via CNBC News.
"This is a new dynamic," said a former Pentagon official familiar with the operation. "The message is, 'we know what you are doing, your actions will have consequences and that we have the capacity and the will and we are here'."Anytime you have warships in close proximity...hell any weapons of war....you face the issue of a miscalculation, or the interpretation of a mistake being seen as an act of war.
More extensive use of surveillance aircraft in the region could be coupled with a greater willingness to publicise images or videos of Chinese maritime activity. Some US officials believe the Chinese might be given pause for thought if images of their vessels harassing Vietnamese of Filipino fisherman were to be broadcast.
The US military's Hawaii-based Pacific command has also been asked to co-ordinate the development of a regional system of maritime information, which would allow governments in the western Pacific detailed information about the location of vessels in the region. Several governments say they have been caught unawares by the surprise appearance of Chinese ships.
The US has supplied the Philippines, Japan and other countries in the region with improved radar equipment and other monitoring systems and is now looking for ways to build this information into a broader regional network that shares the data.
The Pentagon has also been working on plans for calculated shows of force, such as the flight of B-52s over the East China Sea last year after China declared an exclusive air defence zone over the area. The potential options involve sending naval vessels close to disputed areas.
I don't know of a better way to handle the Chinese but it might be less risky to simply reverse the defense cuts that are underway.
As things currently stand, "this business will get out of control and we'll be lucky to live through it".
Pardon my ignorance...but what movie is that scene from?
ReplyDeleteAside from that, you are correct. When I was with the 31st MEU, Chinese spy ships would shadow us all the time. They were caught, at anchor, amoung the rocky unihabited islands in the Keramas (just off Okinawa) just listening in to our unsecured comms. North Korean shipping is extremely provocative toward US Navy shipping.
China is still burning from Pres Clintons decision to send two carrier battle groups through the Taiwan straight when swords were rattling again. The entire military establishment on Okinawa was sitting on pins and needles and packing up when that took place. The outcome could possible be different if that were tried today.
17 years ago, I was contemplating a lateral move to the Intel field. During my initial interview I was asked where potential hospots were in the western Pacific. I pointed to the Spratlys and the Japanese islands just north of Taiwan.
that's from the movie "The Hunt for Red October" the late, great Tom Clancy's finest novel!
Deletewhat worries me most is that from my arm chair it really looks like we have a bunch of amateurs at the wheel. we've reached a point where optics are more important than the actual work...or policy.
we are living in interesting and dangerous times. a resurgent China vs. a hesitant, vacillating, weakened (by out own hand) US? i'm always going to bet on America but our leadership is making the bet smaller than it should be.
I doubt that the situation will get out of control in the South China Sea. US naval leaders from the top down have handled the situation wisely and prudently where the US has no national interests despite the rhetoric.
ReplyDeleteNoi national interests? I would beg to differ on that point. Taiwan...I have really never understood why we have not come out and stated that Taiwan is its own country. We pretty much treat them that way already. Maybe because they are not ready to stand up and proclaim that themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe Senaku Islands..belong to the Japanese, our best ally in the region. China makes a play and we stand by? China has even made statements that Okinawa belongs to them since they paid tribute to thier country 300-400 years ago!
Why are we even playing with the Chinese on issues such as the Air Identification Zone they established the pretty much covers the entirity of the South China Sea? I know we sent B-52's through the area right after it was announced but since then?
Or their audacity of trying to say that their territorial seas encompass an area that is clearly 700 miles south of Hainan island and maybe 150 miles from the P.I.?
China plays in millenium...The U.S. plays by sound bite.
The Spratlys..
One day a flight of BUFFs will fly out in a show of force and get shot down, then what happens?
ReplyDeleteObama/Hillary which ever is POTUS will do what lie and say they crashed?
Ignore the action and move forward.
These idiots never think through their actions, like in Benghazi.
They think they are acting in a movie.