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Obama Won't Back Down After Chinese Threat, Sends U.S. Warships To Contested Islands In "Matter Of Days"
On Friday, we reported the latest provocation in what has truly become a very dangerous, if largely pointless, staring contest between Beijing and Washington over China’s reclamation of land in The South China Sea.
Responding to suggestions that the US was set to sail warships around the islands Beijing has constructed atop reefs in the Spratlys, China served noticed that it would “never allow any country to violate China's territorial waters and airspace in the Spratly Islands, in the name of protecting freedom of navigation and overflight.” This was simply a formalized version of the more concise phrasing the PLA navy used when they instructed the pilots flying a US spy plane to “Go now!” when it ventured too close to Fiery Cross earlier this year.
It’s not immediately clear what China intends to do with the islands and further, it’s not entirely clear why anyone should necessarily care if Beijing wants to build “sand castles” in the middle of the ocean, but then again, for America’s regional allies the land reclamation efforts look a lot an attempt to build a series of military outposts by creating sovereign territory where there was none thereby effectively redrawing maritime boundaries and so, big brother in Washington is set to step in in order to protect vital shipping lanes.
Of course having already said that the navy plans to sail ships into the waters around the islands, the US can ill-afford to allow China’s “we won’t tolerate that” pronouncement to deter the Pentagon because the optics around that would be terrible at a time when the world is already questioning the strength and resolve of the US military. So the ships will indeed sail. Here’s WSJ:
The U.S. determination to challenge China with patrols near Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea will test Xi Jinping’s recent pledge that Beijing doesn’t intend to “militarize” the islands, an announcement that took U.S. officials by surprise.
The Chinese leader made the commitment during a news conference with President Barack Obama at the White House late last month, though he left it unclear how the pledge would affect China’s activities in the disputed area of the South China Sea.
If Mr. Xi’s goal was to discourage the U.S. from conducting patrols near the artificial islands, he doesn’t appear to have succeeded. After months of debate in the U.S. government, there is now a consensus that the U.S. Navy should send ships or aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands to challenge China’s territorial claims there, according to people familiar with internal discussions.
A U.S. official confirmed Sunday that a decision had been made to conduct such patrols but said it was unclear when that might happen or where exactly. “It’s just a matter of time when it happens,” the official said. Another U.S. official indicated that the operation could come within days.
The question now is whether China will respond to such operations by reining in its plans to develop the islands or backing away from the commitment not to militarize them, pointing to the U.S. patrols as a provocation.
Anyone who knows anything about how China generally prefers to respond in situations like these knows that Beijing will almost certainly call any US naval presence a "provocation" and they'll be exactly right. After all, there's something rather ironic about claiming that China is in the process of militarizing the South China Sea and then deciding that the best way to de-escalate the situation is to sail warships to the area. Here's WSJ again:
The Pacific Fleet has been ready to conduct “freedom of navigation operations,” or Fonops, around China’s artificial islands for months after being asked to draw up options by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter earlier this year. The decision to begin the patrols appears to have been delayed to avoid disrupting the summit, people familiar with internal discussions say.
“A U.S. Fonop gives China an opportunity to assert that the United States is the country ‘militarizing’ the South China Sea and, if China chooses, such a Fonop provides a rationale for China to further militarize or develop the features it occupies,” said Taylor Fravel, an expert on the Chinese military at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
So in reality, the real question is this: now that Russia has moved to effectively reclaim the Mid-East from US influence, and now that China is in the process of using its island building efforts to establish what we've called a kind of Sino-Monroe Doctrine, how long will it be before someone actually challenges the US military by shooting down a plane in the desert or firing on a ship in the Spratlys just to test Washington's resolve?
* * *
Finally here again, as a reminder, are the satellite images which demonstrate the extent to which Beijing is "changing the landscape", so to speak, in the South China Sea.
Subi:
Fiery Cross:
Mischief:
»
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Meanwhile tensions with Russia continue to mount in Syria and a major war gets closer everyday. Gold and oil prices should reflect these rising tensions. Will China send troops to Syria in return?
US-Russian proxy war in Syria intensifies
By Thomas Gaist
12 October 2015
A coalition of Russian, Iranian, and Syrian government military forces recaptured strategic areas of central Syria from US-backed Islamist militias during a joint offensive this weekend.
Russian war planes launched some 70 strikes in support of assaults by Syrian government troops and Iranian militias against rebel-held towns in the highland region of Tal Skik. The recaptured areas were occupied earlier this year by Islamist militant groups, including Al Nusra Front and other Al Qaeda-linked rebels,that are in direct alliance with Washington and its allies. The clashes between US and Russian-backed forces have underscored the immense danger of yet another major escalation of the Syrian war. Less than five years since it began, the US-fomented civil war in Syria has placed American and Russian forces squarely on opposite sides of an explosive proxy war.
Moscow’s turn to direct intervention in the war has been followed by a sharp escalation of anti-Russian propaganda and announcements of stepped-up US intervention in Syria.
