Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The US of A

The U.S. is on the minds of many Filipinos these days. Not like in the hostile days of Nicole when it was figured that all Americans are sex mad rapists. Not like when the American military unnecessarily blasted Manila to rubble in WW II to drive out the rats and Japanese, at significant loss of Filipinos life. That was the MacArthur ego-fiesta, what a jerk. Not like in the Philippine American War when racist white Americans pulled every murderous dirty trick in the book to win the hearts and minds of Filipinos, by force. Not like in Mindanao where guessing is rampant about what Americans are REALLY doing there. Like maybe running drones and playing dirty in violation of the Constitution, seeking to annihilate those fine Filipinos who believe beheading of innocents is a proper way to impose a religious ideology.

No, the question is, will the U.S. be there for the Philippines?

I read a comment the other day that probably echoes the sentiment of many Filipinos. The writer said: "The U.S. is only out for its own interest". The point was that Filipinos can't depend on the U.S.

Excuse me, but that is about the most ridiculous comment I've ever heard.

Whose interest, exactly, should the U.S. put ahead of its own?

  • Philippine interests?

  • Russian interests?

  • Chinese interests?

That's the purpose of a nation. To put its own interests, and the interests of its citizens, first. To expect the U.S. to take care of the Philippines is that beggar mentality I was referring to the other day. Out of the graciousness of their hearts, Americans are supposed to pony up dollars and blood for their happy-go-lucky Filipino compadres? Why? Because of guilt that America was racist in 1898 and needs to do a make-good? Because the poor woeful Philippines needs it? Word association linkages: needs, needy, whiney, beggar, turnoff.
 
I will not bother to itemize ways the Philippines has not acted in U.S. interests. You know them. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. The Philippines is entitled to sail its own ship.

But I rather think that now is a good time to step up, toss off the cloak of neediness in favor of a cloak of confidence, and recognize the U.S. is entitled to have interests of its own that may differ from Philippine interests and not blame Americans for every little pimple that appears on the Filipino national nose.

 "Okay, okay, Joe. Calm down, man. Put your patriotic passion back in its backpack and reason with us."

Yeah, yeah, okay.

U.S. Interests

If we use "U.S. national interest" as the fundamental guiding principle here, maybe we can figure out if the U.S. would back the Philippines. Let's do a quick scan of what we see:

  • China is aggressively seeking to acquire minerals around the world to support its massive manufacturing and wealth-building machine. It is doing this legally and forcefully, forcefully because China can act as a nation rather than a collection of corporate entities, like the U.S. China can subsidize and undercut any bidding from competitors.

  • The Spratleys and Scarborough Shoal are of high interest to China. They are "free" for the taking.

  • The trillions of dollars of "investments" China has made in the U.S. by buying U.S. debt is a two-edged sword. China can "play" the U.S. financial markets, and wreak havoc, but, at the end of the day, the value of its investment is only as good as U.S. financial strength. So China wants U.S. economic stability, because it supports Chinese stability. This is a starkly clear statement that China favors stability over disruption. Shooting at one another is extreme disruption.

  • Is China right now strong enough to force military confrontation with the U.S.? No. Not yet. China loses more than it gains in military confrontation with the U.S.  China loses the platform supporting its own wealth-building and strength-building.

  • Here's another signal. A disturbing one. China's drive to get to outer space has a strong military drive behind it. This is a nation that has not progressed to believe that China is better off in a cooperative global community. China has one foot in Maoist military arrogance and one foot in progressive capitalist ideas.

  • China's leadership is not unified. There are progressives and there are tyrants. China is pushing the edges right now because the current leadership is aggressive. But it is difficult to see how China would gain from a shooting conflict .

  • Chinese leaders are talented at leveraging ethnic Chinese pride and nationalism into a love/hate frenzy. It can spin to anger quickly and even reset what leaders do. There is a cultural emotionalism to China that makes a wrong play dangerous.

  • Perhaps China is pushing hard to claim the seas to establish a negotiating position against the U.S. It will give up the Spratleys and Scarborough for . . . what? U.S. pullback from Asia? Backing off from criticizing China's monetary policy? Something else significant?

The Number One U.S. interest is to encourage China to develop respect for other nations and  to become a cooperative and peaceful partner, even a leader, in the world community. But China is like an unruly pupil, a bully, wanting to dominate other nations. The military expansion being undertaken by China is almost warlike, never mind the rationalizations that China throws out. It is intense.

Furthermore, not only is China pushing into Asia, but China is also pushing into South America. The U.S. shudders to imagine a South America that is under China's influence as much as Asia is under U.S. influence. Consider strong U.S. commerce and/or military ties and influences in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the Philippines. The U.S. can imagine a Chinese naval base in Venezuela, an Army base in Argentina.

How and where can China learn respect for other nations? Where is there a good place to put a halt to Chinese unilateral expansionism? To draw some lines, to put some limits on the bully? To work on diplomacy before the shooting, and not after. To continue to encourage China to join the global community of nations rather than stand apart.

