China and Japan: the largest clash in Asia since Vietnam ?

Did Obama just draw another red line

 in the East China Sea?

by Michael Auslin

Based on prior performance, President Obama might be wary of drawing any more red lines around the world. His warning to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and subsequent about-face is still considered a low point of his presidency. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has steadily ignored all American demands that he cease his aggression against Ukraine.

Yesterday in Tokyo, the president made another powerful promise, assuring Japan that the disputed Senkaku Islands come under Article Five of the U.S.-Japan security treaty, and thus would be protected by American forces in the case of a Sino-Japanese conflict over them. In response, the Chinese accused Washington of trying to "cage" China.

Normally, a president's promise would be greeted with warm appreciation in Tokyo, which has administered the Senkakus since the reversion of Okinawa back to Japan in 1972. The Japanese government has been locked in a tense face-off with China over the islands for the past two years. Patrol ships and planes from China regularly enter the disputed waters and Japanese forces just as regularly confront them, trying to chase them out. Beijing's goal is to undermine Tokyo's claim to sole administration of the islands, thus calling into question the U.S. commitment to help Japan protect them.

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