The last vestiges of American colonialism in the Philippines ended with
the vacating of Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base in 1991. The years
of ignominy when the Philippines were conquered by the Spanish and then
the Americans were over. It is strange that the Philippines are begging
to be recolonised today by inviting the Americans back to station
American troops in the former bases. It is a voluntary kind of neo
colonialism where the colonized is willing and happy with the new
colonial master.
The Philippines are willing to trade or compromise their independence
and sovereignty, national pride to be a semi colony all for a weak
claims against China for some islands in the South China Sea. These
islands were claimed by China centuries ago in an era when the law of
the jungle existed and islands and countries were owned by finder’s
keeper formula. The islands were uninhabited when the Chinese visited
them and marked them as theirs.
On the other hand the Europeans went to take over countries, islands and
continents that were inhabited by the natives. North and South America,
Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the continent of Africa were founded
by the European empires ignoring the right of ownership of the natives.
The Chinese definitely have much more right to claim the islands in the
South China Seas under the predominant norms of those days. The
Philippines want to challenge the Chinese to claim these islands under a
new set of laws prevailing today which have lesser authority than the
earlier laws. And the Philippines is banking on the Americans to back
them up in a military confrontation with China for these islands. The
Americans too have acknowledged in acquiescence to China’s ownership of
the islands. Going against the Chinese claims would put their claim to
the American continent and the right of ownership of other western
dominion countries like Australia and New Zealand in question.
The Pinoys think they have a strong case against China and are ready to
take on China even compromising the sovereignty of the whole of
Philippines to become a semi colony of the Americans. Is the stake too
high for some flimsy claims on a few islands that they are unlikely to
succeed?
The Philippines has the Right to decide what it wishes to do with its territories.
ReplyDeleteIf it wishes to become a vassal state to others and the its citizenries agree, it's decision must be respected.
The pinoys are very happy to invite the Americans into their country. As long as they are happy we should be happy for them.
ReplyDeleteWe also very happy inviting so many foreigners to share our wealth.
.......as long as we are very happy to share our wealth, the foreigners should be happy for us............
ReplyDeleteHi RB, maybe Singapore can claim the rights to the nanya island chain, since we are largely descendents of southern China.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the pinoys are inviting the Americans to be their masters? Are they crazy?
ReplyDeleteMaybe there are a lot of oil reserves in the islands of the South China Sea?
ReplyDeleteOil = money, you know?
Which country govt don't want money, you say lah?
Even Sinkie govt want money also what, tio bo?
My suspicion, the Americans are behind it, the one pulling all the strings.
ReplyDeleteWhen one cuntree decides to annex territory from another cuntree, all "rights" are ignored and don't apply any longer. It doesn't matter whether the inhabitants of the hitherto "free" territory are indigenous or themselves occupiers from a previous conquest, or immigrants or whatever. If you are going to be conquered, your only choice is self defence and if that fails, then you no longer have a cuntree -- you are a conquered culture, or race, or civilization.
ReplyDeleteHuman beings are a warlike species -- that's how most present-day nation states were founded. Borders -- the imaginary lines drawn on a map -- shift over time. "Sovereignty" is fluid. When it comes to war, all the rights and rules are thrown out -- they no longer apply. The only thing which matters is who can kill the most and incapacitate their enemy, and can remain standing when the carnage is over. ANYTHING GOES. And to the victor, come the spoils.
Modern man is biologically the exact same species he was (estimated) 200,000 years ago when the first humans came into existence. We like to think we have "evolved", and culturally and technologically we indeed have, but at the end of the day you cannot deny our BIOLOGY. We are mammalian primates. If you investigate other mammalian primate species you will find similar traits: social animals, forming social groups, developing hierarchy in those social groups, eventually forming relationships with other social groups -- sometimes friendly, often HOSTILE. Hostility over territory is PRIMAL -- several animal species have these. The more "social" the species, the greater the degree of hostility toward "out group" agents.
