Compass Points - Send in Marines
The conflict has already begun
Compass Points - Send in Marines
The conflict has already begun
July 5, 2024
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The US is at an Article 5 moment in the Pacific. And the Marine Corps may be called on for duties much different than sitting on islands and passing on data. Wars begin most often, not with a declaration of war, but with an incident that flares into war.
It has been more than 80 years since President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his "Infamy" address to a joint session of Congress.
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Yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
-- Franklin Roosevelt
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Roosevelt concluded his remarks by asking Congress to declare war.
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I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.
-- Franklin Roosevelt
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In more than 80 years and decades of conflicts around the globe since then, Congress has never declared war. It may be that there will never be all out war between the US and China. It may be that Congress will never declare war on China. Nevertheless, today there is open conflict with China and a vital ally, the Philippines.
Recently, the Commandant of the Marine Corps spoke on the Marine Corps' important role in the Pacific.
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A key Marine Corps role is to “serve as the inside force” in the first island chain – from the Ryukyus to Australia – to curb China’s ambitions, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith said Tuesday.
. . . He added a dispersed force can thwart an enemy’s planning and operations. The littoral combat regiment also is capable of attacking and destroying a naval base.
-- USNI News
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Nearly every week, Philippine forces are being attacked again and again off their own coast by forces from China. If the Marines are the Pacific's "inside force" to "curb China's ambitions" and “thwart an enemy's planning and operations" then where are the Marines?
While open warfare does not often come from a formal declaration of war, wars often begin with a single incident or with a treaty violation. Complicating the ongoing conflict between China and the Philippines is that the US is required to come to the aid of the Philippines under their mutual defense treaty, Article 5.
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Article 5 of the 1951 treaty states that an armed attack—which would compel one partner to come to the defense of the other—includes an "armed attack on a metropolitan territory of either of the parties or on the Island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific."
-- Newsweek
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If the Marine Corps is truly going to be the "inside force" along the first island chain, there is work to be done. There needs to be at least one ARG/MEU patrolling the South China Sea 24/7/365 and most likely at least two other smaller MAGTFs built around Expeditionary Fast Transports constantly patrolling elsewhere throughout Indo-Pacific.
Marines should be onboard amphibious ships patrolling the Spratlys today in order to deter and prevent the next incident between China and the Philippines. The Pacific is one incident away from an Article 5 violation that can erupt into open conflict. Marines on amphibious ships have unique capabilities to preserve the peace. If the Marines are to be the deterring, assisting, and fighting force in the Pacific, it is time to get off the island and get back on patrol.
President Roosevelt knew a day of "infamy" when he saw one. He also knew there was no time to lose. The world situation needed immediate action from the US. In the entire history of the United States, Congress has declared war fewer than a dozen times. Most of the time, US forces jump into a conflict long before any official declaration of war. Off the coast of the Philippines, the conflict with China is at an Article 5 moment. Where are the Marines?
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USNI News - 07/03/2024
Marines Want to Shut Down Sea Lines of Communication in a Pacific Fight, CMC Smith Says
By John Grady
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Newsweek - 04/16/2024
US Ally Reveals Threshold for Triggering Article 5 Against China
By Micah McCartney, China News Reporter
https://www.newsweek.com/philippines-reveals-threshold-triggering-article-five-against-china-1890680
Once again General Smith wants to have his cake and eat it too. The 39th Commandant wants to shut down sea lines of communication in the Pacific with light Littoral Combat Regiments and still maintain enough combat power to have a Marine Expeditionary Force to back them up. He also wants these Littoral Combat Regiments to be lighter and more mobile. I don't think you can have both. Additionally, due to the lighter LCRs they can be destroyed in detail more easily than a traditional Marine regiment. He said he agrees with CNO Admiral Franchetti that 31 L Class ships is sufficient. We all know that is not enough ships. Commandant Smith is still pursuing the Landing Ship Medium program instead of procuring more of the larger L Class ships for a truly expeditionary capability. Why not let the Navy and the Army with their Multi-Domain Task Force, handle Chinese ships, and let the Marine Corps do what it does best and what it is supposed to do: being a combined arms naval expeditionary force.
“The littoral combat regiment also is capable of attacking and destroying a naval base.”
I’m not sure this is a completely accurate statement. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a final TO/TE for the MLR. What is the makeup of the MLR’s supporting arms? What, at best 2 batteries of M777s, a HIMARS unit, a few 5”/54s, a few more 76mm naval guns? What type of air support will they have? And, most importantly, what type of logistics will provide for the force ashore?
I’m sorry, I for one don’t remotely believe that an MLR by itself is capable of attacking and destroying an enemy advance naval base.
We’re being sold a bill of goods by the current Corps leadership. Congress needs to start asking the HARD questions, and if they’re not adequately answered then the Corps needs to be dictated to by Congress as to what’s expected of them under Title 10.