In a statement released Friday, the Pentagon confirmed its preparations to extend new forms of military aid to Kurdish nationalist militias as well as Sunni Islamist fighters. The US military will transfer “equipment packages and weapons” into the hands of “a select group of vetted leaders and their units,” an official Defense Department release said on Friday.
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/10/12/syri-o12.html
There seems little doubt the crumbling American Empire wants a shooting war to distract the masses from the coming economic collapse.
^^^^^ This
They desperately need some one else to 'blame'
Agreed. The Fed Reserve System ponzi scheme is running out of new resources to sustain it. The Russian color revolution failed, the Ukraine is a bust, Syria and Iran cannot be further looted, China is no longer willing to buy USSA Treasuries, so the only solution is a global reset. WW1 and WW2 were financed by western banksters, making them trillionaires. They are mere trying to repeat past successes.
... there is now a consensus that the U.S. Navy should send ships or aircraft within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands to challenge China’s
Are we taking our SECOND Pearl Harbor closer to “them”?
Looney
On a bighter note, there should be some very good artificials reefs in the near future.
This is stupid and maybe suicidal.The Chinese might let loose a salvo of returning UST's
at the minimum.
Great point Winston. An economic retaliation instead of a military one. The Chinese don't have to spend any money and the U.S. gets a load of egg in it's face.
OBTW: I'm sure the PRC is monitoring ZH...
;-D
i can't name any intelligence agency that isn't.
Oh, he will back down wait till the punch him in those nose
Where'd they get the money to build those things?
From selling us useless consumerist junk, which we bought with bubble money from our banksters.
and isn't that an interesting phenomenon....they have the money/resources because they've sold useless consumerist junk.
and they're building disposable islands. You know...an Atoll Reef is self protecting. Because of it's shape, it creats the calm lagoon waters, which protects the interior side of the reef. When you destroy 1/2 of the Atoll, to build up the other 1/2, you make your strip of land vulnerable to storm waters from both directions.
china could surely spend it's money more effectively....but, this is central planning gone wild.
ps...Mr. Xi, since your cargo ships are leaving Long Beach empty, why don't you take a load of used, sand blasted car bodies and sink them along the now destroyed reefs to help nature rebuild.
Obama, still stinging from multiple humiliating defeats at the hands of Putin (who started from an inferior position with inferior resources), decides to try his act out on the Chinese...
News at 11.
Well, the good news is that joe biden and his illustrious family is there to back up the Kenyan and Chewie.
I'll be waiting for the 60 Minutes Steve Kroft interview with Xi next week.
This shit is so scripted, it's pathetic.
Must find excuse to hide coming financial collapse.
The US Navy goes anywhere and everywhere freedom of navigation of the seas comes under threat. Some day we will give up that thankless job, under the weight of our entitlement burdens, and currently I dont see anyone friendly to the western civilization taking up the burden we took over from the British.
I still can't get past the notion that Obama is deadly serious about seeing America "taken down a peg or two". His blatant hatred for American exceptionalism is evident in his scaling down of American military might, yet he dangerously projects it into a adisputed zone on the other side of the planet. What better way to take America down a peg or two than to have its military vanquished on the other side of the world?
Some of you may ask if this president could be that corrupt and evil. Others do not have to ask.
I vote to send ONLY OBAMA....
RIPS
You and me both, Ripsie, you and me both.
...in further news obama fucks up wet dream, film at 11.
Where are all the environmentalists as China is destroying those reefs. On another note, looking at that dashed line it would seem that a Phillippino beach goer on an air mattress would violet China's claimed waters. Their claims are ludicrous.
Agree. China has destroyed some of the finest reefs in thw world. The Southwestern Pacific has the most varied reefs anywhere on the planet. They are destroyed now. Thanks China.
POTUS needs to distract us from the disaster in Syria and he wants to look strong...so he goes for the Spratly Islands. He's drawing another Red Line...watch him fuck this up as well.
Drawing lines in the ocean is not very smart
A huge uptick for JustObserving and his SitReps visa via Syria, Ukraine etc.
Cuts through a lot of the bollocks and deals out the hard facts.
Yeah Rips, in an effing bathtub,,,with only one oar...naked...
That ought to scare them commies into submission,,,
;-D
On top of a love/Nobel peaceprize bomb, like Slim Pickens' character at the end of Dr. Strangelove.
Yeeeehaaaaaaa! Maybe we could put Reggie on their with him.
Ride em cowboy!
if china would have put the same amount of money/effort into building a top notch world class aircraft facility, they would only be a few years away from destroying Boeing. Wouldn't that have been a better idea if you wanted to dominate the world?
Would you fly in an aircraft made by the Chinese?
Boeing with its outsourcing is bad enough.
Kroft: Which part of "South China Sea" indicates it belongs to you?
Obama: err...."Sea"?
Kroft: Don't you think you look like a stalker sending a warship all the way there?
