March 16, 2014
Meanwhile
While the plane continues to be missing and Russia annexes the Crimea, another crisis seems to be brewing in the Philippines.
Some years ago the Chinese set up a military outpost on and laid claim to "Mischief Reef', a tiny coral outcropping in the Spratley islands off the coast of one of the main Philippine islands (Palawan).
China then cartographically stuck it's tounge out at all its southern neighbors claiming pretty much the entire South China Sea and in particular the Spratelys are Chinese territory.
The Philippines, which is not exactly a world power, could not evict the squatters without risking war and so responded by setting up an outpost on another of the rocks to confirm their sovereignty. The outpost is the Philippine transport ship Sierra Madre which has been grounded on Aungin reef and is the Phillipinel government administrative office for the Spratelys.
The ship is now classified as a government building and is staffed mainly with marines to prevent the Chinese from running the Philippines off from their own island and assert that the islands are not relinquished.
Well, while everyone was distracted by stuff happening elsewhere, the Chinese blockaded the island and PLA warships drove off Philippine ships bringing supplies.
The Philippine Air Force is now air dropping supplies. All this comes just as the US and the Philippines are getting ready to conduct joint exercises in Palawan.
Some years ago the Chinese set up a military outpost on and laid claim to "Mischief Reef', a tiny coral outcropping in the Spratley islands off the coast of one of the main Philippine islands (Palawan).
China then cartographically stuck it's tounge out at all its southern neighbors claiming pretty much the entire South China Sea and in particular the Spratelys are Chinese territory.
The technical diplomatic term for this is "jackassery".
The Philippines, which is not exactly a world power, could not evict the squatters without risking war and so responded by setting up an outpost on another of the rocks to confirm their sovereignty. The outpost is the Philippine transport ship Sierra Madre which has been grounded on Aungin reef and is the Phillipinel government administrative office for the Spratelys.
This outpost would probably not be near the top of my duty requests.
The ship is now classified as a government building and is staffed mainly with marines to prevent the Chinese from running the Philippines off from their own island and assert that the islands are not relinquished.
Well, while everyone was distracted by stuff happening elsewhere, the Chinese blockaded the island and PLA warships drove off Philippine ships bringing supplies.
The Philippine Air Force is now air dropping supplies. All this comes just as the US and the Philippines are getting ready to conduct joint exercises in Palawan.
Posted by: The Brickmuppet at
10:23 PM
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