Right here, right now, off the shores of the Philippines. And Viet Nam. And Taiwan. And Japan.

The Number Two U.S. Interest is to honor its contract to defend the Philippines. This does NOT mean the U.S. will act as the Philippine military proxy and put its warships into the Spratleys to chase out Chinese intruders. But it means the U.S. will talk the Philippines up as a nation warranting China's respect. And the U.S. will apply diplomatic pressure to keep China from being rash. And, should shooting start at China's initiative, the U.S. will shoot back.

A person can go nuts trying to draw alternative scenarios as to what can happen.

  • If the Philippines forces a military confrontation, say by trying to stop the Chinese coral raids going on now off Palawan, there will be a military face off. The U.S. will likely play it soft, diplomatically,  to get both contestants back into their respective corners. Chinese expansion will stop. That's good for the U.S. and Philippines.

  • If China shoots at Philippine boats, military or civilian, the U.S. is likely to move its own ships behind Philippine ships. China will stand down. That's good for the U.S. and Philippines.

  • If the Philippines starts drilling on islands or in areas China claims, China will forcefully put a stop to it. The U.S. will enter the fray (diplomatically) to calm both sides. The drilling will stop. Chinese expansion will stop. It's a good result for the U.S. but not the Philippines.

  • If China starts drilling on islands or in areas the Philippines claims and the Philippines takes action to stop it, the U.S. will add its voice to get the drilling stopped and the parties separated. The result is of  benefit to the U.S. and the Philippines.

  • If the Philippines does nothing, it will lose its rightful territory and resources because the U.S. has no cause to act. Chinese expansion will continue. It's bad plan for the Philippines. I would think even the U.S. would not like that plan.

Wrap-Up

It is hard to see how the Philippines can gain much because in the stopping of China (the primary U.S. interest), Philippine oil drilling also stops, at least for a time. However, the Philippines clearly LOSES if it does nothing and allows China to push out. And so does the U.S.

The U.S. will urge Asean to push forward on a code of conduct to allow open seas, ensure demilitarization of disputed zones, and promote negotiated settlements on commercial development. 

China will not accept the U.N. maritime rules put forward by the Philippines. The Philippines can try to secure U.N. endorsement of its 200 NM territorial boundaries without Chinese agreement, which at least isolates China. However, the U.N. is unlikely to rule on such a matter because of China's resistance.

 China is pushing. The U.S. is tap dancing until after the presidential election and developing strategy. The Philippines is fretting.

I personally believe it behooves the Philippines to act firmly. But that it is best to withhold from direct confrontation of China until after the U.S. presidential election.

The fundamental guideline is to imagine the seas within 200 NM as land. Would the Philippines allow China to put military troops on its shores?

If Chinese military ships entered the picture, my message to China would be clear: you are using force to occupy Philippine territory and we will use every means at our disposal to get your fighting ships out of Philippine seas. Use the "occupation" word liberally. It is about as offensive as you can get without firing a gun.

And I'd stop Chinese fishermen from ripping up the coral. That is extraordinarily offensive and the entire civilized world would back the Philippines on that. Replicate the stand-off over Scarborough Shoals but don't allow the affront to continue.

In other words, the Philippines should push back. 

U.S. and Philippine interests are fundamentally the same. Both lose if Chinese aggressive expansion is not stopped.

Roles: China = crook, Philippines = bad cop, U.S. = good cop.

The only way the Philippines could be the good cop would be if it slipped back into a beggar role that asks America to represent its military interests. The U.S. won't do that because it would cross with their number one aim, to bring China into the global community of nations as a cooperative participant.

The Philippines must stand tall. No choice. It can play its bad cop role better if it upgrades its military tools. You know, learns to swear and knock the crook upside the head.

Mr. Aquino is doing fine as far as I can tell. I'd only suggest he use the "occupation" word so that the Chinese understand how offensive their military incursions are.

10 comments:

  1. Amazing, you did not include in the equation Japan military and economy as Philippine/US ally. Their interest equates against China that of the US.

    Ditto with Vietnam whose economy is surging upward, forward, sideways. Continue being under China backburner to become a world player economically is not for their best interest. Allying with two economic superpower might propel them faster playing the world of capitalism.

    China is threatening relative to its best future personal economic interest while US is working on it's current and future personal interest. Everything in between are scapegoats for their race to economic superiority. Militarily is foregone conclusion that US is the winner.

    In Olympics so far China is ahead of US in medalling. As usual, Phl zip

    Johnny lin
    He he he

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    1. Nice synopsis. Yes, it is bigger than U.S. and Philippines. Medal wins equate to face for China, pride for America. One is more intense than the other. Ha. Philippines will break out one of these years.

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  2. Great to read a sane and insightful blog finally.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you. Is it Chuck? Or Ark is a cool name, too.