Obama: Wait a minute there, Steve. We have pre-warned the Chinese. The island has to move to make way for my ship. We are exceptional.(Loud cheering & clapping in the background) Those Chinese are bad, bad people.
Kroft: Oh, ok. I will interview you again next year to ask tougher questions if this proves to be a failure.
why not indeed.
Looks like the USN is bringing that scrap irone for them so don't worry.
Ooch, that smarts.
The real problem is your probably right. The trick is to lure them in close enough.
Considering the response to a "new reef" those island will probably be the safest place on Earth.
Actually, humans moving sand around the ocean is a doomed undertaking without constant dredging. The sea quickly reclaims her own. Most of the corals are likely dead but they will recover - unlike the human societies using these islands as nuclear chess pieces.
if the chinese sunk pilings like 2 miles down into the volcano they could build on top of that...!
...like, like an oil rig
There is an unused one they could have "Deepwater Horizon" should be able to put that on top of an undersea volcano and create an artifical island!
"...You know...an Atoll Reef is self protecting..."
A LIVE one is. By coverning them with sand, the Chinese have killed the living coral that made up the reef and maintain it. The sand slopes away from the island when they build it, so they have killed the coral for several hudred yards offshore - basically any coral that contributed to the life of the reef itself.
Dead coral is like any other rock in the ocean - it's just a matter of time before wind and waves turn it back into sand. By converting a live reef to a pile of sand, the Chinese have made an island that must constantly be maintained. They will have to dredge sand and add to that island for an eternity.
One or two years without maintenance OR a significant typhoon and their artificial islands will be washed/blown away. The coral might re-establish itself in twenty or thirty years, but not enough to rebuild the reef. That's maybe a hundred years.
Absolutely agree. I've been scratching my head on this one. Why put all this effort into a short term construction?
My conclusion: either 1 - this was a bureaucratic decision by an idiot, or 2 - the islands serve a short term purpose, most likley to protect those self same shipping lanes the US purports to be so concerned about.
A look at a map reveals that most of the shipping through the South China Sea is destined for or originates from China. So China has a vested interest in protecting said shipping. Hence the conversion of certain reefs into islands. But if this is their purpose - protection of Chinese shipping - seemingly the Chinese don't envisage the protection is required long term (just long enough to neutralise a perceived threat).
Now clearly this calls into question why the US cares? Freedom of navigation in this area is only important to China & Vietnam (and a few Filipino fishermen). The islands are only a temporary phenomenon. Other nations (Vietnam, Philippines) have also constructed isalnds in the South China Sea, without any protest (or even acknowledgement) from the US.The US is not a party or signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, so has no legitimacy in claiming to uphold or enforce its provisions.
The US is lying about its purpose in challenging China in this region. And its a very transparent lie to anyone bothering to look at a map.
I'm not being pro-China here, just anti-BS.
The U.S. probably made plans to do the exact same thing - then the Chinese found out and beat them to the punch. Another intelligence 'win' for the dimwits in Langley and D.C.
The enemies of the enemies of the U.S. Constitution must make China my friend, I guess. Go Team China - kick Team Evil's ass!
A drunken, battered, shamed bully spoiling for a fight.
Never imagined I'd be watching such behaviour on a grand, global scale.
Trouble is you never know about the wheels within wheels. Deals within deals.
MIC needs to burn oil and blow up munitions....and brown and yellow and dark skinned people while they are at it...
The usual question needs to be asked, how does Israel benefit?
The color of the people on the receiving end of the bombs is purely coincidental. They are doing what they can to destroy white European/American culture, as well. They are just a little more insidious about it.
although it is a distinction that takes some really careful inspection to make, it looks to me more like israel is trying to get europe and, more, the u.s. in the same situation with the same enemies and mind set that israel has. if it takes killing a few thousand u.s. citizens in a false flag operation or two or a dozen disasterous wars of choice, well that's a small price to pay for greater israel.
gets to nearly the same place but with a somewhat different motive
The subject is Obama and his response to China in the South China Sea.
So why hijack the thread by bringing up Isreal?
No doubt you think that Israel, a country of about 6 million, is also responsible for what is happening with China in the South China Sea?
Those Jooos must have some super human powers to orchestrate events all over the planet?
Because USSA is tied at the colon to Israel....or have you missed the past 150 or more years of history?
Who controls US foreign and domestic policy?
Who gets billions a year in hush/slush and god kknows what money?
Who brazenly steals USSA and other technology?
You are blind if you cannot see the rot at your core....
While we are at it, do you know the history of Jews in China? Who made Mao?
Study up...
"Because USSA is tied at the colon to Israel....or have you missed the past 150 or more years of history? "
Isreal become a country in 1948 after WWII.
Instead of regurgitating your Marxist and Muslim indoctrination, maybe you should study up?
Perhaps you do not know that Israel is the JEWISH homeland (so called and claimed)?
When was the Balfour declaration signed?
