[A Navy Vet]

I wouldn't weep just yet. Although I believe we should have maintained ownership of the Panama Canal since we built it, don't think for a moment the ChiComs control access to it. You can bet the CIA is down there to prevent sabotage, and our military would simply commandeer it if became neccessary.

[adam_az]

"and our military would simply commandeer it if became neccessary."

And most importantly, china has BUPKES (yiddish word meaning nothing or none) for heavy lift capability.

[El Gato]

You can bet the CIA is down there to prevent sabotage

You have more confidence in the CIA than most, but even if they were very competant indeed, sabatage would still be difficult to prevent entirely. I'd prefer roving patrols of Marines or Army Light fighters, which would at least keep anyone from moving anything very large into proximity to the locks and other hard to replace and catostrophic if damaged, facilities.