3/17/2023

Asean in the eyes of the West - Pathetic and shallow

 


Photo cropped from an article by Ravi Velloor in the ST on 23 Feb 23. The caricature depicting Asean as a bunch of mindless men behaving like hungry third world kids is quite demeaning and condescending. Is Asean really that hungry and silly to rush for a hamburger offered by the Americans, like the $150m pittance, and fighting for it in glee?

Velloor's article in a way repeats the western narrative and wishful thinking that China is now in decline and the USA is back in favour. This kind of American propaganda trying to deceive the world that the failing American Empire is winning the war to remain as the number one hegemon is common in all American and western media, as well as the media of American crony states. 

Is America really winning the war of dominance? Is China really losing it because of a few sanctions and the chip and technology war? Just because of 3 years of Covid lockdown, self imposed by China, would this change the fate of China's rise? Don't dismiss the fact that China is now the number one trading partner of more than 120 countries in the world and now with the opening up, ex Covid, the Chinese factories are going to run full steam ahead while the Americans are sucked in the self destructive war in Ukraine, with its factories ramping more bullets and killer machine.

And not to forget, Asean is not the silly children of yesteryears that would run after a white tourist throwing sweets at them. Asean is now an economic power in its own right and does not need little pieces of crumbs to get by. As long as the region and the world at large remains peaceful, leaving aside the war in Europe, Asean's economies would do well without needing charity from the Americans.

The only way for the Americans to squeeze and control Asean is to blackmail Asean leaders on some indiscretion to do their bidding. This can only happen to one or two Asean leaders but not all the Asean leaders. The only thing the Americans can offer to Asean is war and military hardware that Asean did not want. 

Poor Marcos is now in a very difficult position and being dragged into the anti China camp by the Americans, just a few days after he became the President. What did the Americans have on him that led to this volte face in his foreign polices vis a vis China and the USA?

Which other Asean leader is going to be the next Marcos Jr to be arm twisted by the Americans to go against China?

Indonesia and Malaysia not happy with nuclear subs in the region? But some Asean members are very happy.  Perhaps Indonesia and Malaysia should join the party and ask the Americans to sell nuclear subs to them also. Caveat, the answer likely to be no even if both would want to be subsets of AUKUS, because they are not whites but Muslim states.

15 comments:

  1. "Which other Asean leader is going to be the next Marcos Jr to be arm twisted by the Americans to go against China?"

    There is already a proxy on behalf of the Americans in Asean. It is armed to the teeth... using american made denture you might say? It has a defence budget that exceeds the combined top 2 in Asean making the Lords of the island believe the hype it can punch above its weight.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Some are coerced or blackmailed by the Americans to do their biddings.

    Some are willing puppies.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MSM full of anti China narratives,brainwashing
    so in time come public will accept its role as proxy, what you think

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Americans spent billions in a propaganda war against China and the rest of the world. Many people would be duped and conned if they just rely on the main media that are feeding them with American lies thinking that the main media would be printing the truth and not lies.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Marcos Jr went to Beijing and secured a few billion dollar in economic benefits from the Chinese, then a few weeks later screwed Beijing by signing agreement with US to let them access five more military bases to encircle China.

    Why didn't he signed the 5-bases agreement with the US first, then visit Beijing for the economic benefits?

    It shows this Filipino Marcos Jr character is pathetic . . .

    ReplyDelete
  6. Marcos is more interested his assets in US
    than the interest of Phillipines , he cannot be trusted

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very likely the Americans told him that his millions or billions would be confiscated if he did not do as told. Maybe exposed his indiscretion with compromising photos.

    Many Asean leaders are stupid enough to park their money in American banks thinking that it is safe. Now all being used to blackmail them.

    ReplyDelete
  8. When the Americans were dominating the world's economy, they could afford to be generous to a few loyal dogs.

    Now the Americans are desperate, bankrupt many times over, not only financially. The Americans are bankrupt of ideas and did not know how to save themselves. Now every card they have would be used to save themselves, often hurting themselves more.

    Grabbing and stealing other people's money is their last hope, their last breath. In their own interest, all their allies can be sacrificed.

    When they see money they would grab thoughtlessly with no regards to the negative consequences.

    ReplyDelete
  9. They even robbed their European allies and forcing everyone to buy more weapons from them. They need money to throw at Ukraine and now to save their banks.

    Their allies and doggies would be forced to cough up money to save their banks.

    Can you believe that, forcing their allies and doggies to pay up to save their banks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Next ASEAN leader to be arm twisted be Anwar Ibrahim. His strong ties (going back decades) with (CIA NGO) NED is now a liability for him.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Marcos Jr still has lots of his father's loot hidden somewhere. He probably knows where. But can see, cannot touch. Is that being used by the USA to rein him in? The sudden change in his behavior could indicate some kind of horse trading had taken place during his meeting with the USA after his visit to China. China, of course, had no hold whatsoever over him. So, what can we expect?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Malaysian politics is a hornets nest. After using race, the use of religion is coming to a head. That is a very difficult problem for Anwar. Non Malays vis a vis non Muslims will face more hazards when political leaders themselves gets radicalised.

    Now, even celebrating a Chinese actress winning at the Oscars is a threat to some segments of the population. How ridiculously absurd can some people behave.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Guys, do watch this video interview titled: Paul Keating, former Australian Prime Minister joins Laura Tingle in conversation on 'AUKUS' at the NPC.

    Quite a lengthy piece, but quite eye opening that Paul Keating was actually such a wise PM that few had the occassion to hear his views on the purpose of AUKUS and the nuclear submarine deal, with his diving deeper into it.

    Keating really put all those so-called Journalist to shame, trying to outsmart him with insidiously provocative questions.

    Shorter versions of him answering Journalist can also be found on Youtube if you do not have the time to watch the whole interview lasting more than an hour.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  14. https://www.youtube.com/live/VmgxAoa1n-8?feature=share

    Paul Keating on ARSE-KUS

    ReplyDelete
  15. https://youtu.be/1pHGUMevtKs ,video said that Sg would be applying for Brics membership.

    ReplyDelete