Posted on 08/30/2022 6:15:54 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
We saw this breakdown coming well over a year ago. America’s relationship with the leadership of the Solomon Islands was already beginning to decline by then, despite the longstanding partnership we had previously established with them and our naval presence in the region. But China has been pushing hard to disrupt America’s ties to the Indo-Pacific region and they have been courting the Solomon Islands as part of their bid to control the Pacific. Not even a month ago, China was structuring a bid to purchase a deepwater port in the islands, clearly planning to develop their own naval military presence there under the guise of looking for some new forestry lands. Now, in the clearest signal yet of how badly the situation has deteriorated, the Solomon Islands has refused a routine request by a US Coast Guard vessel to dock for refueling. And they said that any future requests will need to be “reviewed” in advance. (Bloomberg)
The US government said it’s disappointed by the Solomon Islands’ decision to ignore a “routine” request by a coast guard vessel to dock, as relations continue to deteriorate between Washington and the Pacific nation.
A US Coast Guard cutter received no response from Solomon Islands authorities when it requested permission to stop and refuel at the Pacific nation on Aug. 23, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby confirmed on Monday.
The American embassy was informed that there is now a “moratorium” on visits by United States naval forces. A British naval vessel was similarly denied permission to dock. Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare is playing this off as some sort of procedural move while they “review” their policies and claims that the moratorium applies to naval vessels from all countries. But China doesn’t seem to be having any difficulties obtaining approvals. In fact, they still have a delegation on the island reviewing the potential deep water port purchase.
How did we let this relationship deteriorate so quickly and to such likely catastrophic results? The Solomon Islands have been registering complaints about our relationship for a while now. Has nobody from the White House or the State Department conducted any serious outreach to see what we might have been able to offer them to patch things up? The Solomon Islands are located in a very strategically important part of the Pacific and China has made no secret of the fact that they want to be the dominant naval force in that region. They also want to see America locked out.
It may simply be too late to salvage this relationship. If our former allies in the Pacific see us as weak partners and fear the might of China if they don’t play ball, of course they will side with Beijing. Losing the ability to conveniently dock and refuel our ships is only the tip of the iceberg here.
This isn’t the only Indo-Pacific nation where America’s partnerships are on the rocks. We still haven’t sorted out the mess we have with the Marshall Islands. They have been asking for more help in cleaning up their waters and eliminating nuclear waste from American weapons testing in the 50s. It’s not an unreasonable request, but they definitely feel ignored by the current administration in Washington. Perhaps we can reach out a helping hand and salvage the relationship now that the Marshall Islands has suffered its first massive outbreak of COVID. Or maybe we’ll just lose them to China also.
When the Chinese Communist Party is finished with them they won’t even have an island to stand on
The Democrat Party is the most destructive force upon the American republic in history. That is not hyperbole.
How did we let this relationship deteriorate so quickly and to such likely catastrophic results?
Afghanistan was Joe Biden’s Suez Canal moment. All the while the WH claim8ng they ‘restored’ international ties. Sheer arrogance.
I recall history records a significant number of Americans paying significant sacrifices in dead and wounded categories to free the Solomon Islands in the 1940’s. Our national leadership is comprised of fools.
Guadalcanal and Tarawa do the Chinese have Truk, Rabaul or Midway yet?
So said to read about the Chinese running wild in the Pacific.
Real simple.
We have ignored what matters, and elevated every bullshit idiotic idea and theory to the highest importance.
Our leaders lead the way at LGBTQIA parades. They live stream their presence on FB while on the government clock... Meanwhile crickets in the Solomon islands. Our leaders have picture opportunities at green power sites, solar or wind, they give speeches about climate change, make sure to go to an electric vehicle plant and have their picture taken there, they attend summits on such make belief threats while the real issue go ignored.
Every government organization celebrates every special emphasis group imaginable, on the government clock, they conduct training, send out emails, have guest speakers... But if the Russians actually tell us by name that those two brothers from Chechnya are assholes and might start some shit, they’ll miss that.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-explosions-boston-congress-idUSBREA2P02Q20140326
But the FBI is 99% mandatory vaccine compliant and has an equity plan as well as having a special emphasis on minority recruiting!
I’m seeing that Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare will soon become the proud owner of some really nice homes and cars, after he signs some paperwork that will get the country into a Chinese Debt Trap
WWII veterans are older but survivors remember the Solomons and sacrifice. So now Chinese Communist imperialists want to grab them for money and intimidate Americans?
I get it. If I owned a gas station I wouldn’t let the presidential motorcade fuel up either
The battle to control this area resulted in Ironbottom Sound.
“Here we go. America has lost the Solomon Islands”
Expected - the US has TOTALLY LOST respect of the Third World, after allowing the Neocons to start the Ukraine War.
We went from 70% support at the UN, just after the invasion, to 30% support now.
We blew it.
The Butchers of Beijing already own most of Africa and now they’re working on Pacific islands. There’s no shortage of corrupt leaders of small,backward,nations who,when given some kind of offer similar to Central American narco terrorists “silver or lead”,respond “silver,please”.
China is willing to pay for what they want. As in paying off politicians and other people with “pull”.
They did quite a lot of that in the Philippines from 2016 on, but they werent able to get their way, exactly. Way too many people to buy. But elsewhere, its more practical.
Looking at it from elsewhere in the Pacific, this started with Obama. Here in the Philippines, doubts about American committment to the alliance most definitely began at that time. Duterte openly expressed it, and his Secretary of Defense wrote some think pieces along those lines. The country has to make nice with the PRC because when the s*** hits the fan the USN will not be coming to the rescue.
Thankfully the Philippine military was not on board - they are committed pro-Americans and they have a lot of independent influence, let us say. The people also generally despise the Chinese. This raises the risk of a “silent” coup should the government try to do a blatant sellout to the Chinese. A military coup will not work unless it is popular, and on this issue it will be.
“...the Philippine military was not on board - they are committed pro-Americans and they have a lot of independent influence, let us say. The people also generally despise the Chinese...”
That is very interesting. Thank you for that info.
“The country has to make nice with the PRC because when the s*** hits the fan the USN will not be coming to the rescue.”
Good point. But as far as coming to the rescue, they may be right about the US, considering how we’ve GUTTED our navy over the past 35 years, when we had 600 ships back then. Now we’re under 300 and trying to light off wars around the world.
So the US may well WANT to help the Philippines, but will we be able to?
(p.s., that’s why I’ve always supported Reagan’s approach, which was to build up the military BEFORE running around the world starting wars)
Is one of the US coasts near the Solomon Islands? What the he’ll is a US Coast Quard ship doing way the he’ll over there?
Because they have the biden regime on a leash.
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.