Chinese ship commander is outraged when he finds an American exploration company setting up a drilling rig in the neutral zone. Goes slightly beserk and sets off a tactical nuke. China denies it and accuses US convert operations of setting off the nuke.
Communist party in Philippines uses this event as an excuse to take over government and welcomes Chinese navy and army to help them overthrow "terrorists".
US comes to the rescue reluctantly with Air power, specifically a tricked out B-2 batwing bomber that connected to a network of satellites that can deliver hi res pictures in real time. Connected to an information network, gives military command clear options as to location, numbers of ships or aircrafts and troop movements. System also controls weapons on the bird so it can select best weapon for situation and plot numbers and course for weapons.
US Air Force uses old B-52's, F111's and B-2's but are outnumbered. Stealth bomber helps them win the battle and Chinese come to the bargaining table. If they don't win the battle, China will end up with the Philippines.
End of book doesn't give a clear ending. SC72 and all the Spratly Islands issues are not solved but bargaining has begun. Book highlights interests of Chinese and the fact that there are many Chinese living on some of the disputed islands.
Philippine Navy consists of old WWII US Navy crafts and is no match for the 1990's Chinese navy. Imagine how much better they have gotten since then. Given the long supply lines and the lack of nearby air bases, the Chinese give the US all they can handle in the book.
However since the Chinese lost the battle, the local commander does commit suicide. He was so close to victory but the US technowizs beat him!
Situation really hasn't changed much in the intervening 7 years. There is still oil/gas offshore Philippines. Vietnam, Indonesia, China and the Philippines claim various parts of the islands. The disputed territory is definitely closer to mainland Philippines but "might makes right" and the Chinese are not getting weaker.
My suggestion to you? If you get depressed about SC72, read a book! They're fun, you can't put them down and you don't lose ANY money because you read them. And since they're fiction, sometimes fairy tales do come true! So SC72 could turn into a monster gas project, support cheap clean power generation on the Philippines for decades and make FEC, FECOF and all of us rich!
My fairy tale also finds a big pocket of oil to give the project an early boost in revs to help pay for the pipeline to shore.
Bobwins
BTW, I have an old, brown, beatup paperback of SKYMASTERS for sale. I'm thinking it's worth at least 500 shares of FECOF.ob.
Please post stock symbols first in all your posts. If it's a foreign stock, please list the US pk equivalent symbol.
If the Commodities Boom is Over, I am just a Gold Bug headed for the Windshield of LIFE
