Trading the barbs

By Rolo B. Cena

Hushed Poppies

Dumaguete Star Informer

22 July 2012

Cebu City, Philippines – Engagingly disturbing, the standoff over Scarborough has been dragging for more than three months now.  What is amazingly irritating is the fact that China stands on its own while the fun-loving country Philippines seeks supports from other ASEAN member countries.  It even sought political and military support from the United States of America before briefly browsing the yellow pages of the ASEAN.

The Shoal, which comes in many names depending on one’s color and race, is believed to be sitting on huge mineral deposits.  The abundance of maritime life boosts its marketability and makes it a fertile ground for disputes, or even war, if this process is not accordingly and humanely addressed to; nestling along the most strategic navigational highway, it offers access to international trade and can in fact become a good naval or military support base. 

First off, I still believe it’s better to push for bilateral talks with China instead of engaging other countries on this issue.  China has been our economic partner for centuries.  The trade that transpired between our countries has contributed to economies, politics, culture, and even social life.  To date, thousands of Filipinos, both skilled and unskilled, are deployed to the mainland and Hong Kong for various economic engagements.  Conversely, we can numerate Chinese nationals working and hanging around in the country; some are even deeply engaged in businesses, and to say the worst, involved in drugs-related crimes and criminalities.

What China wants to articulate in fact is the same:  bilateral talks that could foster enhanced ties.  What they want is economic advantage more than political domination in the Shoal.  Conversely, the Country wants the same:  economic more than political advantage.  The former sounds feasible while the latter is beyond comprehension; the imagination only conspirators of the old war-torn Mesopotamia could have wanted to abort had the ill effects of war aftermath been made known to the fielders. 

Second, involving the US does not mean support at all.  It will place its own interest over the Philippines’.  Do you think Uncle Sam will work on the interests of the Filipinos ahead of theirs?  It would sound too good to be true if they will.  History tells us that the US government was willing to protect Hawaii, Guam, Puerto Rico, Iraq, Afghanistan, et al.  But it was more than that; it was actually protecting their vested economic and socio-political interests in the guise of protecting these subjects.  At the end of day, the superpower would always win. 

Arguably though, statistics put it that where there is US presence, there is war.  Experts should correct me if I am wrong:  Americans wanted to protect Iraq from Iran’s mighty invasion; consequently, the Gulf War ensued.  Americans wanted to protect Afghanistan from the Taliban; consequently, Afghan war was born.  The results: these two most recent wars are not over yet.  Fundamentalists bought war in, Americans earned.

Vietnam is another classic example:  No country as hell to die for! And the Philippines, too!

Third, rather than exchanging unpleasant hullabaloos, why not grab a chair in a boardroom of choice and discuss.  There is more than one benefit in talking than in exchanging word war.  Reciprocating military actions can always trigger another major conflict, and insulting diplomatic relations can always ruin existing ties.

The art of war has always been the game of the greedy and the powerful!  And this standoff, if not managed squarely may lead to something adverse.

Gentlemen got but one word:  they talk and decide between ears.  Let’s stop trading the barbs!