Pentagon still pressing for war

The world doesn't have to wait for Donald Trump to start a world war. The Pentagon is pressing ahead as hard as it can. The head of U.S. Pacific Command, Admiral Harry Harris, says the U.S. Army should deploy new ship-killing units to threaten surface warships in the Western Pacific including in the East China Sea and South China Sea. “I think the army should be in the business of sinking ships with land-based surface-to-ship missile systems,” he said. The central element of the strategy would be built around holding islands that can deny potential adversaries such as China's People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) access to the open waters of the Western Pacific. Possible weapon systems to be deployed include the M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers, the M142 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System and the Army Tactical Missile System, which will be upgraded with the capability to engage moving targets on land and sea. Meanwhile, China has completed a second 12,000-ton Coast Guard cutter for patrols in the South China Sea. They are reported to reach a top speed of 25 knots and are equipped with 76 millimetere rapid fire guns, two secondary guns and anti-aircraft guns.

If the Australian Government agrees to send ships into the South China Sea, The Prime Minister and his cabinet should be required go with them (but they won't have the guts). It will be interesting to see which of the 47 vessels in the Australian navy will be sacrificed!The choice includes 2 amphibious assault ships (costing $1.5 billion each) 10 frigates, 1 destroyer, 11 patrol boats, 3 minehunters and six submarines.