Humans have big brains, sophisticated vocal mechanisms and digital dexterity in their forelimbs. This has allowed us to develop symbolic languages, which allows us to think in abstracts as well as concretes, and amalgamate the two. Our vocal ability and digital dexterity enables us to communicate our ideas by speech and writing, and to develop tools and inventions of amazing complexity thought out by our big brains, often working in large groups where the labour is divided -- allowing us to "conquer" certain limiting aspects of nature and build large civilizations with complex infrastructure.
Through the ages, we developed ourselves -- thanks to language and abstract thinking -- to go beyond the basic social order and animal nature we biologically inherited by "inventing" abstractions like culture, philosophy, morality and then LAW, which enables us to exist PEACEFULLY in large groups, with systems of production so that we can produce whatever we need to ensure our on going survival.
But we still carry with us that evolutionarily hard-wired sense of "belonging" to a social group (culture and race) which is fixed itself in a particular geographical region (nation). We are extremely sensitive to this -- it is a facet of our identity -- both individual and collective.
And thus, we will, rest assured, continue to FIGHT over territory. The claims like "sovereignty", "self defence", "rights" are all terms used to describe OWNERSHIP of property. We'll continue to fight because we have no choice: it's BIOLOGICAL.
@416.
ReplyDeleteSpot on.
Being "ruthless" and "manipulative", and I've added "deceptive" and "dishonest" are higher cognitive functions, and it is impossible without the ability to abstract (using symbolic language -- which humans have been able to extend to formal and informal logic, and mathematics). If you look at the level of math these days, mostly computer-aided and in the very best researched-centred tertiary institutions, you'll get an idea on how complex and "deep" human abstract thought can go -- so deep that it is beyond any comprehension for normal people, even those who are math-literate.
We are able to imagine any model of the world we want; even "construct" our own universes. Therefore it is not hard to accept that lying, cheating, cold-bloodedness, coerciveness, hostility by passive-agressive strategies...just to name a few common human behaviours -- are not only possible from a brain like ours but expected.
These are not just survival tools, but tools to ADVANCE ourselves at the expense (forced sacrifice) of others, if necessary. When "the ends justify the means", we are also more likely to sacrifice an "out-group" before we consider one of our own for ritual slaughter. And our BIG BRAIN automatically conjure up robust arguments to justify our actions post hoc. We feel no remorse. We feel pride in "accomplishment".
The human brain is so good it does an EXCELLENT JOB at conning itself. Imagine a planet with our species as totally rational, unwaveringly honest, and innately empathetic.
Most people would love such a "utopia/ heaven". Not me. It would be totally fucking boring. No entertainment. No "grit". No "victims" to laugh at. (*Note: all humour is based on laughing at a victim).
The human scenario becomes more interesting when you know that the same type of brain -- doing a similar "con-job" on its owner -- lives in the head of someone who has the power to wage war and launch fancy military hardware -- nukes, bio weapons, drones, electro magnetic disruptors, rail guns, kinetic weapons ('Rods From Gods').
Q: Why do we need such destructive weapons?
A: For survival.
Most people believe this, by the way.
There you are. Another perfect con-job from the human brain. ;-)
On with the "entertainment"! Give me a few victims I can laugh at!
Asean will speak with one voice from now on, according to the media , when come to South China Sea.
ReplyDeleteChina must abide by the code of coonduct woh, now that Japan & even India are coming board to boost their naval presence in SEA with their new carrier fleets.
Meanwhile Japan was being 'unremorseful' yesterday about its war atrocities, did not promise it will never to wage war aagin unlike previous yr !
what's next?
watch carefully what is coming from Japan.
Eqpyt now already 变天 the whole attention now is middle east
ReplyDeletetaiwan news talk show in Mandarin Eqypt bloodbath
how come channel 8 news coverage not so good
sorry try this
ReplyDeleteGuan jian shi ke