Mac, are you familiar with a Gaul named Vitalstatistix?
Just to let you know: when I was in the pac fleet navy, early 1990's, the Spratly Islands (and a few other bits and pieces in the region) had already become an issue of regional strategic concern. There was concern then about where or when there'd be a flash point. What intrigued me the most, at the time, was how it might influence our relationship, in a positive manner, with Vietnam.