Article

2020-07-19 China-Japan-Koreas

Pat Buchanan: 'Is America Up for a Naval War with China?'

[UNZ] Is the U.S., preoccupied with a pandemic and a depression that medical crisis created, prepared for a collision with China over Beijing’s claims to the rocks, reefs and resources of the South China Sea?

For that is what Mike Pompeo appeared to threaten this week.

"The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire," thundered the secretary of state.

"America stands with our Southeast Asian allies and partners in protecting their sovereign rights to offshore resources ... and (we) reject any push to impose ’might makes right’ in the South China Sea."

Thus did Pompeo put Beijing on notice that the U.S. does not recognize its claim to 90% of the South China Sea or to any exclusive Chinese right to its fishing grounds or oil and gas resources.

Rather, in a policy shift, the U.S. now recognizes the rival claims of Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.

To signal the seriousness of Pompeo’s stand, the U.S. sent the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz carrier battle groups through the South China Sea. And, this week, the guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson sailed close by the Spratly Islands.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-07-19 07:52|| || Front Page|| [6 views ] Top

#1 Looking at our ships burning in port and collision disasters at sea with Obama and Clinton era officers I would need to say that the Navy is not up for a Naval War.

Posted by 3dc 2020-07-19 08:55|| 2020-07-19 08:55|| Front Page Top

#2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehime_Maru_and_USS_Greeneville_collision

The Greenville incident where a US sub surfaced under a fishing ship was back in 2001. The Navy has had problems with basic navying for some time now. The whiz-bang stuff won't matter if you can't drive ships around.

Posted by SteveS 2020-07-19 10:18|| 2020-07-19 10:18|| Front Page Top

#3 Yea, but maybe China is even worse off. I mean, we all had Chinese products that don't work - why assume their military industries are any different.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-07-19 10:21|| 2020-07-19 10:21|| Front Page Top

#4 Does the Chinese navy worry about strawberries?

Posted by Clem 2020-07-19 10:23|| 2020-07-19 10:23|| Front Page Top

#5 ^That was pure evil.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-07-19 10:24|| 2020-07-19 10:24|| Front Page Top

#6 No, and naval war is a stupid idea from the last generation. As dumb as imagining the Chinese army will be boated to California.

Another 'paid-for-print' agitator.

PLEASE discuss the not-so-subtle infiltration and outsourcing of our economy.

Posted by Skidmark 2020-07-19 10:29|| 2020-07-19 10:29|| Front Page Top

#7 At least he's not blaming The Juice...this time

Posted by Frank G 2020-07-19 11:03|| 2020-07-19 11:03|| Front Page Top

#8 With the current leadership? Nnnh...

Posted by charger 2020-07-19 13:17|| 2020-07-19 13:17|| Front Page Top

#9 Better question: Will the Chinese be able to import the vast quantities of commodities to keep it's economy functioning?

Answer: No.

Posted by Cromoth Sheatch5463 2020-07-19 15:05|| 2020-07-19 15:05|| Front Page Top

#10 ...The Chinese have a hole they can't cover - only 30 minesweepers to our 11 (with two more in reserve) but they got a heck of a lot more to cover than we do. And we've got subs and aircraft that can mine wide swaths of ocean - they don't have the same capability. Keep in mind too that all we have to do is mine one area and have ONE merchie sent to the bottom, and they will have to assume that they're all mined. At that point things get interesting...

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2020-07-19 15:47|| 2020-07-19 15:47|| Front Page Top

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