The Growing Possibility Of A South China Sea War

Japanese and U.S. ships — including the aircraft carrier George Washington, right — participate in a 2012 exercise in the East China Sea. Japanese ships soon could be further integrated with U.S. forces, the Navy's top officer said. (MCC Jennifer A. Villalovos / Navy)

Could Tensions In The South China Sea Spark A War? -- Abraham M. Denmark, National Journal

And by the way...Washington could get dragged in.

In the South China Sea, where China’s ambitious “nine-dash line” claim of sovereignty has been disputed by several other claimants, relations have in recent weeks turned remarkably chillier. Vietnam and the Philippines are facing the brunt of Beijing’s ire, and the potential for crisis and conflict is significant. Positions are hardening, willingness to compromise is low, and the fact that the Philippines is an ally of the United States raises the potential for a disastrous crisis and potential conflict between the U.S. and China.

The clash between China and Vietnam has attracted more attention in recent days. Just a few days after President Obama’s visit to the region, a Chinese mobile oil rig took position in a carefully selected site that, while closer to the Vietnam mainland than China’s Hainan Island, is just fourteen nautical miles from Chinese-occupied island, a part of the Paracel Island group that is claimed by both China and Vietnam. China sent a large flotilla of ships to escort the derrick; a group that included several armed Naval vessels. After Hanoi expressed outrage at this action and violence against Chinese nationals across Vietnam, Beijing expanded the escort flotilla to over 100 ships. Most recently, Chinese ships interdicted, rammed, and sunk a Vietnamese fishing vessel that was challenging the derrick. Vietnam claims that four ships were attacked in all, and now there are reportedly 113 ships standing off against sixty Vietnamese vessels.

Read more ....

My Comment: What has not helped the situation is the growing perception in Asia that the U.S. does not fully understand Chinese startegy and intentions .... China’s Strategy Has Completely Eluded Washington -- Patrick Smith, Fiscal Times