This holiday saw the revival of US consumerism (on Black Friday), essentially relieving the weight of recession on the market. But then another problem has risen: yet another step backwards in US-China relations.
What happened over Thanksgiving 2007? The USS Kitty Hawk, along with four warships and a nuclear submarine was refused a port of call at Hong Kong. The US carrier has previously docked at Hong Kong, a popular recreational destination for the US Navy. Additionally, the 4-day Thanksgiving stop was planned months in advance. Why the sudden change of heart on China's side?
Later, hours later, when the vessels were about 250 miles on course to the US Naval base at Okinawa, China once again changed its mind and re-welcomed the ships, saying the previous decision was "out of humanitarian consideration only."
A less likely reason is because the People's Republic Army (PLA) is undergoing a large air and naval exercise in the Guangdong region, which would occur in too close a range with the US Naval ships. But do US troops really need to monitor the PLA's actions with 6 vessels? A satellite is enough.
Regardless of reason, one fact remains true: 8,000 US Marines spent their Thanksgiving out at sea.
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