Defense Secretary Carter's Bullying Remarks

by Stephen Lendman

Hawkish lunatics run America. On Friday, addressing the Shangri-La Dialogue forum in Singapore, Carter claimed America is "the primary security provider in the Asia Pacific" - warning China of what he called is its "expansive and unprecedented actions" in the South China Sea. 

He pushed for an Asian "principled security network" to counter "Russia's worrying actions" and Beijing's regional activities.

He belligerently saber-rattled, saying "the the United States will remain the most powerful military and main underwriter of security in the region for decades to come - and there should be no doubt about that."

"So even as the United States counters Russian aggression and coercion (sic) in Europe; as well as checks Iranian aggression and malign influence (sic) in the Middle East…America's approach to the Asia-Pacific remains one of commitment and strength and inclusion."

Beijing justifiably resents US meddling in a part of the world not its own. On Saturday, its Foreign Ministry diplomatically demanded Washington cease making irresponsible remarks  about sovereign Chinese territory.

On May 19, China's Xinhua News Agency commented sharply, saying Washington should cease South China Sea provocations, "flexing its military muscle…against China's maritime security interests."

"Such dangerous and irresponsible activities also significantly increase the risk of military misjudgment in the region."

Provocative US actions force Beijing to take responsible countermeasures. "Neither muscle-flexing nor arbitrary intervention will shake its resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights," it said.

Neocons infesting Washington threaten confrontation on two fronts. War against Russia or China would be madness, a potentially disastrous face-off assuring no winners, humanity vulnerable to extinction. 

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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