Russian and Chinese military reaching out

[Astronuc]

China just made yet another provocative move in the disputed South China Sea, according to Business Insider
http://news.yahoo.com/china-just-landed-first-plane-192200315.html

On January 4th, Vietnam formally accused China of violating its sovereignty and a recent confidence-building pact on Saturday by landing a plane on an airstrip Beijing built on an artificial island in a contested part of the South China Sea, according to Reuters.

 

[rootone]

I don't see how landing a plane on a runway is any more provocative than building a runway in the first place.
Why would they build a runway if there was no plan to use it?
(I gather it was a civilian aircraft which landed, although that's probably not very relevant.)

 

[HomogenousCow]

"Currently five countries with competing claims in the region have built airstrips in the contested Spratly Islands."

I bet you won't see sensationalist articles about those other countries though. These articles are so amazingly biased. Compared to the damage the US has done to world-stability, those artificial islands are doing next to nothing.

A breakdown of the US moral code:
Morally justified and necessary for world stability: What we and our allies do
Heinous acts of brutality detrimental to world stability: What everyone else does

 

[mheslep]

"Currently five countries with competing claims in the region have built airstrips in the contested Spratly Islands."

I bet you won't see sensationalist articles about those other countries though. These articles are so amazingly biased. Compared to the damage the US has done to world-stability, those artificial islands are doing next to nothing...

What in particular do you find sensational or biased about this Reuters article? Do you have a preferred reference on the disputes over the islands in the S. China sea?

 

[Astronuc]

Chinese military aircraft trespass into Japan, Korea airspace
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...pass-into-Japan-Korea-airspace/6781454430627/

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (UPI) -- Two Chinese military aircraft flew into South Korean and Japanese airspace, and Japan's Self-Defense Force fighter jets scrambled to intercept the planes.

The South Korea-identified airspace overlaps with China's, and China did not notify Seoul of its flight plans, South Korea said.

The two planes flew southwest of South Korea's Jeju Island, and after leaving KADIZ entered Japan's Air Defense Identification Zone, or JADIZ.

So now Japan and Korea will have to reciprocate.

 

[Astronuc]

Russia reaching out to the Afghan Taliban
http://news.yahoo.com/u-s--sources--russia-forging-alliance-with-taliban-201058133.html

 

[Astronuc]

The Middle East's Nightmare: Iran Is Buying Russia's Lethal Su-30
http://www.nationalinterest.org/blo...htmare-iran-buying-russias-lethal-su-30-15213

So it looks like Russia will support Iran and Shia in the ME, which puts it at odds with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

 

[1oldman2]

I'm beginning to see a pattern developing here.

 

[jim hardy]

I'm beginning to see a pattern developing here.

Yeah, look on Jane's and see who else is buying Sukhoi's .

 

[Astronuc]

Russia wants to fly over US with advanced digital camera
http://news.yahoo.com/russia-seeks-fly-over-us-high-powered-digital-083532712--politics.html

"One of the advantages of the Open Skies Treaty is that information — imagery — that is taken is shared openly among all the treaty parties," she said at a joint hearing of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees in December. "So one of the advantages with the Open Skies Treaty is that we know exactly what the Russians are imaging, because they must share the imagery with us."

 

[Astronuc]

Threat from Russian and Chinese warplanes mounts
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ussian-and-chinese-warplanes-mounts/84673228/

 

[Hornbein]

"Currently five countries with competing claims in the region have built airstrips in the contested Spratly Islands."

I had no idea.

China's claim seems bogus to me. But since the most powerful nations consistently disregard international "law," it appears that force of arms will carry the day.

 

[Hornbein]

Chinese military aircraft trespass into Japan, Korea airspace
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...pass-into-Japan-Korea-airspace/6781454430627/

In 2003 US warplanes flew over Indonesia. It was front-page news there. The US claimed it was an accident.

 

[Hornbein]

Quiz: Without looking at a map or other aid, how close were the recent NATO military exercises in Estonia to St. Petersburg?

 

[mheslep]

In 2003 US warplanes flew over Indonesia. It was front-page news there. The US claimed it was an accident.

Not the same thing. The US asked permission, and the US and Indonesia relationship is not hostile.
http://articles.latimes.com/2003/jul/05/world/fg-indo5

 

[mheslep]

Quiz: Without looking at a map or other aid, how close were the recent NATO military exercises in Estonia to St. Petersburg?

Relevant quiz: how many times have NATO forces transgressed the Russian mainland, and how many times in the 20th and 21st centuries have Russian forces invaded eastern europe, attacked Finland in division strength, attacked Georgia, annexed territory, cyber attacked Baltic neighbors?

 

[Astronuc]

China To Send Nuclear-Armed Submarines To Pacific To Counter U.S., Beijing Claims
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timdais...ic-to-counter-us-beijing-claims/#50b296897a6e

Beijing is claiming that U.S. weapons systems have become so advanced and so undermine China’s existing deterrent force that Beijing has little choice but to send in the submarines armed with nukes.

 

[mheslep]

... Beijing Claims
...

Well, the Guardian claims that Beijing claims. Other sources, as reference in the article, claim China does not yet have the capability.