Pentagon Downplays Their Own Intelligence Assessment On China

Vessels from the China Maritime Surveillance and the Japan Coast Guard are seen near disputed islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, in the East China Sea, in this photo taken by Kyodo on Sept. 10, 2013. Reuters

Pentagon Plays Down Intelligence Officer's Provocative China Assessment -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The Pentagon on Thursday played down remarks by a senior Navy intelligence officer who told a public forum that he believed China was training its forces to be capable of carrying out a "short, sharp" war with Japan in the East China Sea.

The comments by Captain James Fanell, director of intelligence and information operations at the U.S. Pacific Fleet, were little noticed when he made them last week at a conference on maritime strategy called "West 2014" in San Diego. They can be seen here: link.reuters.com/qyq96v

Fanell also predicted China, which declared an air defense zone last year in the East China Sea where it is locked in a territorial dispute with Japan over a string of small islands, would declare another air defense zone by the end of 2015, this time in the South China Sea.

Read more ....

Previous Post: China Prepares For War Against Japan (Updated)

More News On The Pentagon Downplaying It's Own Intelligence Assessment On China

Pentagon Distances Itself from China Warning -- Voice of America
U.S. Official: Beijing Preparing For 'Short, Sharp' War With Japan -- NPR
Pentagon shrugs off navy intel officer’s controversial China assessment -- Japan Daily Press
US downplays officer's provocative China remarks -- Press TV

My Comment: There is nothing provocative on Captain James Fanell's assessment of Chinese intentions .... he is reporting what he is seeing. But the Pentagon has moved fast on this one .... and I suspect that it's opposition to this assessment is driven more by political considerations rather than on intelligence assessments.

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Posted by: Tukiyooo Pentagon Downplays Their Own Intelligence Assessment On China Updated at : 9:05 PM

Friday, February 21, 2014