South China Sea: claims White House 'gagged' US navy chief over China criticism

[jpak]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

China's construction of a "great wall of sand" with artificial islands in the South China Sea has sparked a stoush in Washington, with claims the White House has gagged US navy commanders criticising Beijing.

US Pacific commander Harry Harris has been most prominent amid repeated warnings by US military leaders that China's ambitions in the disputed waters are destabilising the region.

He warned an audience in Canberra last year that China's artificial islands – with deep ports, airstrips and military facilities on former coral atolls – amounted to "creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers".

But an article in the military publication Navy Times this week reported the White House had sought to muzzle commanders ahead of a recent meeting between President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/south-china-sea-claims-white-house-gagged-us-navy-chief-over-china-criticism-20160408-go1yzv.html#ixzz45Fyt1X2h
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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/south-china-sea-claims-white-house-gagged-us-navy-chief-over-china-criticism-20160408-go1yzv.html

[alfredo]

1. Even high ranking officers are not allowed to go off message. Obama was right to muzzle him.

[bemildred]

2. High ranking commanders are not in charge of foreign policy and should shutup. nt