Who created the FED? (1913 in case you did not know, Jekyll island was 1910). JP morgan instigated the crash of 1907....
Want to keep going back in history? First National Bank of America? Second?
Which dots can your fool head not connect?
Now fuck off....
ORI, you won't get anywhere with these trolls. Falconflight, Teh Finn and this particular douchebag either have NO IDEA on world history, or have been sent here to derail the threads. Take your pick. We all lose here in the meantime having to read their pathetic gibberish.
You're the douchebags who derail EVERY thread here by bringing up Israel and the Zionists (aka Jews).
We all lose here having to read your pathetic gibberish.
You're fuckan hopeless pal. You can't even get your terms correct, let alone form a rational and logical argument.
Zionism and the NWO are most definately on point with these threads. The fact you can't see it isn't our fault.
You're fuckan hopeless pal. You can't even get your terms correct, let alone form a rational and logical argument.
Israel and the Zionists (aka Jews) are definitely NOT on point with this thread about Obama's response to China in the South China Seas. The fact you can't see it isn't our fault.
"Which dots can your fool head not connect? Now fuck off.... "
Of course with your Marxist and Muslim indoctrination, you want to blame Israel for everything even though Israel never existed until 1948.
The people existed. That's all that matters, not the nation.
Nations are made.
People endure.
Bill Clinton had no problem blowing up white Serbs when he was president. So your point is absolutely valid.
"The usual question needs to be asked, how does Israel benefit?" - ORI
It provides a wonderful distraction while Israel slowly destroys the Palistinian State and its inhabitants.
The subject is Obama's response to China in the South China Sea.
So why bring up the distraction of Isreal unless you are a rabid Jew hater?
The Palistinian State (aka PLO) has done nothing to improve the situation for most Palestinian Muslims and exists solely to destroy Isreal.
It's Arab Muslims who deny the Palestinian state:
“There is no such country as Palestine. ‘Palestine’ is a term the Zionists invented. There is no Palestine in the Bible. Our country was for centuries part of Syria. ‘Palestine’ is alien to us. It is the Zionists who introduced it.” – Auni Bey Abdul-Hadi, Syrian Arab leader
“There is no such thing as a Palestinian people, there is no Palestinian entity, there is only Syria. You are an integral part of the Syrian people, Palestine is an integral part of Syria. Therefore it is we, the Syrian authorities, who are the true representatives of the Palestinian people.” – Syrian dictator Hafez Assad to the PLO leader Yassir Arafat
Bashing Israel is not Jew hating, asshat.
Zionist hating, yes. Jew hating, no.
You simpletons should learn the difference.
Zionist is a substitue word for 'Jew.'
So you hate the Zionists (aka Jews)?
Where are the Zionists (aka Jews) in Israel, who have been in the area for ions, supposed to go because you hate them?
So a tiny country of 6 million Zionists (aka Jews) in Israel is behind Obama's response to China in the South China seas?
Does Valerie Jarrett, Obama's Iranian born Senior Advisor, also take orders from the Zionists (aka Jews) in Isreal?
Well, they are certainly responsible for:
Justice
Entertainment
World finance
"Well, they are certainly responsible for: Justice, Entertainment, World finance"
If they are responsible for all those things, then the rest of the world must be dumber than hell and without any hope.
READ ON:
The Official Website Of Andrew Carrington Hitchcock
http://www.thesynagogueofsatan.com/
Carroll Quigley, CFR member, mentor to Bill Clinton, from "Tragedy and Hope: A History of The World in Our Time"
DEAN HENDERSON's Left Hook column, also his books such as "Big Oil & Their Bankers in the Persian Gulf..."
https://hendersonlefthook.wordpress.com/big-oil-reviews/
"Well, they are certainly responsible for:
Justice
Entertainment
World finance" - HR
Also ALL the kinds of MEDIA (print, teevee, radio, online); MIC,...
Learn some actual history. Read up on the Rothschilds, the Balfour Declaration and Zionism, and stop with the Jewish canard already. The Creature from Jekyll Island might help you connect some dots too (by G Edward Griffin). Maybe study who runs the FED, UST and State Dept as well.
Right now, your arguments are shallow, hollow and pointless.
Why don't you stop regurgitating your Marxist and Muslim indoctrination about Israel and the Zionists (aka Jews) that you hijack EVERY thread with?
Right now, your arguments are shallow, hollow, pointless, and tiresome.
You have removed any doubt that you are nothing but a troll.
I'm asking Tyler to please turf your ass off this board.
"I'm asking Tyler to please turf your ass off this board."
What a typical lame response from a brainwashed indoctrinated Marxist who wants to permanently silence anyone who dares to disagree with him.
No doubt your favorite dictator Castro taught you all that you know?
You have removed any doubt that you are nothing but a Zionist (aka Jew) hating troll.
Having been over there, I don't mind at all if the muzzies are destroyed.
