Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The South China Sea Could Be the Arena for the Next World War
https://nationalinterest.org ^ | January 2, 2021 | by Robert Farley

Posted on 01/02/2021 11:26:56 AM PST by RomanSoldier19

Accidental war is rare, but not impossible.

Here's What You Need to Remember: China and America don't trust each other and tensions are still a problem. With each vying to long-term dominance in the South China Sea, here are three ways things could go bad.

It’s easy to imagine an even more serious confrontation in the SCS. Another accidental collision would be bad enough, but if a scenario developed similar to that of the downing of KAL 007, with a Chinese fighter jock actually opening fire on an American plane, the situation could get ugly very quickly. And if an American pilot fired upon a Chinese plane, the reaction of the Chinese public could become too much for Beijing to reasonably handle.

Neither China nor the United States want war, at least not in the near future. China’s military buildup notwithstanding, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and its components are not ready to fight the United States. The U.S., for its part, would surely prefer to avoid the chaos and uncertainty that any military conflict with China would create.

Nevertheless, both China and the United States are making commitments in the South China Sea that each may find difficult to back away from. Over the past two weeks, these commitments have generated a war of words that analysts of the relationship have found troubling. The key problems focus on China’s efforts to expand (or create) islands in the Spratlys, which could theoretically provide the basis for claims to territorial waters. The insistence of the United States on freedom of navigation could bring these tensions to a boil. Here are three ways in which tensions in the South China Sea might lead to conflict.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ccp; ww3
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

1 posted on 01/02/2021 11:26:56 AM PST by RomanSoldier19
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

Wait a minute. I thought we’ve always been at war with Eastasia.


2 posted on 01/02/2021 11:30:03 AM PST by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, demonicRATS would have no standards at all.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

A whole lot of “room” in that could be.


3 posted on 01/02/2021 11:33:25 AM PST by taxcontrol (Stupid should hurt - Dad's wisdom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

Could be Iran/Israel region too.

Maybe even within the week.


4 posted on 01/02/2021 11:33:49 AM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: taxcontrol

It would be horrific.

Dozens of ships sunk. Thousands of lives lost.

All in matter of weeks. if not days.


5 posted on 01/02/2021 11:35:20 AM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

China is hurting domestically. Trump know how to do economic warfare with China. Stop purchasing their junk and the people in poverty form a revolution.


6 posted on 01/02/2021 11:36:08 AM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Texas Eagle

7 posted on 01/02/2021 11:38:50 AM PST by RomanSoldier19 (Game over, man! Game over! ; : rem ad triarios redisse is)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

I see Iran launching a nuke toward Israel. It will be intercepted, but Israel’s response will be devastating to Iran and Syria.


8 posted on 01/02/2021 11:38:53 AM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

...the downing of KAL 007,
with a Chinese fighter jock
actually opening fire on an American plane...”
-
Funny, I always thought that was the Rooskies.


9 posted on 01/02/2021 11:40:15 AM PST by Repeal The 17th (Get out of the matrix and get a real life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19
China just bought an American presidential election. They now own us.

A war is unnecessary.

That said, the next WW will start right here...in the streets.

10 posted on 01/02/2021 11:43:47 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

“With each vying to long-term dominance in the South China Sea...”

False premise. China clearly wants to dominate the SCS for resources and use as a defensive buffer. The USB wants right of passage guaranteed for everybody. If you are Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia or the Philippines you want the US engaged, but it appears that regular freedom of navigation exercises is about the most that will happen.


11 posted on 01/02/2021 11:46:20 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tallguy

USB = USB. (New phone, tight keyboard)


12 posted on 01/02/2021 11:48:29 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

Exactly!

China owns us. When they sent troops into Hong Kong and violently crush protesters....Biden will be silent.

When they create an “accident” so they can invade Taiwan, Facebook Twitter and the MSM will ignore the story and silence dissent.

Anyone speaking out against China will painted in the same light as the people who attacked Asians after the outbreak of the Wuhan virus.....yes, it didn’t happen, but the MSM sure made a story out of it to smear us.


13 posted on 01/02/2021 11:49:22 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (The Democratic Party is communism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Tallguy

USN


14 posted on 01/02/2021 11:49:24 AM PST by Tallguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Erik Latranyi
I wouldn't be surprised if all of a sudden there was a flood of Han Chinese immigrants into the U.S.

And illegal Mexican immigration plummeted to a slow drip.

15 posted on 01/02/2021 11:55:08 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Erik Latranyi

Or, even worse, anyone speaking out against China will simply disappear.


16 posted on 01/02/2021 11:57:04 AM PST by RoosterRedux
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: RoosterRedux

China does not want a war until their surrender monkey is in charge.


17 posted on 01/02/2021 11:59:18 AM PST by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Gone but not forgiven.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

I’ve long thought that the best way to win a SCS naval war is with Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUVs). China is doing it right now, but only with unarmed ones.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/china-deploying-en-masse-underwater-drones-in-indian-ocean-report-2345950

And while such drones are good, even essential, what we need is more like stationary pickets sitting on the sea floor and not looking like drones. I would call them “turtles”.

Irregularly shaped outer hulls that look like, and have the sonar profile of rocks. They just passively listen for a limited set of enemy surface ship or submarine audio profiles. When they hear one, they quietly flood then launch their weapon, a (new version of the) MK-48 torpedo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_48_torpedo

For surface ships, to increase its range, it should launch quietly, rising to almost the surface before it comes under power, its buoy correcting its horizontal angle of attack.


18 posted on 01/02/2021 12:13:58 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy ("All men and women were created by the, you know, you know, the thing." -- Joe Biden 3/3/20)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RomanSoldier19

Think Covid 19 and election fraud 2020! China has already started the war.


19 posted on 01/02/2021 12:14:35 PM PST by drypowder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tired&retired

According to Scripture, Damascus will be so destroyed that it will never again be inhabitable.


20 posted on 01/02/2021 12:17:25 PM PST by drypowder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-42 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson