8/10/2016

Is Singapore at war?

One Douglas Chua wrote to the ST forum on 10 Aug that we need to buy the anti missile iron dome system to protect the island from rocket attacks by terrorists from Batam? What about terrorists finding themselves in strategic locations across the causeway firing rockets at aircraft in and out of Changi or at any part of Singapore? In this kind of ground to air attacks against planes, the dome will be practically useless.

The terrorist warfare is affecting many western countries and our neighbours, like it or not, at war or not, we are at war without our choosing. There is no need to declare that we are at war in this kind of modern warfare that conventional weapons and armies are totally hapless. All the mean machines, the super expensive toys like F35s are only good for show. The tanks, the destroyers, submarines, fighter bombers and what else are but a misconnect, meaningless against a moving and solitary target that does not look like a target.  But we must buy more expensive weapons, the more expensive the better, dunno for what, against who, against what kind of enemies when we should be deploying more people and resources in a real war that can hit us any moment.

Of course we are also at another war, a conventional one, In Iraq or Syria, and in Afghanistan and dunno where in the Middle East. We may  not be sending our combatants to engage in direct warfare, but in supporting roles to protect our medical teams, and air to air refueling or operating drones for recce missions, the soldiers are in the theatre of war, in a war zone, can be killed. Singapore has been part of the American Coalition of the Willing in the American wars in the Middle East and Afghanistan. This is modern day League of Nations invasion of China in the 1890s.

Some bloggers were asking, does the govt need to discuss this and get Parliamentary approval, or even a referendum to go to war.  The question of are we at war is a denial of the reality. Can we really say that we are not at war when our soldiers are part of the American Coalition conducting warfare in the Middle East and Afghanistan?

Some may argue that we are not really at war. See, no casualties, and away from direct gunfire, maybe out of reach of enemy fire. And our boys and girls can always come back to have their char kway teow or chicken rice anytime in the comfort of our airconditioned restaurants and live life as normal.

How far do we have to go before announcing to the people that we are at war, engage in a war, and our soldier boys and girls are in the war zones? Up to what extent before there is a need to discuss this in Parliament and to tell the people that we are at war and since when were we at war?

Or would someone want to start another academic exercise to define what is at war and whether we are technically, literally, or legally at war?

18 comments:

  1. No lah. Singapore is not at war, as long as there are no rockets fired at Marina bay and no casualties from those sent to the Middle East.

    There will only be a real war when the opposition announce they are ready to fight and defeat PAP at the next election and replace PAP as govt. Of course 93% chance this real war will not happen.

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  2. Launching rockets at Singapore from Batam ?

    Those guys must be nuts.
    Making or buying laser gun
    and machine are far easier
    and convenient to use. Just
    aim and shoot. No need for
    explosive.
    Portable and easy to take along
    somemore.

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  3. "Some bloggers were asking, does the govt need to discuss this and get Parliamentary approval, or even a referendum to go to war."
    RB

    These bloggers must be joking lah, asking to discuss and get Parliamentary approval, when they already know 93% of MPs in Parliament are PAP MPs.

    How not to get approved? And if Parliament can approve, why need referendum?

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  4. Singaporeans have to be very very very careful!

    Maybe no war now!

    But, THEY are in the dark....Singaporeans are out there in the bright!

    Singaporeans have to be very very very careful!

    Don't play play!

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  5. The war is already over.
    Singaporeans have lost.
    5 more years.
    Just see how many of us are still employed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Swiber imploded in just 6 weeks: DBS chief Piyush Gupta

    http://www.straitstimes.com/business/banking/swiber-imploded-in-just-6-weeks-dbs-chief-piyush-gupta
    ---------------------
    Offshore services firm Swiber Holding's financial implosion was so rapid and sudden its biggest lender DBS Bank was caught off guard, DBS Group Holdings chief executive Piyush Gupta said yesterday.

    He added that other offshore firms could face knock-on effects in the second half of this year.

    Recounting the Swiber saga, Mr Gupta noted that "Swiber imploded in six weeks". "This thing unravelled between late May and mid-July. So when people say you should have known, none of the indicators showed it," he said.
    ---------------------------------------------

    Really ah?
    I thought the price of oil started falling in July 2014.
    You don't know meh?

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  7. Israel's Iron Dome did not stop a drone entering and missed being shot down by real fighter jets and anti-aircraft missiles.

    The alleged rocket from a neighbouring island misses the fact that rocket science is beyond their scope. At least not for the 30++km applications.

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  8. Spend billions to protect the missles attacks? ?

    Just need a suicide bomber to mix with the crowds having Beach parties, drinking at Clarke quay and having good fun and you have them screaming for mercy

    This missile from Batam just a bogeyman to scare the shits out of the already chickened Sinkies.

    Military secrets, you think no combatants now on going? ?

    Only medical teams. Uncle Sam said fight you fight

    Jump you jump

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  9. Indeed singapore needs to learn from President Park who deployed Thaad in SKorea. That x wave radar can cover an object of less than 10cm flying in the air. So 2000km cover Bejing Zhongnanhai, Xi play foot ball can also be detected, may be.

