Posted on 09/17/2012 8:56:52 AM PDT by AmonAmarth
(CNSNews.com) – Exchanging warnings but avoiding confrontations thus far, Chinese and Japanese ships have come within less than half a nautical mile of each other in an ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of contested islands.
Amid deepening tensions in a long-running saga over the uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Sunday about the possibility of war between the two Asian countries.
“What we don't want is to have any kind of provocative behavior on the part of China or anybody else result in conflict,” he told reporters accompanying him on a trip that includes stops in Japan, China and New Zealand.
“My purpose will be to urge that they engage in the effort by the Asian nations to try to work out a format for resolving these issues,” he added, referring to a code of conduct developed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in a bid to manage unconnected territorial disputes between China and ASEAN members in the South China Sea.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
These islands are, literally, nothing more than rocks breaking the surface of the East China Sea. The problem here is that if something starts between China and Japan, the US is legally obligated, under Treaty, to defend Japan. So the question is this: if something begins will the US defend its greatest Asian ally or throw them under the bus as well, for a few rocks?
American weakness in the world makes for good news cycles.
Instead of warning of war, Panetta should be keeping quiet while our Secretary of State warns China of our intent to use any means necessary to support our ally Japan. But then when you have zero leadership in the Executive branch, allies like Japan, Poland, Egypt, Iraq, and the Czech Republic are screwed.
China has numerical superiority in a simple-minded “bean count” way, yes.
The same way Iraq had numerical superiority in troops, artillery pieces, etc. over the Coalition in Desert Storm.
The Chinese Navy is basically helpless at ASW; just the (very quiet and very deadly) submarines of the JMSDF alone could run riot sinking every Chinese vessel at sea, if they wanted to.
The Japanese are much better trained, and overall have a higher level of technology (especially proven technology.)
Uninhabited but acc to Wiki.:
>>After it was discovered in 1968 that oil reserves might be found under the sea near the islands...
china still has thermonuclear weapons and can deliver them.
japan has none that we know of and also has no delivery
means even if it did. they would be depending on uncle sugar’s nuclear deterrent.
True, Japan’s Self Defense program is more than most people realize. But this is not your grandfather’s Japan. And I think their navy fleet is minimal in comparison to China (but I haven’t actually seen the comparison), not to mention the size of the armies. Plus, don’t forget that Japan has no nuclear weapons. Any military confrontation with China will require US involvement. And don’t think for a second that China doesn’t know it. This ongoing argument over those islands is just a way for China to see how much it can push the current WH until it pushes back, i.e. seeing if there really are no ‘red lines’ for Obamao.
Oh, they are a great deal more than that.
China has been landing civilians & infrastructure on many little islands for a thousand miles.
The strategy is then to defend them - which they are already doing in some cases - and then claim maritime exclusion areas around "their" territories.
They are not just a bunch of jerks landing willy nilly on a few rocks.
They are pursueing a cogent strategy here, and one with long term economic & military implications
Just did some quickie research comparison on Japanese Navy v. Red China - Chicoms have numbers (obviously) but would get thier heads handed to them by (much) superior Japanese equipment (and training).
Japan also has edge in aircraft (quality v. qty).
AND, some how, some way, OBozo and his DC circus will make this to be 'Bush's Fault!'
I would think that all those rich Chinese wouldn’t like to see a smoking hole where their factory once stood. Back to the fields, comrades!
Sure it is if you put them on troop carriers and those carriers are sunk with a couple of torpedoes or laser guided bombs.
I’be been on some of the JDSFs ships - they are primo and the crews are sharp in all aspects of naval warfare. They can fight a ship with the same tech as our own every bit as well if not better. They are even better now from a technology perspective then when I was onboard.
(though I do admit to wargaming them and a number of my sisterships into a slaughter that my team and I devised and executed to perfection with a few phillipine ships - stealth, radio silence, and one poor patrol boat sacrifice 40* and 100nm away was the key ... ah the early 90s good times)
Got that half right.
Were I Panetta - or any one else in this administration for that matter - I would keep my mouth shut unless we want more Americans mobbed, raped, murdered, and dragged through the public streets without fear of any retribution whatsoever.
‘Comrades!’ cried an eager youthful voice. ‘Attention, comrades! We have glorious news for you.
All over our Fatherland this morning there were irrepressible spontaneous demonstrations when workers marched out of factories and offices and paraded through the streets with banners voicing their gratitude to the Great Helmsman for the new, happy life which his wise leadership has bestowed upon us.’
Jay Carney
Japan imports 90% of its oil. I’m sure any strategic reserves would be hit first and they would be hard pressed to continue air/sea operations for more than a couple of weeks. They would be easily blockaded and defeated without our intervention.
The US is deemed weak and all our allies are going to be attacked. Obammy’s plan to bring “racist America” down is producing it’s desired outcome.
Not where it counts. Most of the PLAN ships are small fast attack craft which would be sitting ducks in the open ocean.
In Fleet units the PLAN and the JMSDF have 10 ships of DDG size 6000tn+) or larger - But a Kongo is qualitatively better than a Type52C.
Smaller DD/FF ships the PLAN has 63 - two thirds light frigates less than 3000 tons, the JMSDF 38 - but 83% over 3000tons.
Under the waves the PLAN may have numerical superiority with 40 SSN/SSK (up to 10 steamers) to the JMSDF 18 SSK but as Strategerist pointed out, the JMSDF has been practising ASW for the last 50 years, One presumes they are fairly good at it by now,
Cut defense spending.
October could be interesting indeed.
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