The whole point of U.S. “freedom of navigation” missions in the South China Sea is to publicly assert America’s right to send its warships through international waters, and fly aircraft through international air space anywhere in the world.
So Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain said he’s offended by the continued refusal of Defense Secretary Ash Carter to acknowledge those missions in testimony before his committee, claiming to discuss the operation would be a disclosure of classified details of military operations.
“Why would we want to classify that we are doing what every nation in the world should be able to do? And that’s sail or fly wherever we want to. Why should that be classified information?” McCain fumed.
“To classify the fact that we are sending our ships and airplanes into international waters, and have that classified, when it should be magnified, throughout the world that the United States is asserting our respect and adherence to international law is something that is confusing and befuddling,” McCain lectured Carter.
The exchange followed questions by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., about media reports that Philippines-based U.S. military planes, including A-10 ground attack aircraft, flew “domain awareness” flights near contested Scarborough Shoal, which China effectively took over in 2013 after a tense standoff with the Philippines.
Cotton suggested the U.S. flights sent a “weak message” because they did not come within 12 miles of the disputed shoal.
Carter said he was just trying to be “respectful” of the process, and promised to go back and check which aspects of the ship movements were classified.
“Just because something’s in the newspaper, doesn’t mean its not classified,” he said.
