Being the world's only Super Power is a tough role to play. Everyone looks at you for leadership and lots of folks think you should be able to solve all the problems that exist between nations and people groups from here to Zimbabwe!
Japan and Taiwan have been our allies since the end of WWII. China has been a frosty relationship for a variety of reasons, the biggest one being Communism and the RED SCARE that truly terrified us for about 30+ years. So how are we going to referee the growing conflict between China and Japan? Is USA really going to be willing to go to war with China if shooting breaks out between China and Japan?
China has recently gone into the South China Sea and started making islands or adding onto existing rocks that jut out of the ocean. Then as soon as they have enough land created to put a flag on it they claim the "territory" for Mother China and also claim the sea territory for up to 200 miles around the little rock island.
So if we let them get away with that we are allowing a very dangerous precedent! But if we continue sailing our naval ships in the seas near the islands that China now claims, we risk having a confrontation and/or shooting war with China.
China's naval commander told his U.S. counterpart that a minor incident could spark war in the South China Sea if the United States did not stop its "provocative acts" in the disputed waterway, the Chinese navy said on Friday.
Admiral Wu Shengli made the comments to U.S. chief of naval operations Admiral John Richardson during a video teleconference on Thursday, according to a Chinese naval statement.
The two officers held talks after a U.S. warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of one of Beijing's man-made islands in the contested Spratly archipelago on Tuesday.
China has rebuked Washington over the patrol, the most significant U.S. challenge yet to territorial limits China effectively claims around its seven artificial islands in one of the world's busiest sea lanes.
"If the United States continues with these kinds of dangerous, provocative acts, there could well be a seriously pressing situation between frontline forces from both sides on the sea and in the air, or even a minor incident that sparks war," the statement paraphrased Wu as saying.
"(I) hope the U.S. side cherishes the good situation between the Chinese and U.S. navies that has not come easily and avoids these kinds of incidents from happening again," Wu said.
Speaking earlier, a U.S. official said the naval chiefs agreed to maintain dialogue and follow protocols to avoid clashes.
Scheduled port visits by U.S. and Chinese ships and planned visits to China by senior U.S. Navy officers remained on track, the official said.
"None of that is in jeopardy. Nothing has been canceled," said the official.
UNPLANNED ENCOUNTERS
Both officers agreed on the need to stick to protocols established under the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).
"They agreed that it's very important that both sides continue to use the protocols under the CUES agreement when they're operating close to keep the chances for misunderstanding and any kind of provocation from occurring," the U.S. official said.
Indeed, Wu said he believed the Chinese and U.S. navies had plenty of scope for cooperation and should both "play a positive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea".
A U.S. Navy spokesman stressed Washington's position that U.S. freedom of navigation operations were meant to "protect the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law".
Chinese warships followed the USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer, as it moved through the Spratlys on Tuesday. The U.S. Navy is operating in a maritime domain bristling with Chinese ships.
While the U.S. Navy is expected to keep its technological edge in Asia for decades, China's potential trump card is sheer weight of numbers, with dozens of naval and coastguard vessels routinely deployed in the South China Sea, security experts say.
Here; http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/30/us-southchinasea-usa-china-navy-idUSKCN0SO05320151030
So are we afraid of China or is China afraid of us?
There can be no doubt that America has a HUGE military advantage over China, BUT...is America really willing to use it? Have you noticed how the term, "boots on the ground" has been picked up by the media and used in questions to figure out whether America is getting involved in foreign places?
"So Secretary Carter, are you saying that America is now willing to put boots on the ground in Syria?"
Never mind that we have Air Force planes dropping bombs in Syria every day...that's not really considered "war" according to most of the media and many liberals. In their minds it's only war if we put 'boots on the ground' and start having our boys get shot at and come home in body bags.
WWII lost us hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Korea lost us thousands more. Viet Nam lost us thousands more. Iraq and Afghanistan cost us a few thousand and clearly that was too many for America and we surrendered our hard won gains in Iraq and now it appears to be falling to radical Muslims.
Do we really have the stomach for war anymore?
We could have the strongest military in the world but if we don't want to fight or we are scared to fight or if we are too bankrupt to fight....then lesser nations with lesser military capabilities will just walk in and take what they want.
For now America seems content to keep operating around the Chinese navy exerting their power and influence....but what if China gets sick of it and sinks one of our boats and kills dozens of sailors? Are we really willing to take on China over some rocks in the sea 8000 miles away? Do we have the stomach, desire or money to do such a thing?
I doubt it.
We watch China because we think they may get back into bed with Russia and there is already news suggesting China is going to play a part in Syria to keep Assad in power...and Russia is going to lead an END OF DAYS coalition against Israel.
Also we watch China because many watchers believe they are part of the KINGS OF THE EAST that are mentioned in Revelation.
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