Posted on 03/09/2009 2:21:27 PM PDT by governsleastgovernsbest
“Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama.” — Vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden, Oct. 19, 2008
“Analysts say this could be a test of the new administration, and the Chinese will be focusing less on words than on what American ships actually do at sea.” — Chris Lawrence, CNN Pentagon correspondent, March 9, 2009
Joe Biden made it with months to spare. An international power has challenged the new president. It came yesterday at the hand of China. As CNN’s Lawrence described it on today’s Situation Room:
“Sunday in the South China Sea, five Chinese boats aggressively blocked the American ship Impeccable [an unarmed submarine-intelligence gatherer]. One closed to within 25 feet and ordered the Navy ship to leave. When the Impeccable asked for a safe path out of the area, two boats cut it off and forced an emergency stop. And the Navy says Chinese sailors dropped pieces of wood in the Impeccable’s path.”
Added Lawrence: “The Pentagon calls it ‘one of the most aggressive actions we’ve seen in some time.’”
View video here.
(Excerpt) Read more at finkelblog.com ...
How will Obama handle Chinese challenge? Ping to Today show list.
In a word, surrender.
OMG, Dear Heart.
Thanks for reporting!
We are so screwed.
cripes!
Wow, Biden was right. Wait, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Gird yer loins
what? strip to underwear? huh?
“The Pentagon calls it ‘one of the most aggressive actions we’ve seen in some time.’”
That’s because the Chinese know there is a spineless wimp in the WH who will not do anything.
“If we back off on the right of navigation, if we give in to bullying, the Chinese will interpret that as a real signal of weakness”
are you reading this OBAMA? Obama will be our last president by his own hand....
I don’t trust Mr. Insecurity-in-Chief to know how to respond in measure - not in excess and not acquiescent.
“Mark my words. It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama.”
Hell, the domestic problems challenged Obama and he failed.
If that’s the biggest test that Obama will get, we should count our country fortunate... LOL..
All the Navy has to do is sail some *armed* ship into the area, and then it will be a different story. :-)
We used a water cannon on them and they dropped their drawers ... then things got weird .....
A bunch of scruffy Iranians challenged Carter for 18 months, and won. This is like deja vu all over again.
If the Chinese aren’t careful Obama might not buy some of their cheap crap to give away as gifts to our top allies from now on.
and our response was.... we are going to send them a letter. Next time it will be a sternly worded letter.
yeah he’d buy their cheap crap to try to bribe off China’s leaders
Everyone is challenging Obama. China... North Korea... Venezuela... Mexico... Russia... Afghanistan...
.. Lichtenstein ... Switzerland ... Belgium ... Monte Carlo ... Rhode Island ...
True. But even though this was low-tech and superficially petty, it was the most direct confrontation of a semi-military sort that we’ve seen so far. That makes the way the Obama admin deals with it very important.
Here we go.........someone ping VP Biden
Disband the Navy.
We still have not seen how he will fix the economy, but he sure knows how to destroy it so should we be surprised when he is confronted with any threat? There are to many things he despises about this country to want to protect it. He dislikes wallstreet, ceo’s, corporations, healthcare, rich people, the lack of redistribution, the middleclass, the banks, mortgage companies, and white people who hold on to thier guns and religion just to name a few. So if and when this egotistical ideologue is confronted by the people and is forced into submission, his anger will precede him. Will he protect us when we push him and his agenda back into the garbage heap of history?? I’m sure he will not!
Would that armed ship be the USS Maddox?
(To my politically correct friends: Any reference to "boy" in this post refers to age and experience not race.)
The Panda should be the symbol of Obama. Panda Bear Market Pander to Commies Pander to all of our enemies
Handle it? He won't handle it, some flunky -- ooops, czar or under-secretary -- will deal with it by bribing the Chinese in some way. Only the "really hard" problems get to O's desk, dontchaknow.
You said — “Would that armed ship be the USS Maddox?”
If it were still around, that would work for me... :-) But, I’m sure we can find a replacement...
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
On 31 July 1964 she commenced the first leg of a patrol in the Tonkin Gulf. Initially a routine patrol, it developed into a defensive action with global repercussions. On 2 August, Maddox, cruising in international waters, was closed in a torpedo run by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats. During the ensuing skirmish, in which torpedoes were launched at Maddox, the destroyer put two of the Communist boats out of action with direct hits.
This attack, at first assumed to have been in error, was proven deliberate within 48 hours. On the 4th, North Vietnamese patrol boats again attacked Maddox, which by this time had been joined by USS Turner Joy (DD-951). Early detection and skillful evasion permitted the destroyers to break contact with the first assault units sent against them on that date. But, little over an hour later, enemy torpedo boats closed in again, launching torpedoes. Maddox commenced firing starshells for illumination, while Turner Joy opened fire on the attacking boats. The fighting continued for 2-1/2 hours before being broken off by the North Vietnamese. Retaliation in the form of airstrikes on North Vietnamese patrol boat bases and their supporting oil storage depots came within a few hours. For this action both ships were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation.the incident, the destroyers returned to their patrol, completing it on the 8th. Maddox then resumed carrier operations until departing for Long Beach 17 September.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Maddox_(DD-731)
You said — “He won’t handle it, some flunky — ooops, czar or under-secretary — will deal with it by bribing the Chinese in some way. Only the “really hard” problems get to O’s desk, dontchaknow.”
Well, that would be real good news to me. I would like the ones over at the Pentagon to handle it the way they know how to do it... :-)
LOL!
Nope. You'd be disappointed. O's czars and secretaries are all radical Left political appointments.
I don’t think they’ve infiltrated the military people yet, have they? :-)
Besides, the military will be very much more interested in defending themselves, which is a good thing — as long as Obama doesn’t get involved, like you say...
The Sepia Savior will appease them with some additional nuclear technology.
Badly, ineptly, weakly.
duh!
Now watch what the Chinese are going to do to Taiwan. This was merely a test to see how we were going to react to a provocation.
Have to say I don’t get the underwear bit.
This is about the same time in the Bush presidency they downed a spy plane and W handled it brilliantly.
“This is about the same time in the Bush presidency they downed a spy plane and W handled it brilliantly.”
_____________
We demanded the return of the Spy Plane and they dissected, scoured it for secret technology and then returned it cut up in boxes. I hope you were being sarcastic when you said “brilliantly”.
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