The US wants to "send a message" . . .

***ALERT***ALEERT***ALERT***ALERT***ALERT***ALERT***

Just in: @USNavy prepared to sail w/i 12mi of China's manmade islands in #SouthChinaSea "w/i 24hrs", has POTUS approval -Def. Official

12:23 PM - 26 Oct 2015
Jim Sciutto, CNN

***ALERT***ALEERT***ALERT***ALERT***ALERT***ALERT***

The Commander-in-Chief of US Forces has approved a mission in the South China Sea.

The US navy is poised to start freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea in a high-stakes effort to push back against Chinese territorial claims over artificial islands in the disputed waters.
In a move that will enrage Beijing, the USS Lassen, a guided-missile destroyer, will sail inside the 12-nautical mile zones of two man-made islands — Subi and Mischief reefs — that China has built in the contested Spratly Island chain. A senior US defence official said it would sail through the area in the early hours of Tuesday morning [27 October 2015].

Ref: Financial Times


DonDiego suggests if one is awakened from one's slumber tonight by a singularly bright flash, one should look away to preserve one's eyesight so that one may participate in the ensuing cleanup efforts.

Could Lurker place his head firmly in the sand? Best yet, please hold your breath for 14 days, afterwards you can breath if you feel like it.

I humbly submit that everybody has misinterpreted the message being sent. It's more like.......

"If you can do anything productive, sit down and shut up; but we'll give you all kinds of free junk if you'll hang around here and don't do diddly squat. Pretty please!"

"A U.S. defense official told CNN that the destroyer USS Lassen 'conducted a transit' within 12 nautical miles of Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands on Tuesday morning local time."

Ref: CNN

One need not worry, . . . DonDiego has escaped Chinese retaliation. In fact, there are no reports of damage anywhere within Appalachia.

Huh, what? For what reason would I do that? I already said nothing serious was going to happen. And I would be willing to bet some good money the USS Lassen will still be floating in 24 hours.