04.09.2019 - By War on the Rocks
The USS Wasp, loaded with F-35B Lightning II fighters, is spotted at the disputed Scarborough Shoal for this month’s Balikatan exercise. The demonstration follows the U.S. restatement of commitment to mutual defense with the Philippines, including the South China Sea.
Gregory Poling, Director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and a Fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, joins the Warcast to discuss the value of the demonstration. (~11 minutes)
[ 0:17 ] Introduction
[ 0:59 ] The U.S.-Philippines defense alliance in Detail
[ 2:04 ] Significance of U.S. restatement of commitment
[ 3:38 ] Value of controlling Scarborough Shoal
[ 6:06 ] Risk of Philippines adventurism
[ 7:40 ] China's response
[ 8:57 ] Commitment based on threat versus Administration prerogatives