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AP Exclusive: US admiral says China fully militarized isles
AP ^ | March 20, 2022 | JIM GOMEZ and AARON FAVILA

Posted on 03/20/2022 8:01:08 AM PDT by McGruff

China has fully militarized at least three of several islands it built in the disputed South China Sea, arming them with anti-ship and anti-aircraft missile systems, laser and jamming equipment and fighter jets in an increasingly aggressive move that threatens all nations operating nearby, a top U.S. military commander said Sunday.

U.S. Indo-Pacific commander Adm. John C. Aquilino said the hostile actions were in stark contrast to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s past assurances that Beijing would not transform the artificial islands in contested waters into military bases. The efforts were part of China’s flexing its military muscle, he said.

“I think over the past 20 years we’ve witnessed the largest military buildup since World War II by the PRC,” Aquilino told The Associated Press

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 03/20/2022 8:01:08 AM PDT by McGruff
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To: McGruff

But they promised Obama they would not militarize the illegal islands they stole.


2 posted on 03/20/2022 8:03:21 AM PDT by rbmillerjr (Defeating China is impossible without understanding that Russia is our enemy)
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To: McGruff

Quick. More diversity training STAT! New meaning to seamanship.


3 posted on 03/20/2022 8:04:13 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this? 😕)
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To: rbmillerjr
But they promised Obama they would not militarize the illegal islands they stole.

That traitorous commie piece of excrement probably gave them the money to build those islands!

4 posted on 03/20/2022 8:05:19 AM PDT by EinNYC
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To: McGruff

And how did they finance it?

Anyone willing to hold up a hand and confess they had their
head up their a$$ when they advocated for this traitorous
trade with China?


5 posted on 03/20/2022 8:06:11 AM PDT by DoughtyOne (I pledge allegiance to the flag of the U S of A, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands.)
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To: McGruff
Send in the Neocons!


6 posted on 03/20/2022 8:06:16 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
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To: McGruff

If the US were actually engaged and led by a determined, competent President, how many cruise missiles would be needed to eliminate those bases as a threat?


7 posted on 03/20/2022 8:15:32 AM PDT by allendale
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To: everyone

I'm afraid he's right.

8 posted on 03/20/2022 8:15:52 AM PDT by McGruff (It's America First, stupid.)
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To: McGruff

Thanks, Nixon for opening the door.

Thanks, Clinton for selling us out for a few bucks to your care.


9 posted on 03/20/2022 8:17:04 AM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: McGruff

What a surprise..//Sarc//


10 posted on 03/20/2022 8:20:02 AM PDT by silent majority rising ( )
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To: allendale

“how many cruise missiles would be needed to eliminate those bases as a threat?”

If war breaks out, it would be handled as part of a sustained air attack. They are built up fairly well with anti air and anti ship. I’d say it would take about 3 to 5 days to make them unusable, depending on priority and intensity.


11 posted on 03/20/2022 8:21:43 AM PDT by rbmillerjr (Defeating China is impossible without understanding that Russia is our enemy)
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To: McGruff

Yep. The Chinese mean to control the principal shipping routes to Taiwan, Korea and Japan. The area between South China and Luzon-Palawan is a choke point. This is a geo-strategic move.


12 posted on 03/20/2022 8:24:42 AM PDT by buwaya
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To: McGruff

“Targets”.


13 posted on 03/20/2022 8:30:53 AM PDT by Uncle Miltie (None )
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To: DoughtyOne

I remember it well. One of the times you almost read about me in the papers!! I argued relentlessly with peers over this! And the line that made almost took me over the edge!? ...”Man we have to open trade with them to boost their economies so they can start buying from us!”

Before GATT was passed my contention was always once they got ahold of our manufacturing ability, they wont need anything from us!!

In construction, every time I buy a box of screws(or anything else) that say Made in China it just chaps my ass!!


14 posted on 03/20/2022 8:31:45 AM PDT by sit-rep ( )
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To: McGruff

Jane Fonda will no doubt be there for photo-ops.


15 posted on 03/20/2022 8:33:21 AM PDT by Huskrrrr (Alinsky, you magnificent Bastard, I read your book!)
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To: rbmillerjr

The answer long ago is that we should have never called these man made based “islands”. They are no more islands than an oil rig is an island.

Way back we should have forcefully told them that no matter what artificially constructed “island” they built, we would regard them as man made structures carrying zero territorial rights and enforced it.

One way of enforcing it would be to escort fishing fleets into the area, or help the Vietnamese and Philippines build oil rigs nearby. Nobody in DC seems to be able to say that. They keep calling them islands and debating the territory around them. It would be like US dropping anchor on a helicopter carrier and calling it an “island”.

But for all their puffery, DC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Communist China.


16 posted on 03/20/2022 8:34:28 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: McGruff

Just generate a wave at sufficient distance to sweep over the island an wash their crap into the sea - rinse repeat as necessary.


17 posted on 03/20/2022 8:55:12 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: Uncle Miltie

Those islands would literally be vaporize in an opening salvo of cruise missiles. They are more vulnerable than aircraft carriers. But like aircraft carriers, the islands have their uses short of a full-up war with a peer power.


18 posted on 03/20/2022 9:00:59 AM PDT by Tallguy
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To: Rurudyne

I am not a fan of Nixon—but the original plan was to tie China’s economy to ours to increase the wealth of both countries—one hoped for side effect was that a strong Chinese middle class might make the Chinese political system democratic and lead to strong positive relations between the two countries.

We know now that the plan just made China stronger and the US weaker—but hindsight is 20-20—I believe Nixon made an honest error.


19 posted on 03/20/2022 9:05:39 AM PDT by cgbg (A kleptocracy--if they can keep it. Think of it as the Cantillon Effect in action.)
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To: cgbg

“one hoped for side effect was that a strong Chinese middle class might make the Chinese political system democratic and lead to strong positive relations between the two countries.”

Every parent knows what happens if there is a troublemaking kid on the block, and your honor student who goes to church and stays out of trouble hangs out with him. The troublemaker doesn’t suddenly get good grades and stop causing problems. You good kid gets dragged down.

Nixon was an idiot for believing that. Put your kid in a car with a hood rat and send them on a road trip. The ghetto kid won’t come out speaking properly. Your kid will come out speaking ebonics.

It has always been thus, and will always be such.


20 posted on 03/20/2022 9:13:34 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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