    Singapore need to deploy Thaad at the Changi US base. And also need to deploy 10 each Patriot in the South outside Sands and Santosa, and 5 Patriot right at causeway and tuas.

    Citizens will feel safe with Thaad and Patriot to prevent missiles attacks from China.

    Singapore is entering a new era. Carter in May at Shengrila had proposed a Asia Nato to counter China. This NatoAsia consist of US Japan Australia and Singapore as core members. The potential will include Vietnam Philippine. For China side, China has only Cambodia and Russia as its allies.

    At war with US, China will hit all bases use by US in Asia. Japan, Singapore and Australia will be hit. There is no doubt about it in my opinion. Because the PLA s slogan is "win in war". These words mean when gambling at war, PLA will use all its deadly weapons to get rid of US in shortest time, so that US people in America face with huge casualties and give up Asia altogether. US had give up Asia once after Vietnamese taught US generals a lesson. Now US generals want PLA generals to teach them lesson #2. PLA generals had already warned its Navy chief face to face. I guess at real action, US will suffer lots of blood let out.

    Singapore being the close ally with US and also Australia, and Japan, will get the hits for helping the US.

    So Singapore must demand Thaad, Patriots, S300, S400 protection, similar to S Korea for its people to feel safe.

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  10. Some people so stupid and never serve in SAF before. Worse cannot think out of the box.

    If you have served before and trained in the field, you would know SAF concept that attack is the best defense; learn from Israel. Which is why we brought Apache, F15 SG, Leopard...and so on expensive offensive hardware. Why not only purchase defensive hardware?

    If we know we are at danger of ballistic missile threat, why purchase defensive weapons only and not develop similar offensive ballistic nuclear missile as well? Anyway going to die already, does not make any more difference if US cannot really protect us.

    This is the same logic on why Japan after so many years changed its law to arm itself offensively. Imagine if it possess nuclear weapons. If going to die, lets all die together.
    US has so many years suppressed their govt not to develop one but now there are signs that they are going to let go to let Japan deal with China 1st. I mean why not since China is so eager to pick up a fight?

    Remember the dead shrimp concept? I cannot win but also let you know you will pay a heavy price.

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  11. Once Spore joined the camp of the world's biggest warmonger sure got dragged into wars.

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  12. Anon 1:21, don't anyhow say people stupid ok. You oso don't know Japan oredy got nuclear weapons many years ago. In the 60s, fucking American loan 700kg of uranium to the Japs for 'research' like killing of whales for scientific studies. The uranium still not returned. Eaten up in sushi with uranium?

    And the operating of nuclear plants, die die must switch on, could have harvested a lot of uranium.

    The Japanese oredy have many nuclear bombs approved by the US.

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  13. No doubt about it...little red dot is "at war" with the terrorists now that their alice-to-cat NK stylelike leeder already proclaimed that this tiny island is an anchor & almost declared tat they belong to the 51st State of USA on the 51st National Day..it's called "Little USA" or '小美国'now..remember SinkieLand us an Unicorn & it solve problem in a special way .. they would solve the terrorists problem as though its 'tommorow here today'

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  14. " This missile from Batam just a bogeyman to scare the shits out of the already chickened Sinkies. "

    I beg to differ. Me free thinker observe life goes on as usual.

    Who are ones that worry. As i frequent many coffeeshops, i listen and feel mostly chinese especially those that pray a lot ones.

    Funny pray so much and so diligently yet so many worries.

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  15. Good for you. Keep on drinking at your favorite waterholes.

    We worry?? No, we dont.

    Cause we dont frequent these places of sins and decadence.

    One fine night, your next of kins can come and collect your remains.

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  16. It is not hot, just warm, no panic please and you shall know when you go to the next world.

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  17. @ 2:00pm

    Exactly, you again prove my point which is why i say people are stupid.

    Even if Japan (another example is Israel) have nukes. They also keep quiet and let people guess. For whatever reasons, US takes credit for telling the whole region that Japan is under controlled (suppressed their offensive weapon program) and vice versa it will be protected by US nuclear umbrella. So you are all safe.

    On the other hand,

    This NK goes around telling the whole world and keeps testing its delivery platform. And drag China into the shit. In another way, it is telling people that nobody including china can do anything. ie. why China and Russia supported the UN resolution. So what can SK do except to let US deploy Thaad.

    Sometimes you ask yourself why Deng need to invade vietnam so as to warn its actions in cambodia. Why no money, no food and die so many people and after vietnam war still want to pick a fight at all cost? On the surface it seems stupid, but it is very clear later on, he buy time at least 40 yrs of peace for China to become what it is today.

    Worst come to worst.
    The next step if any changes to US policy is to let SK and Japan armed itself with nukes. Let SK and Japan deal with China.

    He can watch afar and let them all fight..... In any case, he is from another continent and he will sing along the song whereby all along these region have been telling him to stay out of regional affairs and probably in this case, he will gladly comply.

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  18. One more thing. In the midst of all these shit.

    China needs to spend more money on military and more missiles.

    US and Russia on the other hand will earn more cash from selling hardware to the region small "brothers" or China. Probably inviting each other to party at each country. The more tension, the more cash.

    Now who is the smart one here?

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