and anticipates achieving air superiority within a few days. The U.S. military aims to 'let Chiang Kai-shek take the stage,' and in the days ahead, Iran may find itself in a state of panic. △