I don't want anyone's kids killed. But, if they want to fight--fight. Get it over with. One way or the other. I think the Palis know how that is going to end.
Instead, they just whine and throw stones like little girls.
the nazi's on zh are strong.
ori continues to harp on everything in the world being the fault of the joos and israel. keep going nazi face. this is all i hear out of you for years. you've had some inciteful posts, but you are essentially francis sawyer now.
and zh comment boards a sewer.
I'm half (or 1/3rd) jewish....believe it or not.
I can make clear distinctions between when my people FUCK up (and they have, poor brainwashed talmudized duds), what they are responsible for and what they have coming to them.
None of it is good and fucking actions speak louder than fucking words and Israel (it's creation itaelf) was and is a fucking travesty, get it DINGLEBERRY?
And all the rest of you hasbra trolls or other simpering jews who have no understanding of what a RAbbi actually fucking is...
Godwin's Law reigns supreme here at the Hedge with the butthurt Hasbaras.
NAZI, NAZI, NAZI, HITLER, HITLER, HITLER, RACIST, RACIST, RACIST.
Eff Off, Zios
No matter what the subject, Bunghole and the rest of the butthurt Marxist Muslim loving Kafirs here at the Hedge will ALWAYS blame the Zionists (aka Jews) and label anyone who disagrees with them as either a Zionist (aka Jew) or a Hasbara.
ZIONIST (aka Jew), HASBARA, ZIONIST (aka Jew), HASBARA, ZIONIST (aka Jew), HASBARA, ZIONIST (aka Jew), HASBARA
That you equate Zionist with Jew is your problem, not anyone else's.
That you can't equate Zionist with Jew is your problem, not anyone else's.
All Zionist are more than likely Jews but not all Jews are Zionists.
It's time to learn to wipe your bum on your own, Mummy is busy!
Then why come here, knowing what to expect is not to your liking? You aren't going to change anyone's mind with your complaints. There are plenty of sites out there that will smooch jew ass up, down and sideways, and then blame the Muslims (useful tools) for whatever ails the world.
One can't help but look at the formerly stable countries run by iron dictatorships which surround israel that are now smoking ruins and wonder WTF no one had a problem with these Arabs like the israelis did. Lucky for them 9/11 came along to whet our appetites for killing Arabs in these countries near and around israel, who did not attack us that day.
Then why come here, knowing what to expect is not to your liking? You aren't going to change anyone's mind with your complaints. There are plenty of sites out there that will smooch Muslims ass up, down and sideways, and then blame the Jews (useful tools) for whatever ails the world.
One can't help but look at the always unstable Muslim nations run by Islamic dictatorships which surround Israel and can see how they want to destroy a successful country that doesn't share their Islamic religion or Sharia Laws.
Now have you begun your daily prayers to Mecca?
Yeah, ya got me Tovah! I'm tapping the floor with my forehead as I type! Allah Snackbar! LOL
Seems supporting a power vacuum created by AmeriKan and israeli jews, Zionists, neocons, whatever you feel least butthurt calling them - a vacuum filled by radical terrorists - instead of atheistic Arab nationalists means that maybe YOU are the one praying to Mecca for Allah to shine good luck on his infidel - backed "holy warriors"
There is no such thing as "atheistic Arab nationalists" ruling in the Middle East and only an indoctrinated mind would try to blame a "power vacuum" on American and Israeli Jews (aka Zionists).
I don't recall Islam being prominently featured in the secular military regimes of Saddam, Mubarak, Gaddhafi. Guess they were hiding it so well, even AmeriKans and israelis approved of them for many decades.
I bet you check under your bed at night for Islamic radicals, eh?
"I don't recall Islam being prominently featured in the secular military regimes of Saddam, Mubarak, Gaddhafi"
How do you know unless you were living in those countries?
I bet you'd love to hop into bed each night with Islamic radicals, eh?
What does any of this have to do with CHINA????????????????????
fucking drink the sewer water then
I don't think China wants to sell U.S. treasurys and strengthen the yuan now.
And I think China made a mistake by pissing off even Malaysia and Indonesia with the territorial grab.
Its navy is not strong enough to take on the U.S., Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
And Russia will not help China if a conflict occurs in theses waters.
Beijing should have just focused on taking the islands on the Vietnamese side because whatever it does, the Vietnamese will always hate the Chinese anyway.
You may want to consult a map.
i'm very glad that I'm not in the crew on those ships.
Obviously they are/will be expendable for some greater psychopathic cause.
Somebody said that the other day, a billion UST/day the ships are in the area, that is a great solution and would force them out fast.
Needs to be more like $100b a day , oooh ahhhhh- fireworks !!
Now that would be a proper provocation.
I'm all for projecting our interest, but not about projecting our might for the sake of might. We desperately need to reevaluate who we are, what we are, why we are and how we fit into this changing world. Our old "arsenal of democracy" ideas are worn out as is our grasping attempt to show force to salvage a waning hegemony. China is a rising power and that cannot be denied, but how do we deal with that? They are a threat to our current ways. Maybe our show of might is all we have left no matter 'what we want"? Stuff's happening and fast.
