Tension Rising in Asia

Tension is rising in Asia. The United States ship USNS Impeccable was surrounded and harassed by Chinese ships while on a surveillance mission. Among the provocative actions were sailing dangerously close and getting in front of the US ship then stopping. This incident is the latest in a recent string of escalating encounters. The Chinese do not deny the encounter, but claim that the US ship was in their waters.

More on this at http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK9458120090310?sp=true, http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090310/D96QR9H00.html, and http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKPEK31847520090310.

North Korea is also upping the rhetoric. NK has cut the military hotline to Seoul and have the army at battle stations. Such is not totally unexpected as the US and South Koreans begin war games. This is piling on the tension with the upcoming NK missile test. What the US and SK are calling a missile test, NK says is a satellite launch. NK has said that any interference with the 'satellite launch' would result in war.

More at http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D96QRQ780&show_article=1 and http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d5d6fd4a-0c60-11de-b87d-0000779fd2ac.html.