Posted on 06/06/2014 9:50:59 AM PDT by Jeff Head
What follows is a riveting video and set of pictures regarding the increasing tensions in the South China Sea.
We are not likely to know what went on before what is shown in the video that may have provoked the Chinese. But this is what happened in the South China Sea last month when a couple of Veitnames fishing vessels came too close to a Chinese operation:
Chinese vessel rams and sinks a Chinese fishing vessel - Youtube Video
Let's take a hard look at several of the frames of the video itself.
Large Chinese vessel chasing Down a small Vietnamese Fishing Boat:
From the video, you cannot see any appreciably smaller Chinese vessel near the Vietnamese vessel. In the two pics that follow, you can clearly see another vessel behind the Vietnamese vessel...which may or may not be Chinese. However, in the second picture, it is clear that this vessel, whomever it may belong to, is actually larger than the Vietnamese vessel. The Vietnamese vessel could have been harassing that vessel, we simply do not know. But the differences in size between those two tells you that the Vietnamese vessel was not a mortal hazard to that other vessel. That is clearly not the case with the size differential in what was chasing the Vietnamese vessel down.
What you do see, and what is unquestionable, is that for whatever reason the much larger Chinese vessel chases down the smaller Vietnamese vessel, And it does not at all try and intercede itself between the two vessels. No, it is on the near side of the Vietnamese vessel, overtaking it. Why? It shows us. It very intentionally turns into the Vietnamese vessel. Anyone who has been at sea will know what that will do, when a larger displacement vessel turns into the side of a smaller vessel. Its simple physics.
Large Chinese vessel pushes Veitnamese vessel across its bow, sinking it:
The Chinese vessel does this once, and then, catches up, and does so again. Except the next time, it drives further abreast of the Vietnamese vessel, so as to get better leverage. This time, they are able to turn into it the Vietrnamese vessel far enough forward to use their own displacement to force the smaller ship across their bow and seriously impact it amidships.
The reesult is a fairly forgone conclusion.
The larger Chinese ship intentionally sank the smaller Vietnamese ship. It is clear that it intended to force the smaller ship across its bows because it repeatedly attempted just that and did not cease until it had accomplished it.
Numerous vessels stand by to assist Vietnamese sailors:
In the end, it appears that many vessels stood by to help the Vietnamese sailors who were put into the sea as a result.
Summary:
IMHO, unless that Vietnamese vessel had done something similarly life-threatening to a Chinese vessel or structure, there was no excuse for what happened here. Even if the Vietnamese ship was near a Chinese oil rig. Even if they harassed a Chinese vessel...unbless of course they tried something similar and put chinese lives at risk.
As stated, that larger Chinese vessel clearly did not simply intercede and place itself between the Vietnamese vessel and the other vessel behind it. It was on the wrong side of the Vietnamese vessel to do that. No, it clearly meant to hit, and turn the Vietnamese vessel.
It is clear that the larger Chinese vessel, for whatever reasons, chased down the smaller Vietnamese vessel on the high seas...which was clearly attempting to flee...and it turned into that vessel and pushed it across its own bow...and sank it.
As I say, we do not know the provocation...but that is clearly what happened, and, IMHO, it cannot be sugar-coated by anything on that video.
These tensions are going to continue to rise as the Chinese lay clim to the whole of the South China Sea and develop it to their liking depsite other nation's territorial claims and Economic devleopment Zones. Unbless halted, such occurances will ultimately lead to conflict.
Jeff Head
Idaho, USA
June 2014
Clearly, they have no fear of the US NAvy intervening...despite tough talk from the State Depatrtment and Hagel.
They've seen our current administration in action in Syria, the Ukraine, leading from behind in Lybia, in the retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan, in the "reset" woth Russia, and now with the travesty of an exchange with the Taliban. They know the words ring absolutely hoollow.
Waiting for the anti-Vietnam War protests to begin.
Not just in the US, but the UK as well.
Plenty of nations’ yutes went to protest that conflict.
Where are they today?
