The John Batchelor Show

VIDEO: Freedom of Navigation

October 15, 2015

Wednesday   14 October 2015  / Hour 1, Block A: James Holmes, professor of strategy at the Naval War College and a former surface warfare officer, in re: What we did and did not hear last night in Dem debate on China: very little. Only Jim Webb made a good effort. The Spratley Islands – constructing artificial isles and claiming territorial sovereignty therearound for twelve miles  – "the Great Wall of Sand."  US Navy launches Freedom of Navigation Operations.   China pokes everyone in the eye on this, on cybertrade, on multiple matters.   Defining the Law of the Sea in the South China Sea.   US has changed policy in face of "indisputable sovereignty over [those territories]"  Freedom of navigation has generally not been a problem; China is putting teeth into the matter by bldg airfields, et al.  "Unbridled arrogance." as China clained "innocent passage" at the Aleutians – that w so clearly bogus; UN convention says ships need to notify before exercising rights, and a bunch of other consideration.  China is working unilaterally to modify intl law - not a good idea. Second Artillery Corps – a threat to use conventional anti-ship missiles (the carrier-killer), but conceivably also nuclear – and drones.   China is convinced that kismet has US heading over and out, while China is growing up. 
    SecDef takes hard line on China. Ash Carter declared that the United States military would sail and fly wherever international law allowed, including the disputed South China Sea. Speaking at a two-day meeting between U.S. and Australian foreign and defense ministers, he declared: “Make no mistake, the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea will not be an exception. We will do that in the time and places of our choosing.” Now let’s see if there’s follow-through and then how the Chinese respond.