South China Sea disputes could lead to Asian war - report

[xchrom]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/06/28/uk-southchinasea-idUKTRE75R0CB20110628

(Reuters) - Risks are growing that incidents at sea involving China could lead to war in Asia, potentially drawing in the United States and other powers, an Australian think tank warned on Tuesday.

The Lowy Institute said in a report that the Chinese military's risk-taking behaviour in the South and East China Seas, along with the country's resource needs and greater assertiveness, had raised the chances of an armed conflict.

"The sea lanes of Indo-Pacific Asia are becoming more crowded, contested and vulnerable to armed strife. Naval and air forces are being strengthened amid shifting balances of economic strategic weight," report authors Rory Medcalf and Raoul Heinrichs wrote.

"China's frictions with the United States, Japan and India are likely to persist and intensify. As the number and tempo of incidents increases, so does the likelihood that an episode will escalate to armed confrontation, diplomatic crisis or possibly even conflict," they said.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. And the war contractors cheer . . . .

[formercia]

2. Use 'em or lose 'em.

Lots of similarities to Japan in the 30's and the fight for Energy Resources.

Aircraft Carriers, the new Battleship.