Kiribati II.

This is coolbert:

"Always ... and I mean ALWAYS ... get ye to a chart ... better yet, a globe."

From Commander Salamander and refer to my most recent blog entry.

"Why Kiribati and Kanton Matter"

"China is working with the tiny Pacific island state of Kiribati to explore the feasibility of improving an airstrip on one of its remote islands, China’s foreign ministry said late Friday."

"Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing Kiribati lawmakers, that China has drawn up plans to upgrade an airstrip and bridge on the tiny island of Kanton (also spelled Canton), a coral atoll strategically located midway between Asia and the Americas."

"This is just part of a pattern of China using a combination of economic promise to the poor, a little graft to grease the skids, and you have all sorts of access from the small Pacific Islands, long suffering African republics, European mercantilists, and DC thinktanks."

I highly suggest all devoted readers to the blog read the entire Commander article. And break out that chart and globe one and all. Instantly. Global power machination on display.

Devoted readers to the blog will instantly understand that the first American ground offensive action in the Pacific during the Second World War was in response to the Japanese building airbases that threatened Lines of Communication [LoC] between the United States and Pacific allies New Zealand and Australia.

That you for the timely Commander web site entry. I and my readers are all indebted.

coolbert.