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  3. From: Island jim-e (aka: The Cricket)

    1. What about the other asian rim countries from Inda
    via Austraila up coast to Korea and Japan--do they
    account for "much"?

    2. Granted that USA makes a lot of mistakes but it
    tries to do the best for the world corporations and
    "party-factions"(via-lobbies) that money can buy!
    The "we-folks" (aka: puppets-and-pawns) shouid
    feel privledged to dance to their respective tunes!

    3. Once upon a time "the west" if you were caught
    steeling cows, horses, etc., and you were not shot
    on the spot--you would eventually hang (if you did
    not escape)! Trespassers I have had the unplesant
    meetings with in my past have been delt with with
    the full force of the legal system!

    4. I remain of the opinion that even if you do not
    have the immediate power to right a wrong done to
    you that vengence, revenge, retaliation, etc.,
    is best served cold Passions-emotions have a tendency to
    distort reality, history and make the "cut-throating"
    very sloppy if not bloody!

    Some wise old fart was quoted "speak softly and carry
    a big stick"---words to live and survive by! So the
    old managers statement that "Pryor Planning Prevents
    Piss-poor perfomance" still makes a lot of sense to me.

    5. Criminals are criminals regardless of how big they
    are! If the criminals hide behind governments or
    religion they should be delt with accordingly in a
    court of law if possible, otherwise I am happy to
    see justice done anyway possible!

    6 As regards the southern islands and the 200 mile
    limit for ocean control/domination-I would be in favor
    posting rewards and encourgement of bounty hunters to
    assist in aprehension and elimnation!

    I personally would do everything possible to avoid any
    war/battle-- let law enforcement agencies take first
    shot/action against all criminals (coast guard, mounted
    sea-police (swat), special conservation protection units
    would be my nominations! It that does not work, then
    license some buck-a-can-head-hunters-searching-for-ears
    (aka: good-guy-type-pirates enlisted to fight the "bad-guy" pirates)!

    Chirp, chirp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Australia, Singapore, others count. Indeed, I wonder if the Chinese enlightened man ever considers "why does every nation in the Pacific Rim have it in for China?"

      I like the headhunter approach, the contract Chinese boat sinker. I bet a couple of ancient American fishermen could get close enough to lob a grenade or ten.

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  4. I think the Chinese and the Filipinos have a lot more in common than people would like to point out.

    1) Both have extreme pride in their race which more often than not results to subtle (or maybe not-so-subtle) racism.

    2) Both are quite good at copying items, ideas, techniques and making them their own, I think a kind of adaptation skill. The difference seems to be that the Chinese seem to be better at technical stuff and Filipinos at artistic things.

    3) Both are dangerously emotional, especially when the pride/face of the race are in danger of being shamed.

    4) Both are quite resilient, being able to quickly recover after WWII despite both being on the front lines.

    5) Both seem to have a fondness of small scale rulebreaking.

    One important factor I see that determined the difference in progress is the unique combination of Filipino PC-ness, rudeness and great though arguably misguided attention to details.

    I think in a situation where one has to cross an empty but contested lot, China will simply go through while the Philippines will wait a few seconds-minutes at the entrance, looking for someone to ask permission from, then witnesses, before crossing, and probably taking time to look at the shrubs.

    Then again, I have limited understanding of both races (and gov'ts) and I can't claim these as absolute truths as I have never met everyone in the PH as well as everyone in China. These are only observations, mostly from coworkers, former classmates, and family.

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    1. I haven't met everyone yet, either, but your observations certainly ring clear to me. They seem exactly on the money, as generalities.

      "One important factor I see that determined the difference in progress is the unique combination of Filipino PC-ness, rudeness and great though arguably misguided attention to details."

      I've never seen this expressed so well. Especially the "great though arguably misguided attention to details." I refer regularly to whacking at trees without seeing the forest, and I think we are seeing the same things.

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  5. From: Island jim-e (aka: The Cricket)

    1. I have not been everywhere or met everyone (and hope
    I never do) but it seems to me that the folks who provide
    the most trouble are the greedy, power hungery, domination
    minded few who are doing the most damage in my life!

    2. As regards energy, passion (with or without education
    or experience) I see more conformity, superstition, complacent
    and apathy exhibited in most nations I have visited--which
    gives the rich fat greedy bastards more leverage!

    3. As regsrds behavior I seem more dogmatism, irrational
    obedience, and regimented behavior--most often in the
    Asian Rim communities than elsewhere. Excuses and
    rationalizations aside I still have some hope that my
    island family, relatives, neighbors and citizens in general
    will wake up, stop being zombies and become active in
    their own salvation before I see my last sunset!

    Chirp!

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    1. Number 2 is downright profound. And "become active in their own salvation" is the key, with optimism to be found in the speed with which electronics can deliver tweets and texts and blogs, and maybe eliminate the conformity.

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