Doubts deepen over Chinese-backed Nicaragua canal as work starts

[rogerashton]

1. If it is a Chinese project

On the one hand, a second canal, completely outside U. S. auspices, would shift the balance of influence worldwide.

On the other hand, I seem to recall that the existing canal is too narrow for the biggest tankers and warships, so the U.S. could benefit from another canal.

On the gripping hand, we are closer -- and that could mean both that we gain more from the increased shipping capacity and that, in the event of armed conflict, our military would be more likely to "protect it" than the Chinese military would.

My guess is that Wang Jing is gambling on CPR support and financing for it, but it could be a bad gamble.