By Matt Agorist
Last week, the U.S. Navy announced they dispatched a small armada to the South China Sea. Consisting of the John C. Stennis aircraft carrier, two cruisers, two destroyers, and the 7th Fleet flagship, the US is making their mission clear — we are not scared of kicking off World War III.
Now, only a week later, they are flexing even more military might, announcing they have deployed three B-2 Spirit nuclear stealth bombers to support the U.S. Pacific Command. U.S. forces in the Pacific have been saber rattling with China for months.
According to Stars and Stripes,
On Tuesday, North Korea announced it has developed the capability to put a miniaturized nuclear weapon on a ballistic missile, the same day that the Air Force deployed the B-2s. The Air Force did not specify where the B-2s would be based.
“Recent events demonstrate the continued need to provide consistent and credible air power throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” said Gen. Lori J. Robinson, Pacific Air Forces commander. “Our ability to demonstrate credible combat power while training and inter-operating with our network of like-minded partner nations is vitally important.”
Not only is the military deploying nuclear bombers to the region, but they are also flexing their might by conducting the largest combined amphibious exercise of its kind to date.
The exercise, known as Ssang Yong, which means ‘Twin Dragons,’ consists of approximately 9,200 U.S. Marines and 3,100 U.S. Navy personnel who will work alongside 4,500 ROK Marine Corps, 3,000 ROK Navy, 100 Australian Army and 60 Royal New Zealand Army forces.
“The sheer number of personnel involved is extremely impressive,” said Capt. Ed Thompson, commander, Amphibious Squadron 11. “There are a lot of moving parts and things that need to align for a successful exercise. When they do, it is truly amazing to see how we operate together.”
The area where Ssang Yong is taking place is only a stone’s throw away from the disputed region in the South China Sea, where, according to Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, the Chinese are militarizing the region and the U.S. is being forced to act.
However, as Fu Ying, a spokeswoman for China’s National People’s Congress said,
The accusation [that China is militarizing the region] can lead to a miscalculation of the situation. If you take a look at the matter closely, it’s the US sending the most advanced aircraft and military vessels to the South China Sea.
But the US seems unconcerned with the facts and more intent on provoking a fight.
“China must not pursue militarization in the South China Sea,” Carter said in a speech in San Francisco earlier this month. “Specific actions will have specific consequences.”
The region in question is known as Xisha in Chinese and Hoàng Sa in Vietnamese, and is a group of islands, reefs, banks and other maritime features in the South China Sea. It is controlled (and occupied) by the People’s Republic of China and also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
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This dispute over who lays claim to the region dates back decades, and physical violence has erupted between the disputing parties on multiple occasions as recently as 1974. However, since then, the dispute has remained peaceful — until now.
The U.S. is attempting to claim that the Chinese presence in the region is some new conflict and are touting strawmen such as closed trade routes as a reason for flexing their military sway. But there is no evidence that trade will be affected at all.
No country in their right mind would hinder its ability to export, and China shows no signs of halting exports any time soon.
In October, an anonymous defense source told Foreign Policy that the U.S. was determined to put on a “show of military might.”
“It’s not a question of if, but when,” the official was quoted as saying.
Well, it appears that the ‘when’ is now.
The U.S. is already engaged in proxy wars with Russia in Ukraine and Syria, which have the potential to devolve into an open conflict between the superpowers. Attempting to intimidate the Chinese in their own backyard seems like an incredibly ill-conceived move at this time.
American actions will inevitably only serve to bring the Russo-Sino strategic military alliance into closer consultation with one another in an attempt to stem U.S. global imperialism.
While this may be splendid news for defense contractors and weapons manufacturers, it’s extremely dangerous news for the rest of the world. One strategic miscalculation could result in events spiraling drastically out of control.
Matt Agorist is a co-founder of TheFreeThoughtProject.com where this article first appeared. He’s an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Follow @MattAgorist
And THAT is about ALL the US can do; threaten, bully and intimidate. Full of bluster, smoke and mirrors. Do they actually thing that China is impressed with this? Maybe China should just call in it’s entire US debt load, or “threaten” to. The US’s fay of Empire is over and they need to realize it, or repeat the same mistakes they have always made and use war as a means to solve their self created economic problems. The Chinese do not sabre rattle, or get into wars of words, they take action. The US make be able to take on China on it’s own or perhaps even Russia (although extremely unlikely) on it’s own, but seeing as how the US has gone out of it’s way to antagonize and threaten both there is no chance in Hades that the US can take on both in a common front, and it would be in the national interests of both countries to team up should there be a shooting war instigated by the foreign controlled US.
Honestly the US has done this numerous times. It is constantly stirring the pot or throwing wood on the fire. I’m not actually sure what the US gains from this egregious activity because it isn’t immediately evident. Obviously the White house and the Pentagon think their is some benefit to constant war. I just wish they would tell the rest of us what it is!
The usual reason for American suicidal stupidity is Israeli influence. I don’t know if that’s the reason this time but since the destruction of America when it has outlived its usefulness to the Tribe is planned this may be just plain ole suicide.
China and Russia both know the US is an empire in its death throes. They will laugh at the animated threats and just wait it out for the corruption in the US government to do its work.
The blow hards in DC have to make louder and bigger gestures to get any notice but everyone is in on the joke except DC.
Someone should tell them…I almost feel sorry for them anymore…no, it passed
I thought the sentiment would be short lived.
I say… let it happen. People will die like they always have. It’s not like anyone is doing anything super spectacular these days. It’s not like humanity as a whole, was actually progressing toward some beautiful state of existence anyway. Maybe after all the destruction people will even care, albeit briefly lived. But at least that passing moment will be one of the few times humanity actually uses all of its ability toward the replication of good.
It is such a shame it always seems to take mass murder on such an inconceivable level to even hold the people’s attention… It’s ever more saddening the almost always decided path of conflict attracts attention so readily.. It was bound to happen, humanity tends to refuse any forms of self control when it seemingly matters most. Holding nothing sacred, even as destruction is upon them, clinging to a calculated belief that was never theirs. I’d say we either remain adaptive to all aspects of this physical reality and all the communicated falsities, or we fall.
Without a resurgence of empathetic and moralistic truths, that one measures themselves against, many usually falter. We can use the Internet for things other than complaining or fighting against someone else. It can be used to create a better defined axiom. We are not doomed to follow anyone off a cliff, we are not doomed to be barbaric, or evil. It’s a choice many have had made for them, some don’t know exists, and few have defined. But hey, being good rarely pays.. So, we don’t.
Oooo sensible – let’s bully China – they’re pussycats, and will be easily scared …
Are the service mens uniforms are made in china?