Ready To Roll

With military tensions with China at a three-year-high, Taiwan rolled out souped-up tanks Tuesday that would play a major role in repelling a potential Chinese invasion - even though the vehicles are almost as old as the half-century conflict between the two sides. Four U.S.-made M-41D tanks blasted away at steel targets, ran obstacle courses and cruised up steep hillsides in a pall of white smoke at the Army Readiness Ordinance Center, deep in the mountains of central Taiwan. The brief but deafening display of firepower was staged for a crowd that included legislators and residents of the area. Taiwan says the overhauled tanks will be sent to the heavily fortified island groups of Kinmen and Matsu just off the Chinese coast.