Gunboats?

This is coolbert:

From the Chicago Tribune only today in entirety as reported:

"World briefing"

"China sends surveillance ships to disputed islands"

"China said Tuesday it has sent surveillance ships to waters near three islands at the center of a dispute with Japan, a day after Tokyo announced plans to purchase the uninhabited territories."" [and uninhabitable too, no source of fresh water]

The Xinhua News Agency said two patrol boats were sent to 'assert the country's sovereignty' over the islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan." [Pinnacle islands in English]

"The paramilitary ships are operated by the country's coast guard. There was no immediate response from Tokyo."

FOR EVERY ACTION THERE IS A REACTION AND THIS IS ALMOST AS DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND? Those disputed islands Senkaku [Japanese], Diaoyu [China] or Pinnacle [English] once more a topic of discussion. ONLY yesterday the Japanese making their pronouncement and TODAY the Chinese response MOST bellicose.

Do not take this sort of stuff lightly.

Recall too that during the time of American occupation of Okinawa the Pinnacles [I use the English term] were under the administration of the the U.S. military authorities. This was so until occupation ended in 1970.

This too smacks of gunboat diplomacy? Patrol craft, coastal ordinarily but paramilitary in nature without question being sent to the scene, the known armed presence signifying sovereignty! Take it from there!

coolbert.