Posted on 10/15/2015 11:47:35 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
A newly contentious phase appears to be under way in the South China Sea, where China has made expansive territorial claims, after the head of US naval operations said today in Tokyo that US vessels are free to travel “wherever international law allows."
Echoing earlier remarks by US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, John Richardson, the US chief of naval operations, stated that, "It should not come as a surprise to anybody that we will exercise freedom of navigation wherever international law allows.” He added that "I don't see how this can be interpreted as provocative."
A Chinese spokesman responded by implying that islands China has recently constructed in the South China Sea are its territory, and that the US military should not violate Chinese sovereignty “in the name of freedom of navigation,” reports Reuters.
“China absolutely must not permit the U.S. side's warships and planes to behave unscrupulously near islands and reefs,” stated a comment in China’s Global Times newspaper, adding that such behavior would warrant a “counterattack.”
China claims a 12-mile exclusion zone around the islands that it has constructed in the South China Sea, which is a major transit route. By sending US vessels within this radius, the Pentagon would be rebutting this claim. . .
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
0dunga has allowed China to build these islands so he must approve of them.
This will be a nice game of General Tso Chicken.
Is Barry willing to lose a ship?
Is Xi really willing to lose all of his ships?
Were the islands discussed on Sports Center? If not, he may not know about them.
They don’t need to lose any ships. Don’t you think that over the last five years of development in the Spratlys they might have an integrated defence network of sensors/radar and mobile and fixed anti-ship missile launch platforms on those islands? Why do you suppose they have they been buying all the Kilo, Song and Yuan class diesel-electric subs and outfitting them with anti-ship cruise missiles, and not building carriers or nukes? They don’t need to project power across the Pacific, just expand and defend.
Just wait until a typhoon hits the island.
But in our defense, those islands are between South Vietnam and the Philippines. China is way to the north.
I understand their logic, but I think you will see an uprising in the US if we are attacked and do not respond.
It was bad enough when GW wussed out over the aircraft that was forced down.
Open navigation of sea lanes is a big deal. And not one we can just allow to be taken from all countries.
But not a peep from the Chinese government on what they will do about it with a Battle Group cruises within 3 miles, radiating fire control radar in all directions.
Because they won't do jack.
And not something the USN will cede to China, or Obama.
Russia in Syria for the same reason.
Iran now building nukes without any fear of retaliation due to the nuke deal.
Try explaining this to a 25 year old.
I was just discussing this with my daughter and her friends. They were not getting it. Then my Son in law came in. He a maritime academy grad. He, thankfully, brought them up to speed.
The LIVs are not going to understand this.
They don't get it because they were raised by anti-American Communists in the education establishments.
All we can do is try and hope.
70% of the population are sissies and punks; I don’t think there would be an uprising, in fact I think they would use the standard bullying tactics to try to silence those who would. The media would present the Chinese perspective; US military incursion on their soverign territorial waters. If Pearl Harbor occurred today, they would be protesting in the streets and blaming us for not letting the Japs have access to oil. Only conservatives seem to understand that America has a right and duty to defend her own interests, but we are a minority.
Hey sailor boy,
Under this disgraceful magic mookabooking negro you ain’t gonna do squat cept be and outreach device to mooselimbs, just like N.A.S.A.
Putz
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