Chinese Ratcheting Up Military Confrontation with U.S. and Asian Allies as Obama's Weak Policy Continues to Invite War

Chinese intercept of U.S. jet comes amid reports that China is "weaponizing" artificial islands miles from Chinese territory!

Flying in international airspace a U.S. patrol plane was intercepted by two Chinese fighter jets on Tuesday over the South China sea. It was a highly aggressive, even "unsafe" act according to the Pentagon. It matches increasing efforts by Russia to harass and probe U.S. military response in Europe and off the coast of Alaska.

Meanwhile, the effort to build artificial bases in the South China Sea continues. Below is a recent photo from the Daily Mail showing the new base with runway on one of the Spratley Islands. A Pentagon report (PDF) released in April describes China's effort as "weaponizing" the facilities.

About a year ago this was a reef. Today it is a fully functioning Chinese military
base hundreds of miles from the Chinese mainland. Why? 

Chinese artificial bases give China ultimate control over vital waterway.

The artificial islands are over 800 miles from the Chinese mainland. The New York Times documents the crash program to build one of the islands going from reef to base in a year.  The Islands control vital choke points in one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. The only reason for building them is to exert military control over the area raising the specter of future clashes with other Asian powers and the U.S.

Perhaps the Chinese have rushed this building program because they know a change in U.S. Administrations may bring a President who isn't asleep at the switch. Sadly, much of the damage has already been done.

Let's call the future Asian war Obama's Folly!