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Chinese ships harass U.S. vessel
UPI ^ | March 9, 2009 | Staff

Posted on 03/12/2009 1:48:41 AM PDT by chuck_the_tv_out

WASHINGTON, March 9 (UPI) -- Chinese ships were harassing a U.S. surveillance ship on routine patrol in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said Monday.

In a statement, the Defense Department said five Chinese vessels "shadowed and aggressively maneuvered in dangerously close proximity" to the Impeccable to bother the surveillance vessel while conducting routine operations in international waters, CNN reported.

Crew members aboard the Chinese vessels, two of which were within 50 feet, waved Chinese flags and told the U.S. ship to leave the area, the statement said.

"Because the vessels' intentions were not known, Impeccable sprayed its fire hoses at one of the vessels in order to protect itself," the statement said. "The Chinese crew members disrobed to their underwear and continued closing to within 25 feet."

After the Impeccable alerted the Chinese ships "in a friendly manner" it was seeking safe departure from the area, two of the Chinese ships stopped "directly ahead of USNS Impeccable, forcing Impeccable to conduct an emergency 'all stop' in order to avoid collision," the statement said. Crews then dropped pieces of wood in the Impeccable's path.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 3dayoldbreakingnews; china; maritime; notbreaking; oldnews; rumorsofwars

1 posted on 03/12/2009 1:48:42 AM PDT by chuck_the_tv_out
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To: TigerLikesRooster

ping


2 posted on 03/12/2009 1:49:04 AM PDT by chuck_the_tv_out
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

Did this happen again?


3 posted on 03/12/2009 1:51:03 AM PDT by BigCinBigD ('When a man believes that any stick will do, he at once picks up a boomerang,')
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

Did this happen again? Never mind. Same incident.


4 posted on 03/12/2009 1:52:01 AM PDT by BigCinBigD ('When a man believes that any stick will do, he at once picks up a boomerang,')
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To: chuck_the_tv_out
We'd better get used to being slapped in the face for the next four years. The international community knows that Obama has no stomach for confrontation and standing up for America.
5 posted on 03/12/2009 2:03:31 AM PDT by AlaskaErik (I served and protected my country for 31 years. Democrats spent that time trying to destroy it.)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

maybe someone can hunt this out but i have a disticnt memory of the ussr pulling this crap during the Carter depression. He too bent over for them and they took full advantage. it took Reagan to fight back. anyone else remember that?


6 posted on 03/12/2009 2:10:17 AM PDT by Irishguy (How do ya LIKE THOSE APPLES!!!!)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

This is actually quite simple. was the “ship” in ‘international waters’.

I dunno, but I suspect that it most likely was, I mean I know withought a doubt that many a doltic - idiotic nation will use what they can as any excuse, to cry foul.

And I must say that this actually surprises me, I mean It is The Chineese, I’m only asking if thier simply posing insofar as the normal inteligent Chineese naval guy, (we located a vessle)??. And then that guy dose what he does. I’m just saying that China bought enough of our debt that we should be BFFE. I Love the good folk, and I despise the comunisim.


7 posted on 03/12/2009 2:12:07 AM PDT by ChetNavVet (Build It, and they won't come!)
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To: ChetNavVet
And I must say that this actually surprises me, I mean It is The Chinese.....

There is a Chinese governmental claim to an "exclusive economic zone" here, which someone -- the Politburo? -- would like to expand to include preclusion of naval vessels.

Both claims need to be challenged by the U.S. very vigorously. I personally favor creating an artificial island on a reef not claimed by the Chinese (who have occupied several miserable rocks and actually garrisoned them) and expanding it to create a combination oil & gas drilling "island", dock and wharf, and ...... submarine slips. Complete with channels. Marked, of course. And with American flags all over it. And U.S. Marines, of course.

Screw them, we'll create our own land, right in the middle of the South China Sea.

As for exclusive economic zones, they are somewhat nebulous concepts legally, and in any case they didn't prevent (and the U.S. did not object to) Soviet cruisers from parading around the U.S. offshore oil industry out near the shelf break (~450' W.D.), over 140 miles offshore, right past big U.S. production and drilling platforms. There are extant some file photos of interesting juxtapositions of U.S. submersible-barge drilling rigs and Soviet missile cruisers and DDG's.

