In the middle of his insane ramblings and tweets, Trump did something that even a total political novice would have thought twice about doing---he called Taiwan---and in doing so, he called Taiwan a sovereign power, a real country, our ally, a country he plans to get to know a lot better. A country whose territorial holdings include some prime territorial waters. Waters that just happen to be in the oil and gas rich South China Sea. Or so, Taiwan claims. It depends upon whether you call Itu Aba a rock or an island. If you call it an island then Taiwan owns 200 nautical miles of the South China Sea.
thediplomat.com/...
We are so used to fighting Middle East wars for oil, it is easy to forget that we once fought a Southeast Asian War for oil. Now that Trump has drawn the nation’s attention to Asia—and Fox News has drawn our attention to China with this bit of speculative and highly inflammatory fluff:
China flies nuclear-capable bomber in South China Sea after Trump Taiwan call, US officials say
www.foxnews.com/...
We are just a hop, skip and a jump from fulfilling a prophecy that was made last year on the World Socialist Website.
www.wsws.org/...
Is the US planning a “Gulf of Tonkin” incident in the South China Sea?
Now that is an inflammatory headline. Too bad too few Americans read what the Socialists have to say.
Over the past year, Washington has abandoned its pretence of neutrality in the maritime disputes. It has aggressively challenged the legitimacy of China’s claims and thus its administration of various shoals and reefs. Ignoring similar activities by other claimants, such as the Philippines and Vietnam, the US has portrayed land reclamation in the South China Sea as an aggressive threat to US national interests. In late March, Admiral Harry Harris, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, denounced China’s actions as the construction of “a great wall of sand.”
From words, the US is turning to actions. As part of the “pivot” to Asia, the Pentagon is already engaged in a massive military build-up and strengthening of alliances and strategic partnerships throughout Asia directed against China. One of the latest warships, the USS Fort Worth, has just completed a week-long “freedom of navigation” patrol in the South China Sea designed to test and challenge China’s presence.
While the USS Fort Worth remained outside China’s claimed territorial waters, US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter has called on the Pentagon to draw up plans for US warships and warplanes to enter the 12-mile limit and directly challenge Chinese sovereignty. Undoubtedly behind the scenes, far more detailed war plans have been drawn up.
Nothing much happened last year. But this year, shortly before the election, Ashton Carter got inflammatory again. This time in a really big CNN headline. I kid you not. The words cover half the screen.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter: US to ‘Sharpen military edge’ in Asia
www.cnn.com/…
In a post on his Facebook page Carter called the region "the most consequential region for America's future" and said that a strong US military presence there was of "fundamental strategic importance to our country."
Strategic importance for America’s future. Where have we heard that kind of rhetoric before? Oh yes. The Project for a New American Century.
Now, all we need is for Sy Hersh to tell us when and how the United States plans to jump start a war in the South China Sea. He was absolutely correct back in 2002, when he said that the Bush Administration was planning to use 9-11 as a pretext to invade Iraq. It was July. I wrote a letter to my local newspaper about what a stupid idea that was. A handful of other people wrote to their local papers about what a stupid idea it was. By next spring, our troops were on their way to Baghdad. Proving that forewarned does not accomplish anything except give you more time to gnash your teeth in frustration.
The really scary part is that most of this change in posturing has occurred under Obama. However, that is all that it has been---posturing. And there is a big difference between tough talk and sending your boy off to die in another war in Southeast Asia.
I hope all of Trump’s talk---and tweets—are just that. But even if they are all hot air and electrons, they are pretty inflammatory, coming from the next President Select.
Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into..
their country (the U.S. doesn’t tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don’t think so!
thediplomat.com/…
Altogether now. “And it’s one two three what are we fighting for? I don’t give a damn! Next stop is---”
The South China Sea?
Of course, it isn’t over until the fat lady sings—or Putin tell us what is best for Russia. Putin has been all lovely dovey with China this year. According to Putin, Russia respects China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea. Putin wants to see nothing but tranquility and kumbaya in the contested waters.
news.xinhuanet.com/...
"President Putin's position shows Russia to be objective and fair, and represents the voices of justice from the international community," spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference.
Oh, how I would love to believe that Trump’s BFF in Russia has only the world—and China’s—best interest at heart. That he has been watching the “War Hawks” Clinton and Obama and determined that the Socialists are right, Hillary planned to send ships to Southeast Asia on day two of her administration, and that Putin intervened in the selection to protect China (his BFF) and the US (his other BFFs) from yet another war for oil. And China looked the other way during the hack (they couldn’t have been unaware that it was going on) because they trusted Putin to have their best interest at heart.
Just one problem with this scenario. Russia is suffering because oil and gas prices are too low. China and the Philippines are now making nice---planning to develop yet another boundless source of fossil fuel that will decrease the demands for Russian and US and Middle East fossil fuel.
www.cnbc.com/…
Meaning if China is allowed to exploit the energy resources of the South China Sea in peace and quiet, Russia and Putin will face some lean times.
Which begs the question, is Putin saying “Yeah” from one side of his mouth and “Nay” with the other? Will he encourage the U.S. to bear the brunt of lost lives, massive debt and international criticism that will come if we start yet another war in Southeast Asia? While Russia and Putin stay in the background, quietly making a fortune selling China fuel and maybe some weapons?
Are we being suckered into a suckers war by a country that has learned better than to fight its own Afghanistans?