The Korean Peninsula: Stealth Ships and Military Exercises

The tensions continue to escalate. The statements issued by the Trump White House have only added to already existing tensions that have been brewing since Obama's announced 'Pivot' in 2011.

The US is deploying a stealth ship and a missile 'defense' system.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/02/07/China-opposes-deployment-of-US-stealth-ship-in-South-Korea/9251486478203/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=10

China is responding by stepping up patrols and making its presence known.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2017/02/07/2017020700900.html

With the upcoming exercises the possibility for confrontation will only be increased. Let's hope cooler heads prevail.

The US-ROK exercises are ostensibly about training for conflict with North Korea and meant to send a strong message to Pyongyang... as was the recent and rather harsh warning issued by Secretary of Defense Mattis.

And yet clearly this is just as much about China. Beijing knows this and yet if they do anything, respond in any way... Western media paints it as Chinese aggression.