Posted on 09/03/2024 1:03:08 PM PDT by Retain Mike
A resupply mission to the Philippine Coast Guard’s flagship stationed at a contested South China Sea feature was blocked by 40 Chinese vessels in the latest incident around Escoda Shoal, according to Manila.
Two Philippine Coast Guard 44-meter-long patrol boats, BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and BRP Cape Engaño (MRRV-4411), approached Escoda to resupply agency flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) on Monday morning. The vessels carried food, supplies, a contingent of journalists and a “special ice cream treat” from Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan for Teresa Magbanua’s crew to celebrate National Heroes’ Day. Stationed at Escoda since April, the Japanese-made multi-mission response vessel has been in a months-long standoff against ships from the China Coast Guard, People’s Liberation Army Navy and China Maritime Militia.
Large Chinese warships, such as a Type 075 flattop and Type 071 amphib, have also been spotted operating at Escoda in June.
Manila previously cited concerns about Chinese land reclamation, akin to projects conducted at Mischief and Subi Reefs that resulted in military bases, for the flagship’s “extended patrol” to the disputed feature.
The blockade consisted of three warships, six cutters and 31 maritime militia vessels, according to a release on the encounter by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea. Video released by the Philippines depicts Cabra and Cape Engaño surrounded and outmaneuvered by the swarm of Chinese ships in what was described as an “excessive force” by Manila.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...
Duterte was pretty close to being a. Chicom puppet if he wasn’t full on puppet.
Call their bluff, the Navy’ 7th fleet is based in Yokosuka Japan, dispatch a cruiser and a couple of destroyers and some carrier fighters to run the blockade. It’s high time Japan becomes a naval power again,
He announced massive Chinese investment that never materialized. He was double-crossed by the Chinese, as some see it.
Yes, there is more wrong. Duterte finished his 6-year term, and wasn’t “kicked out”. His daughter was elected vice-President.
The bases, as they were, would be useless today. They are too close to China to serve as logistics/shipyard/rear area support, as they were then. They would just be massive targets for Chinese missiles and fighter bombers.
The current bases treaty gives the US carte blanche to deploy its forces anywhere in the country, essentially using the whole for fighting positions for mobile radar and missiles, tactical airstrips and the like. The key is dispersal and mobility. The Philippines is, these days, front line, not a rear area.
To add to the complication
- Clark AFB turned into the Clark airport complex, which is huge, and very busy. It is the Philippines airfreight hub, a massive business.
- Subic shipyard was expanded into https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agila_Subic_Shipyard
A global scale shipyard, it was offline after Covid and the financial troubles of its Korean owner, Hanjin.
Subic facilities are open and have been used by US forces under the current basing agreement.
As I see it we could mine the Taiwan Strait. Is there such a thing as smart mines? Just a thought. They wouldn’t have to be armed as long as the Chicoms think they are. It’s similar to Gorbachev thinking SDI was operational when he met Reagan at Reykjavik-the movie scene.
Speaking of Reykjavik the movie depicted George Schultz wanted Reagan to be willing to give up on SDI as well as being against the take down this wall statement.
I do remember the press conference when Reykjavik failed. Schultz was on camera saying he was proud of Reagan. I’m sure many of you remember. Correct me please.
Anyone remember Bruce Babbitt? Az. Gov.-wannabe POTUS. At a 1988 debate he put down Reagan for the’ missed opportunity’ at Reykjavik. Showed how naive the left was after saying SDI couldn’t work. This was 10 years after Jimmy Carter tried to get into the good graces of the Soviets by putting a stop to the neutron bomb-didn’t buy us anything.-a ‘reset’? Reagan put Pershing missiles in Germany AFTER the Russians put all those bombers to threaten NATO. The German left had the biggest problem with it just like our left.
Trump took out Solimani and dropped a MAOB somewhere. The message was sent and understood.
“Is there such a thing as smart mines?”
Yes. And more. Not much is available open source as submarine stuff is on another level of secrecy.
The last open source weapon is from the 1980s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_60_CAPTOR
f China, it’s not their sea !
There’s a hell of a lot more legitimacy for active kinetic here than in none of our business Ukraine.
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