I am saddened by today’s news of the school shooting outside of Houston. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I had written this post yesterday but had not yet published it. Today’s tragedy makes it more poignant. Our children will not be protected by gun free zones, universal background checks, or assault weapon bans. They will only be made safe by proper security plans designed by professionals. Stop berating our national politicians and the NRA for something that can be fixed in and by your local school district. We can fix it, but we have to fix it right.
With that said, here’s the post I wrote yesterday about what schools pass off as “security” today… (more…)
The Left plays identity politics to gain and maintain power. Identity politics creates an “us versus them” mentality. One of the oldest versions of this is to pit the poor against the rich. The rich are rich because they cheat or get a better deal than you, and if we took from them you would be better off.
An easy way to do that is to play on ignorance. Most people truly don’t understand taxes and how they work. So it is easy to take a truthful statement and use it to play on this lack of knowledge in the area of taxes. Take for example the following meme: (more…)
Illinois State Representative Martin J. Moylan has introduced legislation in the Illinois Assembly that would essentially ban “assault weapons.” The problem is, Rep. Moylan doesn’t really have any qualified experience to tell you what defines an “assault weapon.”
For now, let’s set aside that fact that there is no such thing as an “assault weapon.” It’s a made-up term for political purposes. It is not the same as an “assault rifle,” which actually has a real definition. So since “assault weapon” is a political term, the law must define it. (more…)
Everyone is talking about the President’s wiretapping allegations. If you haven’t heard about it, then you likely live in a cave somewhere.
It goes like this – President Trump in a tweet accused former President Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower. In the aftermath of the tweet, the media and members of government called the claims baseless and without evidence. Then the media frenzy began: (more…)
When Trump questioned US intelligence over the Russian election hacking (non)scandal, the media and political talking heads went ballistic. How dare he question the material reports by our intelligence agencies.
But in his first ordered military operation, which evidently was in the works from intelligence gathered during the Obama administration, now it’s OK for everyone except the President to question the intelligence. (more…)
Cam Rahn Naval Base in Cam Rahn Bay is the home port for the Vietnamese Navy’s 4th Regional Command (D Regional Command). It manages the South China Sea, south central coast including Spratly Islands, Phú Quý island and the south central coast, from Phú Yên to Bình Thuận. (more…)
Fiery Cross is one of the flashpoints for militarization of the South China Sea. It is now a manmade island built by China. Its intended purpose is to act as an island “aircraft carrier” for China in the South China Sea. (more…)
I’ve been reporting for over a year that the South China Sea would be a flashpoint for military conflict. Now that the Chinese have crossed the line and stolen a US UUV, it has become front page news. And as front page news, Trump weighing in with comments is a perfect opportunity for the Media Elite to take a veiled dig at the incoming president. (more…)
China showed their bellicose intentions on Thursday when they stole a US underwater drone.
What Happened
USNS Bowditch
The USNS Bowditch (T-AGS-62) was reportedly operating in international waters approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines. It was retrieving one of two unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) of the ocean glider type.
Type 922IIIA Ship
While retrieving one of the gliders, the Chinese PRC Navy vessel Nan Jiu 510, a Type 922 Dalang III Class salvage ship, came within 500 yards of the Bowditch and lowered a smaller craft into the water. The smaller craft retrieved the second UUV glider from the water and returned to the main vessel.
The Bowditch made radio contact with the Chinese vessel requesting the return of the UUV. The Chinese vessel responded to the radio communication with the message that they were returning to normal operations. They then left the area.
Ships Involved
It’s important to understand that the Bowditch is not a warship like a destroyer or battleship. It’s a scientific research vessel. Here’s what the Bowditch does:
While the Bowditch is an official U.S. Navy ship, it’s not a warship. The Navy lists the Bowditch as a Pathfinder-class survey ship, used primarily to “support worldwide oceanography programs, including performing acoustical, biological, physical and geophysical surveys,” according to the Military Sealift Command’s website. Essentially, the Bowditch makes maps. Its crew are entirely civilians as well — while the data it collects can be used for both scientific and military purposes, it’s not a combat vessel.
The PRC Navy ship is likewise not a warship. It is a ship typically used for rescue and salvage operations. The Nan Jiu 510 is assigned to the South Sea Fleet.
Formal Protest
The US isn’t likely to go to war over a $150,000 scientific drone whose design is not classified. It’s likely that data contained in the vessel is not all that sensitive either.
But that doesn’t make this a minor infraction. It’s a sovereign vessel reportedly labeled as such. That makes this no different than commandeering a manned vessel belonging to the United States. It’s a serious issue.
The US has lodged a formal protest and has demanded the return of the UUV.
China continues to play the martyr and suggest that their military buildup in the South China Sea is purely defensive. Thursday’s action proves that is a crock.