US Hints At Naval Blockade Of Russian Energy Exports Which Moscow Warns Would Be “An Act Of War”

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke speaking at an industry event on Friday. Image source: State Impact Pennsylvania

 

In a interview about fracking and the implications of making the United States less dependent on foreign sources of energy, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told the Washington Examiner that the US Navy has the ability to blockade Russia from controlling energy supplies in the Middle East.

“The United States has that ability, with our Navy, to make sure the sea lanes are open, and, if necessary, to blockade… to make sure that their energy does not go to market,” Zinke said on Friday at a Consumer Energy Alliance event in Pittsburg. 

China’s Secret Military Plan: Invade Taiwan by 2020

If you’ve been a close observer of China for the last few years, you would’ve come to realize that a Chinese invasion of Taiwan isn’t only about Taiwan, but war with America. It’s also summarized in a quote on the Global Geopolitics quotes page. When it comes to war with Taiwan, there is no pre-set or definitive date. Wars are based on specific conditions being met that minimize damage against the attacker and maximize it against the defender. Unpredictability and ability to sustain are other keys.

“The central committee believes, as long as we resolve the United States problem at one blow, our domestic problems will all be readily solved. Therefore, our military battle preparation appears to aim at Taiwan, but in fact is aimed at the United States, and the preparation is far beyond the scope of attacking aircraft carriers or satellites.”

– Chi Haotian, Minster of Defense and vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission

 

 

Book based on internal documents says Beijing’s invasion plan would trigger U.S.-China conflict

China has drawn up secret military plans to take over the island of Taiwan by 2020, an action that would likely lead to a larger U.S.-China conventional or nuclear war, according to newly-disclosed internal Chinese military documents.

The secret war plan drawn up by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese Communist Party’s armed forces, calls for massive missile attacks on the island, along with a naval and air blockade that is followed by amphibious beach landing assaults using up to 400,000 troops.

The plans and operations are outlined in a new book published this week, The Chinese Invasion Threat by Ian Easton, a China affairs analyst with the Project 2049 Institute, a think tank.

Report: America Too Dependent on China’s Ships

If China wanted to mobilize and weaponize its merchant ships for war, it would total over 172,000 that America would have to face. See also HERE for further information.

 

In a future conflict, America could find itself outnumbered and outmaneuvered on the high seas, according to a 2015 report on maritime security published by Hawaii Pacific University.The authors of this report are Capt. Carl Schuster, former director of operations at the U.S. Joint Intelligence Center Pacific, and Dr. Patrick Bratton, associate professor of political science at Hawaii Pacific University. They point out that “the United States has adopted an ‘abandon ship’ policy towards the crucial merchant maritime industry” and let the number of merchant ships flying an American flag dwindle to the lowest number since the end of the Spanish-American War.

US Navy In Military Build-Up To Battle Strait Of Hormuz ‘Blockade’

While saying sanctions and political measures are preferable to respond to Iran’s controversial nuclear program, looks like the US is getting ready for plan B.

The US has been working of an array of military measures to counteract Iran, with President Obama saying “no options are off the table.”

The Pentagon has recently asked for an additional $100 million dollars to beef up its military presence in the Persian Gulf.

Full article: US Navy In Military Build-Up To Battle Strait Of Hormuz ‘Blockade’ (Eurasia Review)