Meanwhile, trouble in the Pacific

The United States is deploying military assets in the Middle East to prevent a larger war, but other regions of the world are not calming down. The final sparks in the Pacific require a truly bipartisan effort to pour U.S. hard power west of the international border to deter a provocation from China.

Over the weekend in the South China Sea, a Chinese coast guard vessel collided with a Philippine boat that was attempting to resupply military personnel on the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands. Beijing regularly harasses Philippine ships as it attempts to exert control over the islands.