Curiously enough, the story is not being widely reported. All the hits on Google News seem to be based on the Daily Mail’s story, with no fresh quotes or insights being offered anywhere. How can a story potentially this big be ignored?

Well even if the story turns out not to be true, these photos seem to indicate that the Chinese are well on their way to creating a competitive fleet in the Pacific. These are the true threats to American security: mobile nuclear platforms that can sail undetected off the coast of California carrying up to 12 nuclear missiles each. That we’re currently steeling ourselves for battle with a nation which might possibly get its very first nuclear weapon a few years down the line beggars belief. Iran is of concern, to be sure, but it is a regional irritant at best. The legacies of Bush’s policies may prove to be darker than most think.