Will Obama Tell The Chinese: "Don't Call My Bluff" and Get Away With It...

...or will he wind up starting WWIII, the USA versus China.

One can only presume, in the face of overwhelming evidence - as to our current piss poor budget (by way of which we owe China big time), the fact that our military is spread out in two theaters of war (yes we still have a lot of troops in Iraq), and the fact that we have a bunch of bureaucratic bed wetters, both Democrat and Republican, in Washington, DC - that we are ill prepared to go to war with China. The linked article explains the Obama Administration's apparent bluff, which is in essence that we are to move most of the U.S. Fleet into the Pacific and into areas of the South China Sea claimed by China.

What the article fails to mention is that the Philippines recently (within a month ago) sent what it has in the way of warships into an area of the South China Sea to confront a Chinese fishing fleet, who they believed were illegally fishing in Philippine waters. The same area is claimed by China, Vietnam and other countries. (Is it a coincidence that Leon Panetta made the announcement, about our fleet movement while in Vietnam!) The Chinese responded, to the Philippine naval action, by sending at least five (5) warships into the area.  Tensions were very high and it was believed there was a good possibility of military hostilities breaking out between the Philippines and China; see this artticle.

Presumably, tensions are still very high. In light of all that, it would seem logical that, the apparent bluff is intended to have China back away from facing off with one of our most cherished and strategically located allies - the Philippines. Hopefully, China will be impressed and back off and the fools in the current administration and in Congress will not engage us in WWIII with China in the event that China calls the bluff and raises the stakes by sending its own bluff right back at us. You can only bluff so long until you have to either fold or play the hand that was dealt, in this case that could mean war. While I like eating Chinese food and all - I just do not want to have to eat it each and everyday.

All the best,
Glenn B