An investigation is needed into whether a near-collision between a U.S. guided-missile cruiser and a Russian ship in the Phillippine Sea involved "some kind of provocation," Sen. Mazie Hirono said Friday.
"My concern is that it was practically a near-miss, and something like that should not happen at all," the Hawaii Democrat told CNN's "New Day." "Yes, we do need to investigate whether or not there was some kind of a provocation going on there, because one would think that there are enough sensors or whatever, equipment on both of these ships to avoid this kind of near-miss."
The near-crash happened as Russian President Vladimir Putin and China President Xi Jinping meet in St. Petersburg on Friday, and Hirono said she thinks Russia is trying to reassert itself as a country at a time when its economy is on a downward turn.
"And, you've got China just probably smacking her lips at the prospect of getting into Russia...they want to become the most economically strong power, as well as a militarily strong power in the world," said Hirono. "That's what I think, and so they've been very busy all over the world in Africa, in the Pacific."
Hirono also commented on the ongoing discussions over impeachment, saying she thinks it's time to open an official inquiry, after the comments from special counsel Robert Mueller on Russian interference in the 2016 election and President Donald Trump's actions.
"There comes a time when we need to do the appropriate and right thing and I think this is that time," said Hirono.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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