China hegemony, North Korea threat, rogue president

What have these phrases have in common? China hegemony? When was there a China hegemony? Anyone lived through it? What was it like or how was it like? We are living through 70 years of American hegemony. 

What about North Korean nuclear threat? They did not have the weapons yet. They cannot deliver the warheads yet. They have not threatened any country other than South Korea, Japan and the USA. These are the enemies of the North Koreans, threatening and provoking the North Koreans. The North Koreans are no threat to anyone else. Stop being silly to think the North Koreans will wake up one day in the future and fire their missiles all over the world, to Singapore, to Malaysia, to the Philippines, to Indonesia, to Myanmar, to India….. Stupidity knows no bounds. What is the fuzz all about? Why the ruckoos?

Then there is this great fear of a rogue president? Anyone seen one yet? What is a rogue president? What is the definition of a rogue president? Would anyone notice or recognize one when the rogue president is standing in front of him?

What is the common feature of these three devils? They are just someone’s hype, someone’s imaginations to create fear. These are the ghosts that are threatening everyone and must be exorcised. Let’s hide from them, let’s fight them. In reality they may not even exist. A China hegemony? What is that? Is it bad or can it be good, better than the American hegemony?

Why should it be bad? Because the Americans said so, because the western media have been saying so? The dumb just believed blindly. They don’t call them daft for nothing.

Who is the world’s Number One Menace?

The Americans have voted North Korea as the most serious nuclear threat with testimonies from their respectable intelligence services that provided the evidence that Saddam Hussein possessed WMD. These agencies are now giving strong evidence to support their assertion that North Korea is the most dangerous country.

In a NYT report this is what the director of National Intelligence Agency, James Clapper, said to put North Korea at the top of his list of nuclear proliferation related threats…North Korea has expanded its uranium enrichment facility at its main nuclear complex in Yongbyon and restarted a plutonium production reactor and could begin to recover plutonium from the reactor’s spent fuel within a matter of weeks or months.

Isn’t this the same as what Japan has done, in restarting the Fukushima plant? The possession of plutonium is ground to justify proliferation threat? How much plutonium have the Americans had in their possession?

The other result is trust. Clapper said, "we in the intelligence community are very much in the ‘distrust, and verify’ mode". Ah, the same agency that lied to the world about WMD is saying the North Koreans cannot be trusted but they can be trusted. Excuse me, what did you say about the evidence of WMD in Iraq? Can you be trusted? Did you verify your insidious condemnation report of Iraq that was used as an excuse to invade that country and to murder President Saddam Hussein whom you accused of possessing WMD and now proven to be a white lie?

Who is less trustworthy? Who is more menacing? Who is more dangerous, the liar or the once accused by the liar?

Why are the Americans patrolling the South China Sea? Why is it that the littoral states now must leave the islands alone, no construction, no military bases, because the Americans said so? The countries with construction and military bases in the South China Sea islands are China, Vietnam, Taiwan, the Philippines and Malaysia. Are the Americans taking over the South China Sea as part of the Empire? In the guise of getting other countries, the Philippines and now the Japs and Indians to conduct joint patrols, the Americans are the real mccoy patrolling the South China Sea for the Empire and all the countries in the region better back off. The Empire is here and taking over.

 

The Americans said they are in the South China Sea to lower tension. There was no tension after they were defeated in Vietnam and left until they returned with their pivot to Asia policy.

Animals left imprints on the hearts

10 Feb, the Mypaper devoted one full page to the animals that made the news last year with the heading, ‘Stories that left paw prints on hearts’. They were heart wrenching articles for people who felt deeply on the plight of cats and dogs that fell victims to the cruelties of human beans. These were yesteryear news.

Would the paper be writing about Benjamin Lim next year, the boy that made the news and breaking many people’s hearts? Would people remember Benjamin’s haunting last words, ‘They said I am guilty, so I am guilty lor’ to his mother? Would anyone remember Benjamin’s last meal, a cold bun he took for breakfast and no lunch?

Benjamin left with an empty stomach, no lunch, no water, devastated, did not know what was going to happen to him, a lonely boy left to fend for himself, without his papa and mama or an adult beside him to lend him some psychological support unlike the students of Tanjong Katong Primary. The last moments of Benjamin’s life were a terribly sad one. If only someone was there to hold his hand, put an arm around his shoulder and tell him, it’s ok, not to worry.

No words can give meaning to the torment going through this poor boy’s head. He faced the cruel world of adults all by himself. He cried in silence, waiting for help that was not there and ending it was the only choice he could think of.

RIP Benjamin. Your last words would be remembered deeply in the heats of many. Many would live in regret with the thought of the last cold bun you had in the last day of your life.

It is unlikely that anyone or any media will remember you like they remember the cats and dogs. You are also not in the news today, except in the social media. Would there be a One Cold Bun Day to remember you?

Benjamin Lim is a taboo name and not to be spoken for now.

