May 11, 2012 07:45 PM UTC

As the GOP Clowncar keeps rolling along for war with Iran....

• 2 Comments
• by: SSG_Dan

..EVERYONE is missing a potential war the US might get sucked into in the Philippines Sea:

China criticizes Philippines on South China Sea protest

China on Friday accused the Philippines of escalating an already tense territorial dispute over the South China Sea following a noisy but peaceful anti-Beijing protest in Manila.

About 200 protesters, well below initial estimates, rallied in front of the Chinese consular office in Manila. Both Beijing and Taiwan had warned their nationals to stay indoors.

The demonstrators, carrying placards and banners and waving Philippine flags, protested against what they called Chinese intrusions into Philippine territory. The one-hour protest ended peacefully under the close watch of dozens of baton-wielding police.

“Encouraging the public to march and protest was a mistaken step by the Philippine side that has made the current situation more complicated and escalated it,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said.

http://www.reuters.com/article…

Who cares, right? Two Asian countries hooting about few reefs in the middle of nowhere? Well…

The row over the South China Sea is potentially the biggest flashpoint for confrontation in Asia, and tensions have risen since the United States adopted a policy last year to reinforce its influence in the region.

The Philippines is one of Washington’s closest allies in the region. The South China Sea islands, believed to be rich in oil and other resources, are claimed wholly or in part by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Liberation Army Daily, the chief mouthpiece of China’s military, criticized the United States’ involvement.

“The United States’ shift in strategic focus to the east and its entry into the South China Sea issue has provided the Philippines with room for strategic maneuver, and to a certain extent increased the Philippines’ chips to play against us, emboldening them to take a risky course,” it said.

The Philippines Navy is tiny compared to the Chinese fleet in the region. They do have a some air power they can project into the area, but they have no real combat fleet to speak of.

Excellent info here: http://forum.globaltimes.cn/fo…

Who does? The US, of course..and it’s interesting timing to have a big-deal meeting in Manila just a few weeks before the sabre-rattling began:

U.S., Philippines Hold Historic Bilateral Meeting

The collaboration includes the 28th iteration of Exercise Balikatan, meaning “shoulder to shoulder.” During the exercise, which began April 16 on Luzon and Palawan islands, U.S. and Philippine troops conducted humanitarian civic assistance projects, a natural disaster response command post exercise and field training exercises.

http://www.defense.gov/news/ne…

Folks, this is how wars start. China sends some ships to the contested islands, prob because they have some “leadership” issues at the moment, and flexing your military muscles is a good way to calm the folks at home. The Philippines sends in a few fast patrol boats, and someone gets an itchy trigger finger. If a Filipino naval vessel gets sunk by the Chinese, are we on the hook to “defend” them?