US 'Strengthens Presence' Near China, Calls It 'Defense'
The Pentagon proudly announces increased submarine deployments around China, specifically highlighting the USS Seawolf’s presence near Japan, as reported by Newsweek. This 'strengthening of presence' (read: escalation) is consistently sold as defending 'free and open' seas. Funny, because when China builds artificial islands in *their* perceived sphere of influence, it's 'military expansionism.'
When the US parks nuclear subs next door, it's merely Tuesday. We've seen this script before, haven't we? The US military budget hit $886 billion for 2024, far exceeding the next ten countries combined, including China. One might wonder if 'strengthening presence' is always a prelude to 'securing interests,' especially when those interests involve lucrative arms deals and geopolitical dominance.
Remember the USS Maddox incident in the Gulf of Tonkin, allegedly sparking Vietnam? Or the 'weapons of mass destruction' that justified Iraq? History seems to repeat itself, not as tragedy, but as predictable, heavily-funded farce. As if a submarine can actually 'defend' anything when it's projecting power thousands of miles from home. The only thing strengthening here is the military-industrial
complex's stock portfolio.