USA – The menace in the South China Sea

The American again flew two B52 bombers over the Chinese islands in the South China Sea yesterday and all China did was to protest. This is making China looking helpless in the eyes of the international community and especially Asean countries that would think China is ripe for the whacking. China has not learnt the lesson from the Japanese invasion. Weakness is an invitation for war. The Japanese saw the weakness in Manchu China and invaded. The Americans are seeing the same weakness in China and getting bolder and are tempted to push China out of the South China Sea, even to attack China.

 

China has no choice. The policy of restraint advocated by Deng Xiaoping is not longer working in the face of a hostile aggressor like the Americans. Either China stands up and face the Americans squarely or be bullied and loses all respect in the eyes of Asean and the world. It would lead to the scattering of support and friendly countries to the American camp.

 

Though war is bad for China and it is trying its best to avoid an open conflict, China cannot keep sitting still and do nothing to the provocations. Even lame Australia thinks it is up to it to challenge China by trying to act as a deputy sheriff as well. There are many ways to deal with the Americans without going to war. There are economic, political and financial tools to apply the pressure where it hurts. There are many areas that China need not cooperate with the Americans where it matters most to the Americans. Let the North Koreans and the Iranian thump their chests at the Americans.  China can work more closely with the Russians in Syria by contributing to the war effort on the side of Assad and the Russians.  China can also support the indigenous people of North America and champion their cause to reclaim their land in the UN. Beat the drum hard in the UN and let it be heard. Keep the occupation of stolen land issue alive.

 

China must take the initiative, go on the offensive instead of sitting there and waiting for the Americans to come kicking down their door. No need to engage in military warfare unless forced to. Fight the Americans in areas that they are weak and sensitive about, hit them where it hurts.

 

Not doing anything is not an option.  The Syrian conflict is a good start to keep the Americans busy with American troops on the ground to drain their military resources and bog them down in an area away from China. Putin is doing a great job and if China can give him a helping hand, that would keep the Americans very busy there and got no time to provoke another theatre of war and create mischief in the South China Sea.

 

Give full support to the North Koreans and back them up. Do not be forced to act against the North Koreans to benefit the Americans. China must take the side of the North Koreans or lose an ally to benefit the Americans.

 

Remember, the Americans are broke and cannot sustain their military operations overseas for long. The Americans are upping their pressure, encouraging the Japanese, the Pinoys and the Indians to send their military ships to patrol the South China Sea. These provocative acts must be stopped before it got too big to manage and war becomes unavoidable.

Constitutional Commission for the Elected President appointed

Hsien Loong has appointed a Constitutional Commission to relook at the Elected President Scheme. The 9 members of the commission are:

• Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon
• Justice Tay Yong Kwang, Judge, Supreme Court
• Mr Eddie Teo, Chairman, Public Service Commission
• Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Member, Presidential Council for Minority Rights
• Professor Chan Heng Chee, Chairman, Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design
• Mr Chua Thian Poh, Chairman and CEO, Ho Bee Land
• Mr Philip Ng, CEO, Far East Organization
• Mr Peter Seah, Chairman, DBS Bank
• Mr Wong Ngit Liong, Chairman and CEO, Venture Corporation 

The terms of reference of the Commission include the qualifying process and the eligibility criteria for the Presidency candidates, the framework governing the exercise of the President’s custodial powers, including whether the views of the Council of Presidential Advisers can be given more weight, and recommendations to ensure that minorities have the chance to be periodically elected to the Office of the President.

The big question is whether these eminent men and woman will look at the Constitutional right of every citizen to be eligible as a candidate for the Presidency and the right to elect a president of their choice and not to elect one from a pre selected few candidates that belonged to the rich and powerful class of citizens and chosen by the natural aristocrats. It is not in the terms of reference of the Commission to look into and to protect these rights of the people. In this city, if it is not spoken specifically, it will not be addressed, just like the U turn sign. Only got U turn sign then can make U turn.

Why should the rich and powerful decide the first cut, have the first call on who is eligible and qualified to be a presidential candidate by virtue of his wealth and status in society, the natural aristocrat class, and not by virtue of his fundamental right as a citizen of this country, regardless of race, language and religion, money and social status? Is there a special class of citizens that have a special right to be qualified to be a presidential candidate and other classes of citizens do not have this right?

Is the right of the citizens protected by the Constitution or would this right be legislated away? Some are born more equal than others in this democratic society based on justice and equality?

Any MP, NCMP or politician thinks he/she has something to say about this? Or they know that they should not be saying anything at all, not the right thing to say, not the right time to open their mouths? It will be just another fait accompli by default? The non 'natural aristocrats', ie the commoners, are unfit to be president of the country? No right to be the Elected President of the country, a position with no executive power and not much different from being a ceremonial president? The only condition that rules out an American from running for the President of the USA, the most powerful man in the world, is to be born in the USA. Why is there a need to disqualify 99% of the population on the mythical notion of rogue potential? Commoners are more likely to be rogues and the natural aristocrats are not? Please do not insult the integrity of the commoners. They are the ones that elected the ruling party to power.

Whose interest would the changes in the Elected President Scheme served?

Four legs are good, two legs are better!

Age and Citizenship requirements - US Constitution, Article II, Section 1

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States.