Excerpt:

>>US plans huge show of force in Pacific

Seven aircraft carriers to move within striking distance of China; Taiwan forces slated to join in drill

By Ching Cheong

HONG KONG - The United States is planning a massive show of force in the Pacific Ocean near China to register a point with Beijing.


In an exercise codenamed Operation Summer Pulse 04, it is expected to arrange for an unprecedented seven aircraft carrier strike groups (CSGs) to rendezvous in waters a safe distance away from the Chinese coastline - but still within striking distance - after mid-July.

This will be the first time in US naval history that it sends seven of its 12 CSGs to just one region.



According to a posting on Sina.com, an influential website in China, the signs point to a gathering of all seven CSGs in the Pacific.

Sources in Beijing say China's reading is that Summer Pulse is being mounted with it as the target audience, a suspicion reinforced by reports that Taiwanese forces are slated to join in the drill.

Clearly, given Beijing's repeated warning that it will use force, as a last resort and whatever the cost, to stop Taiwanese independence, the US feels it needs to send Beijing a message.

From past deployment patterns, the US usually despatches one CSG to a trouble spot as a reminder of its presence.

It did so several times in the past when tension was high in the Taiwan Strait.

It sends two to indicate serious concern, as was the case when China test-fired missiles over the strait in 1996.

In a combat situation, it deploys three to four, which was what it did in the Gulf War in the early 1990s and the recent Iraqi war.

But never before has it sent in peace time seven CSGs to the same theatre.

The implications for China are grave.


Politically, Summer Pulse is likely to be seen by many Chinese as naked intimidation.

'This is gunboat diplomacy in the 21st century,' the source remarked, adding that it would remind the Chinese people of their century-long deep humiliation by Western powers - and put Sino-US relations at peril. <<




Sorry: Didn't put direct Link as I was having trouble; it was deleting the post for some reason; cut and paste below:

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/topstorie...,259015,00.html

Till proven otherwise this is theater. Both the US and China rattle the swords for domestic consumption. It's good politics.

Only if some mistake is made and a fool or hothead takes a potshot will this or a similiar show of force amount to anything more than just that; a show.

That is what happend with the spy plane just after Bush came in. THe foolish Chinese pilot bumped our plane and killed himself. Luckily for all none of the Americans were hurt. This allowed Bush to talk tough and then ultimately apologize, just like he said he never would do. Nobody noticed or commented on it and the full extent of the free pass for Bush was made evident.

At this moment, all the previous posts this evening are gone.
I don't understand what is happening, but it's not good.
12:38am 07/17/04

Doc, you need a doctor, QUICK!!