Yep, as I said, not a problem as long as everybody follows the accepted protocol, just not an issue??
China's SCS Strategy Thread
- Thread starter lilzz
- Start date
Yep, as I said, not a problem as long as everybody follows the accepted protocol, just not an issue??
vesicles
Colonel
My guess is that this is Trump's attempt to negotiate with China on issues that he actually cares about: economy. So this might be simply a bargaining strategy.
They are being tough on the SCS issue now. Then later they will say: "ok, we will back down from our initial position on the SCS, but you need to give us something too. How about balancing the import/export, etc etc etc?"
Like when you want to sell something for $1000. You don't ask for $1000. You ask for $100,000. Then haggle haggle haggle and back down to $1000.
They are being tough on the SCS issue now. Then later they will say: "ok, we will back down from our initial position on the SCS, but you need to give us something too. How about balancing the import/export, etc etc etc?"
Like when you want to sell something for $1000. You don't ask for $1000. You ask for $100,000. Then haggle haggle haggle and back down to $1000.
solarz
Brigadier
Were they also sailing through the area with the express, and loudly proclaimed, intent of challenging US sovereignty?
Innocent passage means passing through the area with no other purpose than transit. These so-called "freedom of navigation" ops are conducted with intent of intimidation. That is not innocent passage, that's gunboat diplomacy.
solarz
Brigadier
Trump has no leverage. There is nothing he can do to carry out his threat short of going to war, and even war is not a real option because Trump campaigned on jobs, not starting yet another war. He is bluffing, pure and simple.
All China needs to do is ignore him, and carry on as usual. Maybe even use his bluster as justification to ramp up their timetable. In the end, Trump will back down (after convincing himself that he "won", of course).
If you think about it, that's how he handles most of his business negotiations.
China's warships have conducted innocent passage in transit through the Aleutian Islands once last year. That is completely different from US warships conducting FONOPs, surveillance operations, and in practice taking sides against China in territorial disputes not involving the US many times over many years.
Tillerson is an oil industry executive, he probably has his eye on oil and gas development in disputed SCS territory.
Blackstone
Brigadier
Agreed stupidity wouldn't come from US sailors, airmen, and Marines, but if it does come, it's likely to be passed off as another "bad maps" bombing operation. Yes, I'm kidding.
vesicles
Colonel
Everyone makes mistakes and miscalculations, including US sailors and aviators. The Chinese embassy in Kosovo was bombed back by the US in 1999. Many innocent civilian lives lost. Unlike the Hainan incident, the Chinese embassy did not jump into the air and challenge the US bomber in any way. It was completely unprovoked and unilateral attack. It has been explained as a mistake. So apparently someone at the Pentagon / USAF got a little "stooped" and many Chinese lives lost because of it.
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Blackstone
Brigadier
Official US explanation is it was an accident, due to pilots having some "bad maps."
Lethe
Captain
Umm, George W. Bush campaigned on jobs too.