This is one place where I agree with Obama.
Freedom of navigation is a fundamental, ancient, human right. They can protect their territory the same way we can. But there are international rules about what is your territory and what is open waters.
China cannot build an island where there was none, and claim it is part of their "territory and take over the entire sea.
If we do not do that, it opens up all sorts of piracy crap and impounding of ships, and insurance claims that would ruin international trade.
Is this worth losing a carrier over?
By the way...where is China's carrier. Last time I looked it was in the Med.
I think his motive is more freedom of interdiction for the USN, a bit
like bombing the shit out of a country to bring them democracy.
If it makes you feel better about yourself, and country,believe what you will.
Diego Garcia. Thats one place where the US did it. Only we removed the population by force first.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_truth_about_the_us_military_base_at_diego_garcia_20150615
The US really prefers supersized unsinkable aircraft carriers such as the UK, Australia, Diego Garcia, etc.
'Are we taking our SECOND Pearl Harbor closer to “them”?'
Ah, that would be our third. WTC, lest we forget.
IIRC, it's in accordance with maritime law to sail within 12nm of a sovereign countries coastline. It's not allowable to fish or drill within 200nm of a coastline. So, what the US is actually doing is recognizing that these islands are sovereign Chinese lands if they respect the 12nm standoff. Typical dick measuing contest that could end badly if they fuck it up. That being said, no reason for China to get their balls in an uproar if they standoff 12nm.
exactly right! any vessel sailing outside the 12 nm limit on the islands is GOOD by maritime law. I doubt the USA intends to violate this limit ... although as you point out - by observing that limit the USA is tacitly agreeing that China controls the islands.
If China attacks a US vessel outside the 12 nm zone ... that is a DIRECT MILITARY ATTACK.
But I seriously doubt this will go to bullets. More likely, ships sailing very close to one another - which is dangerous enough.
And it means LIBERTY in the PI! Do we still have Subic Bay as a base? Olongapo was a fun, nasty town. Kaoshiung was OK, but the Philipines! Tres bon!
FORWARD MAO!
Nope, the Corruptocrats in the Clinton Whitehouse gave Subic back. It was a cesspool anyway.
"Are we taking our SECOND Pearl Harbor closer to “them”?"
We won't be doing it from our strategic stronghold on the US Territory of Guam. It seems that Guam has no reliable electricity because, wait for it, their Korean contractor BLEW UP one of the Island's key power plants a few weeks ago. That's right, we run our critical infrastructure with foreign nationals, Asian foreign nationals. I use the term "we" loosely. I should say "our fellow citizens" that run Guam.
"Why does that matter?", you ask? Well, because beside from being the key forward operating base for the US's Pacific fleet (Pearl Harbor doesn't count), it is also the home of the Air Force's Anderson Air Base. That base is the home of whole bunch of big-league, strategic techno-fuckery that is gleefully deployed against our enemies today just as it was during the Vietnam war, including big-ass, batwing bombers with big-ass payloads of supreme nastiness.
So this island in the Pacific, an island which was taken back from the Japanese by my Grandpa and Uncles, is owned by the Chinese without firing a shot. The electricity is made by Chinese plants, including a brandy-new solar plant "owned" by NRG which, incidentally, was designed by Chinese engineers and built with Chinese stuff. Just wait till THAT yieldco goes tits-up. The Chinese know every inch of our most strategic military asset in the Pacific theatre because they are there and built a lot of it. Oh, and get this one, they also fly over the island everyday but not with drones or satellites, but with their commercial aircraft. Seems that the Chinese love the Marianas Islands. We aren't talking about 12 miles. We are talking about OVER the Island.
My friends and I sit around and laugh about this kind of shit. You can't make it up.
Why do we do this? Why do we let the enemies knock on our gate? In my estimation its for 2 reasons. One, we dont have leadership in the military that have the critical thinking skills necessary to defend our nation from domestic enemies, especially when those domestic enemies are foreigners, wink, wink. Two, the kleptocrats in the Guam government are very good at taking care of the local military leadership (and the Koreans and Chinese are very good at bribing the key kleptocrats on Guam). What else can it be? Perhaps there is some unknown entity that doesn't want to see Guam bonds tank ala Puerto Rico. BTW, what happened with that?
This is why I don't think anything of China and it's man-made Islands. If it was a big deal, they'd do something about our own Islands first. Wouldn't they? Frankly, I don't think the Chinese want anything from us. The scenario as painted above - like everything else- is a mirage designed to create an "us against them" diorama in the Pacific. If it is this bad on Guam, I wonder what the communists on Hawaii have done with our security. Is life so dear or peace so sweet, er, uh....anyway, you get the picture. Talking about enemies within the gates, Sheesh.
This is just one example that is likely replicated throughout the world wherever Asians and the US military interact. Follow the money from cradle to grave.
