Posted on 10/27/2015 10:29:02 AM PDT by lbryce
A U.S. guided-missile destroyer sailed close to one of China's man-made islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday, drawing an angry rebuke from Beijing, which said it had tracked and warned the ship and called in the U.S. ambassador to protest.
SNIP
Washington's move followed months of deliberation by the administration of President Barack Obama and could ratchet up tension in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and increase strains in U.S.-China relations.
A U.S. defense official said the Lassen also went within 12-mile limits of features in the disputed sea claimed by Vietnam and U.S. treaty ally, the Philippines. They said such "freedom-of-navigation" patrols were expected to become more frequent.
The U.S. destroyer sailed within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef, an artificial island built up by China in the past year.
A Chinese guided-missile destroyer and a naval patrol ship shadowed and gave warnings to the U.S. warship "according to law", China's Defense Ministry said. It said the military would take necessary steps to protect the country's security.
The U.S. patrol was a "coercive action that seeks to militarize the South China Sea region" and an "abuse" of freedom of navigation under international law, it added.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday confirmed the patrol. Carter, testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee, initially would only say the U.S. Navy had conducted operations in the South China Sea. But under questioning from lawmakers, he confirmed that the USS Lassen had passed within 12 miles of a Chinese artificial island.
"China will resolutely respond to any country's deliberate provocations," the ministry said in a statement that gave no details on precisely where the U.S. ship sailed.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Do the Braveheart thing and have the entire crew moon the Chinese ship.
Jeff, was this something out the ordinary for the Chinese response or was it at what you expect them to do?
Like the thief who gets pissed off at the cop eyeing his stolen goods.
Umm, why not? If the Chinese can do it, then so can we. What are they going to say if we build several dozen islands in concentric circles around Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, etc.? Heck, we could even make the inner circle part of some great island resort, with the outer circle being a defensive barrier...and have our mineral rights extend 200 miles from the outer circle. Again, what are they going to do about it?
Umm, why not? If the Chinese can do it, then so can we. What are they going to say if we build several dozen islands in concentric circles around Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, etc.? Heck, we could even make the inner circle part of some great island resort, with the outer circle being a defensive barrier...and have our mineral rights extend 200 miles from the outer circle. Again, what are they going to do about it?
Umm, why not? If the Chinese can do it, then so can we. What are they going to say if we build several dozen islands in concentric circles around Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, etc.? Heck, we could even make the inner circle part of some great island resort, with the outer circle being a defensive barrier...and have our mineral rights extend 200 miles from the outer circle. Again, what are they going to do about it?
Umm, why not? If the Chinese can do it, then so can we. What are they going to say if we build several dozen islands in concentric circles around Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, etc.? Heck, we could even make the inner circle part of some great island resort, with the outer circle being a defensive barrier...and have our mineral rights extend 200 miles from the outer circle. Again, what are they going to do about it?
Umm, why not? If the Chinese can do it, then so can we. What are they going to say if we build several dozen islands in concentric circles around Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, etc.? Heck, we could even make the inner circle part of some great island resort, with the outer circle being a defensive barrier...and have our mineral rights extend 200 miles from the outer circle. Again, what are they going to do about it?
Sorry for the QUINTUPLE post.
BUT, when I hit post, I got the orange/red screen of death, with Google indicating the FR was infected with malware. Little did I know that each time I hit “post” that it actually would do so (in the “malware” environment).
I’d say that Google needs to remove this stuff PRONTO, or face a lawsuit...but I don’t own FR.
No...not out of the ordinary.
They shadowed the vessel with their own newest destroyer, the Kunming, a Type 052D destroyer, which comes closest to the Lassen’s capability.
They have three of these new DDGs and are going to build 12-15 more.
We have 62 vessels like the Lassen.
Look, we announced this mission 24 hours before we did it. We announced which ship, and where. The Chinese knew we were coming and had a vessel already there to shadow ours.
I believe this was done to avoid in miscalculation.
Despite the differences over this 12 mile issue, nobody wants a war over it.
The Chinese are simply nor ready to confront us in any major way...but they are building hell bent for leather to try and get there. In the next 10-15 years, unless we really start pouring on the coal ourselves...then may be there.
As it is...we punctuated our FON claims, and they protested...and now we move on. I expect similar future exercises with about the same results unless somebody makes a stupid mistake.
Jeez you’ve had this prob all day . Why don’t you get it fixed, You got some kinda crud on your HD.
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