However, this apparent course correction in U. S. policy is not nearly so welcome. Via Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Navy is unlikely to carry out another patrol within 12 nautical miles of Chinese-built islands in the South China Sea this year as officials had initially suggested, three U.S. defense officials said on Monday.
Naval commanders had hoped to carry out another “freedom of navigation” exercise in the region as early as December as part of a plan to regularly send vessels into the area and exercise what the United States views as its rights under international law, officials have said.
But the Obama administration, which is weighing the risks of raising tensions with Beijing at a time when the United States is focused on the fight against Islamic State, has not approved the next such patrol, said the officials, who asked not to be named.
One official said the next U.S. Navy sail-by was likely to come in January, in what would be the second direct challenge to the territorial limits China effectively claims around seven artificial islands in one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.
The Navy conducted a similar exercise in October to underscore the U.S. position that the crucial sea lane should be treated as international waters.
In that exercise, the guided missile destroyer Lassen sailed close to one of China’s manmade islands in October, drawing an angry rebuke from China and a shadowing patrol.
Ensuring the freedom of navigation of the sealanes has been a critical part of the U. S. grand strategy for more than 200 years. The Chinese moves in the South China Sea are clearly aggressive and equally clearly threaten the freedom of navigation. The Navy was right to conduct its exercises and the Obama Administration is wrong in curtailing them.
I’m probably one of the few who doesn’t consider the Chinese a major threat but that doesn’t mean we should abandon our long-running strategic objectives for the sake of making nice with them, either.
Hat tip: The American Interest
The title makes me feel like I’m missing something….
I probably should have made the connection more explicit. The immediately previous post was about a welcome course correction in U. S. foreign policy.
Weird, the previous post on my screen is “It’s all about Rahm.” Can I presume the post you refer to is the change in US policy towards the Assad government?
Yeah, that’s the one. I should had made it more explicit. I may put a phrase into the opening of this post to do that. Hah! I left the post I was referring to in draft mode.
If we are pausing for a month or two to concentrate elsewhere I am OK with this.
Steve
A consistent problem with nearly all presidential administrations is the inability to walk and chew gum at the same time.
Sure, but I suspect I have stayed in contact with my military roots more than you have. I certainly have the sense that we are a bit worn out. Not doing this right before the holidays right now doesn’t sound like such an awful thing to me.
Steve
A consistent problem with nearly all presidential administrations is the inability to walk and chew gum at the same time.
I remember when Obama (and his supporters) bragged about being able to do more than one thing at a time. Of course, at that time they meant run for office and ignore the financial crisis completely….