We should claim the whole Pacific because of WWII.
We'll let Australia do there own thing because the boys will need a beer-stop & RR someplace that speaks (sorta) English.
Agreed. However, most people dont know this, but we DO claim most of the Pacific. We never gave it back. Look at Saipan (Marianas), Chuuk, Palau, American Samoa, Hawaii, Midway, The Marshalls, Kwajalein, Bikini....we basically have claimed a very big chunk of the Pacific.
I dont have an opinion on that. Too many good boys met their death in the Pacific to piss on their graves, regardless of the authenticity of the pretext delivered by that fucking no good communist, FDR. That POS limousine liberal, I pray, is rotting in hell.
now that Russia has been engaged in ME...so will China be next, fires everywhere, no?
There is still the invisible hand, stiriing...what/where/when?
There's little profit for the MIC with peaceful negotiations. Plus, i am not sure America has any "brilliant" diplomats anymore. Haven't seen one since before Bush sometime.
The last American of any worth was Condoleezza Rice, like her not, she new how to play the game.
Perhaps, but she was/is still very much the mouth of the machine...
;-D
As are all Diplomats ;) She, though, had more understanding of the game than those currently on the ' Stage ' ( think Samantha Power )
My dog understands better than Kerry, Clinton, Rice or Obama. He leaves things alone.
FORWARD GLOBALIST SOVIETS!
"Perhaps, but she was/is still very much the mouth of the machine..."
Valerie Jarrett, Obama's Iranian born Senior Advisor who is a light skin black woman and whose father was part of the Communist movement in Chicago, won't let a real black woman like Condi near the machine.
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2418
What do you know, Barry's real pappy, not that Barack Obama Sr chap, but rather Frank Marshall Davis, was a Chi-town commie!
Small world!
Well, at least she knew how to play her 'husband' Bush's fleshy flute.
and now she proudly serves her country in a matter of utmost importance; she is one of the 13 members of the panel in charge of selecting the four teams for the college football championship series. yes indeed, water seeks its own level. Also, regarding your 'fleshy flute' comment; puts me in mind of a placard i saw, it showed monica lewinsky's pic n said i vote republican because the democrats left a bad taste in my mouth
Liar. She was part of the 911 team - project for a new american century - that pulled off killing 3,000 Americans and god knows how many people in the middle east to protect the american empire and the banks. She's just another shill. She called Willie Brown and warned him not to fly on 911.
Engaged Russia? Seems like we've done just the opposite. Obama runs away like a poodle confronted by a German shepard. Does anyone think he will do any different with the Chinese? It's like a wimp who wants to flex his muscles but is afraid to use them. Almost all world leaders have Obama's number--this will only end in more embarassment and confusion for the USA.
There's just one difference compared to WW1 and WW2 - this time around THEY cannot feel safe as there's nowhere to hide from radioactive dust... and I'd think even the most delusional nutjobs understand that...
Obama won't backdown YET.
First, there must be the ceremonial drawing of the Red Line. Then comes the inevitable violation of the Red Line and then the customary tucking of Obama's tail between his legs and back to felching Reggie until tee time.
FORWARD MAO!
Not doubting the logic CD, but here is a worthwhile analysis of China's 'historical claims' to the areas they're building sandcastles in (includes very interesting historical pics of local indigenous peoples in trad clothing):
China's Massive Land Reclamation in the South China Sea Will Fail - 10 Reasons Why - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdoJ84nSWjk
No problemo. China can simply claim Manifest Destiny just as the US did during the 19th century to justify the expansion of the American Empire.
Laws are for little people and little weak nations.
"Force is the only thing they understand"
Manifest Destiny... Doesn't that literally mean you will manifest your ideas, and in doing so, declare it as destiny? 'Manifest: to prove'
"Manifesting reality", isn't that what TPTB do all the time, or attempt to? "We are history's actors, and while you are busy studying history, we will be making history"
yup
It may fail rationally, but how long before they take them over and Australia too?
What seems pointless about this entire exercise is that global warming is going to result in all these artificial islands disappearing under water anyhow. What we are seeing is idiots on display- both screw the environment, one builds a sandcastle, the other threatens war and the sandcastle is going to disappear thanks to the idiots screwing the environment in the first place. Dumb and dumber.
Stop spouting nonsense that is backed only by fudged data. Show me one island that has disappeared. And then explain why others around it haven't.
There are tide marks in harbours and inlets all over the world, from the 17th and 18th centuries. They are still visible. ?????
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyzJgaUX6cM lists 5 that are disappearing.
idiots on display....oh the irony
Then even more pointless is Gore buying that beach house in Cali. Pretty brave for a guy who says the oceans will rise, no?
FORWARD AL JAZEERA!
It seems to me that instability works in our favor. If those shipping lanes become unreliable, manufacturing moves back here. Am I missing something?
Reduced profit margins.
Unless (until?) Americans start working for Chinese wages. In that case, the corporations are good to go.
