Time for some Winkin Blinken deplo-magic and entice the neighbors to the left and right to welcome the USN back in. Duh, wait a minute, maybe possibly hopefully it will turn out better than his work with the IDF-Hamas "disagreement" but with him being all that we have all bets are off. Since the Vietnamese loathe the Chinese, we should be able to get SOME kind of semi-perm foot back in the door. Start with Paparo, and buy more mines. And I'm sure this reinforces the Aussie's decision on SSNs.
I suspect that the new base will accomodate the largest container ships (> 24,000 TEU) and supertankers (VLCC, ULCC > 250,000 DWT) as well as the largest warships. China know what the USA and UK seem to have forgotten is that the Navy and Merchant Marine go hand in hand.
China builds a base in Cambodia because Viet Nam’s coast will never be available. Viet Nam is a traditional enemy that has fought the Chin Empire for two thousand years and won more than they lost. They are not afraid of war with China. If America were not a headless corpse, the Vietnamese would make a great ally. There are many others who would stand with us, as well. But alliances require some level of trust. I don’t think world leaders believe they can trust the US right now.
Sid makes a great point elsewhere in these comments about the disservice our zealotry around cultural compliance (specifically re: lgbtqia2faxyz+) does to achieving our political aims.
I don’t see a realistic scenario where we self-regulate and reorient to our new reality in time to matter. Anyone got a reason to be optimistic that we, the reasonable people in the broad middle, will find the balls to order our pols to wise up and cut the nonsense *before* the consequences of all their pandering comes fully home to roost?
That base looks to be in a defendable place. It doesn't look like combat ships could get in there to sink Chinese vessels. All they need to do is mine the area.
Looks like those Belt and Road initiatives are working out just fine, doesn't it?
The also received about $300M in foreign aid in the last three years. Good work when you can get it. That includes $14M for "cooperative threat reduction from DoD." Xi laughs.
This combined with the Sri Lanka port gives the PRC base access on either side of the Malacca Strait. Biden should remember this during his grip and grin with Emperor Xi this week.
Perhaps we should make a deal with Vietnam...I seem to recall a pretty good port in Cam Rahn Bay
Time for some Winkin Blinken deplo-magic and entice the neighbors to the left and right to welcome the USN back in. Duh, wait a minute, maybe possibly hopefully it will turn out better than his work with the IDF-Hamas "disagreement" but with him being all that we have all bets are off. Since the Vietnamese loathe the Chinese, we should be able to get SOME kind of semi-perm foot back in the door. Start with Paparo, and buy more mines. And I'm sure this reinforces the Aussie's decision on SSNs.
No cause for worry. We hold the invulnerable fortress of Singapore with battleship guns pointing out at the Strait of Malacca.
I suspect that the new base will accomodate the largest container ships (> 24,000 TEU) and supertankers (VLCC, ULCC > 250,000 DWT) as well as the largest warships. China know what the USA and UK seem to have forgotten is that the Navy and Merchant Marine go hand in hand.
I believe that is well within the land based cruise missile range of Singapore. Getting out of the bay would be a problem.
" I want a new carrier pier and drydock."
Hell, I'd settle for SIMA's and floating drydocks.
Didn't they invade Vietnam already and were sent back with their tails between their legs??
(Holiday in Cambodia intensifies)
China builds a base in Cambodia because Viet Nam’s coast will never be available. Viet Nam is a traditional enemy that has fought the Chin Empire for two thousand years and won more than they lost. They are not afraid of war with China. If America were not a headless corpse, the Vietnamese would make a great ally. There are many others who would stand with us, as well. But alliances require some level of trust. I don’t think world leaders believe they can trust the US right now.
Sid makes a great point elsewhere in these comments about the disservice our zealotry around cultural compliance (specifically re: lgbtqia2faxyz+) does to achieving our political aims.
I don’t see a realistic scenario where we self-regulate and reorient to our new reality in time to matter. Anyone got a reason to be optimistic that we, the reasonable people in the broad middle, will find the balls to order our pols to wise up and cut the nonsense *before* the consequences of all their pandering comes fully home to roost?
That base looks to be in a defendable place. It doesn't look like combat ships could get in there to sink Chinese vessels. All they need to do is mine the area.
Looks like those Belt and Road initiatives are working out just fine, doesn't it?
Does the US/Malaysia/VIetnam/Indonesia have enough mines to take this base out of play if necessary?
Does the Cambodian Navy have minesweepers/hunters or are the Chinese going to station those resources there?
Some interesting USN/USMC history at Koh Tang Island SW of the Cambodian Ream Naval Base back in May 1975. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayaguez_incident https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/leave-no-man-behind-the-truth-about-the-mayaguez-incident/
The also received about $300M in foreign aid in the last three years. Good work when you can get it. That includes $14M for "cooperative threat reduction from DoD." Xi laughs.
This combined with the Sri Lanka port gives the PRC base access on either side of the Malacca Strait. Biden should remember this during his grip and grin with Emperor Xi this week.