How US Could Get Dragged into a War with China over a Rock...

The United States has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines. China and the Philippines are at odds over a group of islands in the South China Sea that could have lots of oil and natural gas near them. Some of the islands are more like rocks that disappear during high tide. The Philippines has declared if attacked it would ask the US for help. With China have nukes, this is not a good thing...



the-diplomat.com...

yeah...they would be dragged in to it...kicking and screaming helplessly like a nut trying to get out of a straight jacket.

Oil and natural gas? maybe that is worth fighting for or maybe there's something more to do with these few 'rocks' and what may be in them or around them,that we don't know about!

They've been arguing over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea for decades . China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines all have claims to some of the islands, shoals, and rocks. There is oil and natrual gas deposits in the area along with prime fishing grounds. Both China and Philipppines claim Scarborough Shoal, located about 130 miles off the Philippine main island of Luzon.

Shots have been fired between China and Vietnam in the past over fishing grounds. And alot of saber rattling between the others has occurred in the past.

I don't see an actual war breaking out over this though.