8 posted on 03/12/2009 2:25:16 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

For quite a few years now, China has been telegraphing her desire to own ocean routes around the world. In order to keep the phony “economy” going for their more “important” constituents, our leaders have been deferring to the PLA’s efforts.


9 posted on 03/12/2009 2:32:43 AM PDT by familyop (As painful as the global laxative might be, maybe our "one world" needs a good cleaning.)
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To: Irishguy
maybe someone can hunt this out but i have a disticnt memory of the ussr pulling this crap during the Carter depression.

The Soviets did several times challenge innocent passage of U.S. warships in e.g. the Sea of Japan in the 70's.

There were at least two incidents in which Soviet icebreakers attempted to cause collisions with WW2-era U.S. destroyers (Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes) which were known to have longitudinal structural-strength issues. I.e., they tried to cut destroyers in two. One incident was written up in detail in the "NOFORN News", the DIA's weekly intelligence summary. The icebreaker in that incident succeeded in engineering a collision but struck the U.S. destroyer on the portside bow anchor, doing no real damage. Personally, I'd have had my gun mounts clear the Russian's bridge for him. But the RoE were very strict about these encounters.

10 posted on 03/12/2009 2:34:14 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

Um: Dude.

Old News.

Not Breaking.


11 posted on 03/12/2009 2:34:52 AM PDT by JennysCool (Ted Kennedy has a Knighthood. Patrick Macnee does not. Go figure.)
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To: familyop
This would appear to have more to do with U.S. intelligence-gathering in the South China Sea related to the Chinese submarine fleet.

An early version of the story reported that the incident occurred somewhere off Hainan Island, which has a submarine base.

12 posted on 03/12/2009 2:37:16 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
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To: JennysCool

At least we’re adding institutional memory and, um, useful perspective.


13 posted on 03/12/2009 2:38:14 AM PDT by lentulusgracchus ("Whatever." -- sinkspur)
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To: Irishguy; All
maybe someone can hunt this out but i have a disticnt memory of the ussr pulling this crap during the Carter depression. He too bent over for them and they took full advantage. it took Reagan to fight back. anyone else remember that?

No, not so much...I was a Standley Steamer 1977-80 and we most certainly did not bend over for the Soviets in any way! Not that that idiot Carter was good for the navy whatsoever. I distinctly remember two times when it was uncertain whether we were actually going to be paid, and Navy Relief geared up to help the families who depended on dad's paycheck. Death to leftist scum!
14 posted on 03/12/2009 2:38:50 AM PDT by notdownwidems (Shellback, pollywogs! U.S.S. William H. Standley, CG-32)
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To: JennysCool

Sorry this was on front page of UPI so I thought it was breaking.


15 posted on 03/12/2009 2:57:02 AM PDT by chuck_the_tv_out
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To: lentulusgracchus; Irishguy

Maybe not exactly the same thing but I knew a guy who was a chief on a destroyer in the ‘70s. His ship patrolled the Mediterranean. He said there were many incidents of Russian naval craft playing “chicken” with his ship, and I guess they played right back because he said sometimes they would pass hair-raisingly close.


16 posted on 03/12/2009 4:52:26 AM PDT by samtheman
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To: chuck_the_tv_out
I don't see any problem with sinking any of the Chinese pirate vessels.
17 posted on 03/12/2009 4:58:48 AM PDT by 2001convSVT ("Only Property Owners that pay taxes should have the right to Vote")
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To: notdownwidems

sorry my friend, i didnt mean any disrespect on the navy or to you and your colleagues. in fact i am thankful more then you will ever know for saving us all from having to learn russian.


18 posted on 03/12/2009 6:31:06 AM PDT by Irishguy (How do ya LIKE THOSE APPLES!!!!)
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To: chuck_the_tv_out

It’s okay, Hillary told the Chinese to play nice. It should be all better now .. nothing to see here .. move along people.


19 posted on 03/13/2009 8:45:49 AM PDT by Munz (Infiltrate Interrogate Eradicate NEXT!)
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