Patrolling the hood from (China) sea to shining sea

[unhappycamper]

http://atimes.com/2015/05/patrolling-the-hood-from-china-sea-to-shining-sea/

Patrolling the hood from (China) sea to shining sea
Pepe Escobar
May 27, 2015

If only Mad Men in real life were like Don Draper – channeling his true inner self, after many a rocky season, to finally click on “I’m OK, you’re OK.”

Instead, we have a bunch of (Pentagon) madmen provoking every major geostrategic competitor all at once.

The Masters of War at the self-described “Don’t Do Stupid Stuff” Obama administration are now announcing they’re ready to dispatch military aircraft and ships within 18 kilometers of seven artificial islands China has built up in the Spratly Islands.

Beijing’s response, via the Global Times, couldn’t be other than There Will be War; “If the United States’ bottom line is that China has to halt its activities, then a U.S.-China war is inevitable in the South China Sea … The intensity of the conflict will be higher than what people usually think of as ‘friction’.”

[Jesus Malverde]

1. Aren't you obsessed with Ukraine/Putin and now posts giving china a pass.

lulz

Be consistent my friend.



Unlikely that China will attack it's cash cow.

[unhappycamper]

2. I am not aware that I was giving China a pass.

Everyday I read world news and save URLs. Here's what I've seen on China today, 5.28.2015:

(china) http://atimes.com/2015/05/stock-index-options-are-coming-to-china/
--> http://atimes.com/2015/05/bernanke-says-dont-worry-about-china-slowdown/
--> (Carter Warns China That U.S. Will Go Wherever Global Law Permits) http://finance.yahoo.com/news/carter-warns-china-u-wherever-193621067.html
--> http://atimes.com/2015/05/middle-east-and-north-africa-forcing-china-to-revisit-long-standing-policies/
--> --> http://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CO15125.pdf
--> http://atimes.com/2015/05/xi-allys-u-s-travel-plans-trigger-talk-of-hidden-agenda-report/
--> http://atimes.com/2015/05/patrolling-the-hood-from-china-sea-to-shining-sea/
--> http://atimes.com/2015/05/what-are-chinas-top-economic-weaknesses/
--> http://www.efe.com/efe/noticias/english/business/china-trade-key-global-economic-recovery/4/60/2623369

From Spain today:

(spain) http://costa-news.com/costa-levante-news/item/5328-pay-and-display
--> http://costa-news.com/costa-del-sol-news/item/5338-m%C3%A1laga-and-marbella-lighthouses-set-for-hotel-use
--> http://www.theolivepress.es/spain-news/2015/05/27/spanish-manhunt-targets-torremolinos-for-leading-gangster-patrick-patsy-adams/
--> http://www.catalannewsagency.com/politics/item/catalan-government-warns-about-extreme-liquidity-situation-and-accuses-spanish-executive-of-financial-asphyxia

From Portugal today:

(Portugal) http://portugalresident.com/shock-as-pj-inspector-gets-17-year-jail-term-for-murder-after-being-absolved-of-crime-last-year
--> http://portugalresident.com/chinese-couple-detained-at-lisbon-airport-with-millions-wrapped-in-cellophane
--> http://portugalresident.com/bank-of-portugal-pays-%E2%82%AC800000-to-%E2%80%9Cfriend%E2%80%99s-firm%E2%80%9D-to-oversee-novo-banco-sale
--> http://www.theportugalnews.com/news/troika-returns-next-week/34889

I haven't even started on Greece today.

[Jesus Malverde]

3. Anyone interested in foreign affairs is a friend

Regardless of our disagreements.

Thanks for your posts‼️

[davidpdx]

4. China is there not only to lay claim to the oil, but also the shipping lanes

By building up the atolls into artificial islands they can lay claim to the right of passage. China shuts down shipping in Asia, checkmate.

[KoKo]

5. Recommend...I was just about to post this latest from Pepe...

[KoKo]

6. "Pivot Insanity Why is Obama Goading China?" -- Mike Whitney, May 29, 2015

Pivot Insanity
Why is Obama Goading China?

Mike Whitney

May 29, 2015 "Information Clearing House" - "Counterpunch" - US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is willing to risk a war with China in order to defend “freedom of navigation” in the South China Sea. Speaking in Honolulu, Hawaii on Wednesday, Carter issued his “most forceful” warning yet, demanding “an immediate and lasting halt to land reclamation” by China in the disputed Spratly Islands.

Carter said: “There should be no mistake: The United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as we do all around the world.” He also added that the United States intended to remain “the principal security power in the Asia-Pacific for decades to come.”

In order to show Chinese leaders “who’s the boss”, Carter has threatened to deploy US warships and surveillance aircraft to within twelve miles of the islands that China claims are within their territorial waters. Not surprisingly, the US is challenging China under the provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a document the US has stubbornly refused to ratify. But that’s neither here nor there for the bellicose Carter whose insatiable appetite for confrontation makes him the most reckless Sec-Def since Donald Rumsfeld.

So what’s this really all about? Why does Washington care so much about a couple hundred yards of sand piled up on reefs reefs in the South China Sea? What danger does that pose to US national security? And, haven’t Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines all engaged in similar “land reclamation” activities without raising hackles in DC?

Of course, they have. The whole thing is a joke. Just like Carter’s claim that he’s defending the lofty principal of “freedom of navigation” is a joke. China has never blocked shipping lanes or seized boats sailing in international waters. Never. The same cannot be said of the United States that just recently blocked an Iranian ship loaded with humanitarian relief–food, water and critical medical supplies–headed to starving refugees in Yemen. Of course, when the US does it, it’s okay.

The point is, Washington doesn’t give a hoot about the Spratly Islands; it’s just a pretext to slap China around and show them who’s running the show in their own backyard. Carter even admits as much in his statement above when he says that the US plans to be “the principal security power in the Asia-Pacific for decades to come.” China knows what that means. It means “This is our planet, so you’d better shape up or you’re going to find yourself in a world of hurt.” That’s exactly what it means.

So let’s cut to the chase and try to explain what’s really going on, because pretty soon no one is going to be talking about Ukraine, Syria or Yemen because all eyes are going to be focused on China where our madhatter Secretary of Defense is trying to start a third world war.

Here’s the scoop: Washington has abandoned its China policy of “containment” and moved on to Plan B: Isolation, intimidation and confrontation. In my opinion, this is why the powerbrokers behind Obama dumped Hagel. Hagel just wasn’t hawkish enough for the job. They wanted a died-in-the-wool, warmongering neocon, like Carter, who is, quite likely, the most dangerous man in the world.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article41993.htm