this post was submitted on 10 Dec 2023
264 points (100.0% liked)

World News

39004 readers
3080 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News [email protected]

Politics [email protected]

World Politics [email protected]


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

The confrontation happened as Philippine supply boats and escort ships attempted to deliver food to forces near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The Chinese coast guard assaulted three Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts Sunday and rammed one of them, causing serious engine damage off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just a day after similar hostilities at another shoal, the Philippine coast guard said.

The latest confrontation happened near Second Thomas Shoal as two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and Philippine coast guard escort ships were en route to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces in a long-marooned navy ship that serves as a territorial outpost, said a coast guard spokesman, Commodore Jay Tarriela.

No other details were provided. Drone video footage and photographs issued by the Philippine coast guard show two Chinese coast guard ships separately blasting water cannons at close range at a Philippine coast guard patrol ship, BRP Cabra, and a smaller supply boat.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 39 points 11 months ago (3 children)

I realize this is a serious situation, but I can't help but be amused by the idea of navies essentially shooting each other with squirt guns.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

It is, those are 'water cannons' they're not squirt guns. Just adding so people understand how high pressure these things can be.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Is there a reason people don't just shoot one back at them?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Because China will yell "ESCALATION!!! SEEE THEY ARE ATTACKING US" and come back with actual warships and bullets next time.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

and? classic case of fuck around and find out. Maybe it's time to show dictatorships like china that their actions can have consequences...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The US is already busy supporting two other wars right now. I doubt the Philippines wants to push their luck on how much support we would be willing/able to provide.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Don't forgot that's the Atlantic carrier groups supporting those efforts. The Pacific carrier groups are still in that area. The US Navy can posture much better than China can if they wanted to.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (2 children)

China has a weird thing with fighting over disputes without weapons. In the Himalayas the Chinese and Indians semi-regularly clash with sticks or baseball bats. There are videos and they are amazing.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Pretty sure this is because both sides agreed to not carry firearms in those areas. I'd guess to prevent a full-scale war breaking out

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Yes this is why. They agreed not to use firearms on their border, but still clash anyways, just with different weapons

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (1 children)

are sticks and baseball bat's not weapons? I'm confused.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] -5 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Anything can be a weapon. Guns happen to make pretty effective weapons, more so than sticks.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

That was my initial point, however many (i'm assuming Americans) are so psychologically broken,they consider anything not a gun to be not a weapon, as the initial comment i responded to implied. the downvotes only serve to confirm this bizzare phenomenon.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Maybe one day, wars will be fought not with bullets, but with squirt guns.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Just like the emojis predicted