The BBC has an overview of military risks in the area, but the article is a few
years old. The interesting reference is a 1995 War College simulation that
showed the US would lose a confontation with China over the Spratley Islands;
but with multiple Cartriers, the balance might shift in our favor.

See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asi...fic/279170.stm