There is a fairly simple response the Vietnamese could do. Give their fishing vessels a dozen RPGs. If the Chinese warship attempted to ram them, fire two salvos of six each, which would definitely put a crimp in the Chinese game plan.
The effective range of an RPG-7 is about 200 meters, 50% accuracy. At 50m, close to 100%. Its maximum range before self detonating is 1000 meters. So they would have to be very close to the Vietnamese ship to matter.
High Explosive anti-tank rounds can typically penetrate from 10-20” of steel, so they would likely be deep inside the ship before detonating.
When’s this douche gonna die? National Enquirer said he had 6 months to live a year and a half ago. They got my hopes up.
book mark
That would not work.
The Chinese have a much more powerful and heavily armed Coast Gaurd, Navy, and Air Force.
Escalating things like that with their surface vessels would lead to every Veitnamese vessel being sunk.
However, the Veitnamese have wisely purchased six new-build, most modern Kilo submarines from Russia. They already have 2-3 of them in service.
IMHO, they should surface one of these subs near one of these sites where the Vietanmese fishing vessels are protesting. Not fire any torpedoes or anything like that...just make sure the Chinese see them and are aware of their presence.
Then announce that in the future the Vietname submarines will protect Vietnamese vessels.
The Chinese are still relatively weak on anti-submarine warfare from their surface vessels, and the Vietnamese know this.
Bluff and bluster only works when only one side understands it. The Chinese are masters at “shouldering out” their competition, but only until they fight back effectively. Then they usually back off and try to engage elsewhere.
Were the Vietnamese to use one of their submarines, they should go for the gold, and use it to discreetly attack the oil platform. Not with torpedoes, but with other means. If they could sink it, the Chinese would be out a lot of money, and far less inclined to rebuild it.
“....despite tough talk from the State Depatrtment and Hagel.”
.
State Dept. and Hagel only frown, point accusing fingers, act irritated and write annoyed (or perhaps annoying) letters.
There is no mailed fist anywhere in the American arsenal and our enemies know it.
>Where are they today?<
.
They’re members of all three branches of guvmint.
So you would have the U.S. Navy escorting Vietnamese fishing boats?
I would have the US Navy protecting free navigation of the seas.
What the Chinese are doing it trying to turn the whole of the South China Sea into their own bathtub and if we allow them to do so...it will ultimately impact us.
Of course, this will be after they shoulder aside Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and others if we stand by and do nothing.
What they are doing is forcing Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and the other countries in the area to cooperate against China's aggression.
That’s correct. And that is a good thing.
But of all of those, Japan is the only one who has a very strong navy. And they are fairly distant and without direct EEZ or sovereignty interests.
But they (Japan) and all of the others, including ourselves, do have very strong interests in freedom of navigation.
All of them are looking to the US for leadership[p...and, for the reasons I cited...we should be leading here. And from the front, not from behind.
If the US Navy and Japan, accompanied by the assets those other nations could also add, were to begin making regular, comprehensive patrols together in the SCS, making a point to be present at these flash points...most all of this would stop.
As it is, the strongest Navy in the Region outside of the US, the PLAN,is making its presence very clearly felt.
Maybe they should be looking for a leader amongst themselves rather than being followers? At the end of the day they alone know what's in their best interest.
We have alliances with several of those countries.
We have significant critical national interests in the Western Pacific...which all revolve around free passage on the high seas.
What the Chinese are doing in the South China Sea is tantamount to the Germans taking the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia before World War II...actually it is worse than that because there is no “Chinese ethnic population” to even give the pretense for an excuse.
I believe Japan and Australia are building up to face the growing power that China represents. The others are relatively small, but themselves are also doing what they can. They all look to us for leadership and to stand with them...and we should.
FYI...documented evidence of what is occurring in the South China Sea...amon other things.
Thanks for the ping!
I’m sure Obama will issue a statement of disapproval while chewing a stick of gum.
Don’t forget to thank Bill Clinton, both Bushes and Obama for this episode.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.