Cog,
This is one of the few assertions of power I think we should do. Those islands are so far from China's territorial waters that it seems to me absurd to claim that area in their legal domain. What is to prevent the USA from building an artificial island 201 miles from China and claiming our territorial waters extend to within 1 mile of China's mainland?
You mean something like the Falklands and the UK? There is only one reason the UK spends million per year supporting it, and it is not to maintain a load of over-privileged sheep-shaggers in comfort. It is for the ressources the UK can then lay claim to.
Edit London-Falklands 8000 miles. China-Edge of South CHina Sea 1000 miles.
Anything to keep the stock market up eh Obombya?
Well, something to blame it on anyway. Distraction from all the internal looting going on.
Our economic power is baseless without industrial rank-and-file jobs, and our geopolitical meddling is also being laid bare without a strong home from which to launch it.
Alongside the inevitable economic collapse, we may well be entering a major period of increasing isolation and humiliation by a world much more grown up and principled than we think we are.
The China Spratley situation is yet another place where we may see our ego painfully bruised too.
If the U.S. wants to return to former greatness, it needs to straighten itself out at home first. A great deal of housecleaning is in order about now, and a helluva lot of hard work lie ahead to rebuild our industrial base.
We may be a nation of business, but we are ALWAYS an R&D/manufacturing-based economy FIRST...
...or we can be neither strong at home nor abroad.
m
CD,
It could be that if the Hegemon_USA goes to a Major War, the Public will be forced to sell its Gold(or get it confiscated at firesale or no credit) and go back to ration cards again, allowing for a distraction while the Monetary/Fiscal Systems get reset.
They control the World Bank, BIS, and IMF, so lettsay they'll use IMF_SDRs for their convenience during the reset.
If I were RUS, CHN, or IND, I'd jump on those AIIB/SWIFT_ALTERNATIVE/YUAN_SETTLEMENT Systems in a heartbeat.
but but but, China and Russia are our friends, and only have peaceful intents......I "learned" that here btw....
You would be a moron if that was your takeaway.
A sovereign nation should act in their self interests. What has made the US so dangerous is that we quite often do NOT act in our self interests and that makes US policies unpredictable and dangerous.
Imagine what we would think if Russia tried to dictate control over our shipping lanes in the Caribbean. It's ridiculous that we're even there.
can - please - anybody pack all the warmongers in a box and ship them to these islands and leave them there, with some wooden swords, sandshovels and buckets and some forms (for sandcakes), without a possibility to communicate or to leave? we could live then in peace and harmony, well nearly...
Obama took a page from the Feds playbook? Will happen but don't know,when? Its going to happen soon but all data dependent? What a bunch of clowns.
China ALREADY has a carrier group (or battle ship group, I forget whether they have any aircraft carriers or not) off the Syrian coast, in support of Russia.
Got to keep current, dude!
The nigger is trying his best to destroy whats left of the states..fucker!
But Globalization will give us Whirlled Peas!!!
How strange that a country of 1.3 billion people might decide they need more territory and resources. Who woulda thunkit?
Good thing we gave them all our manufacturing...
Waddya gonna do about it? Bomb their factories? Then where will you get all your car parts, clothes, computers, TVs, telephones, furniture, refrigerators, washing machines ...
... and before you mention companies based in other countries, just double check where the actual manufacturing gets done ...
I´m expecting another massive dump in Treasuries in the very near future. Thats got to be good for the "no shit Sherlock" statement of the month no?
http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-12-15
http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-12-16
http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-12-17
http://dilbert.com/strip/1997-12-18
etc
Sorry, it is not just Obomber. Listen to this lunatic. A Retired US General. He obviously has influence via the MIC. He and the rest of the warmongers should be thrown out. The USG is full of totally deluded imbeciles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URiSWRpuK3U
I tried...about 20 sec worth was all I could do. Years ago, I sat and talked with the former commander of Elmendorf AFB not once, but several times, regarding 9-11 and the impossibilities of the official explanation. This man was a longtime pilot, and a seemingly knowledgeable fellow, but would not concede he was deceived/deluded. Patriotic fervor and allegiance to USA Corp. trumps reason. I eventually labeled him an idiot to his face.
It would seem by your choice of words you are a racist. I am no fan of our president, but your (blow income) comments are just inappropriate. And I suspect only made becase you can hide behind an alias. A bigger fear may be that 16 people here give him a thumbs up.
Be a man and come forth with your name.
So sayeth the hack (pun intended) who posts anonymously...? Cute double standard, btw. Very fitting.
"Obama Won't Back Down After Chinese Threat [...]"
Somebody stole his box of red lines.
If Obama draws a line in the sand, the Chinese will claim sovereignty and build an airstrip on it.
As long as its the red crayon we are Ok. When he whips out the pink one, LOOK OUT.
Next explosion in a Chinese factory in 3,2,1....
Obummer only draws pink pussy lines.