The Philippines -- The Poland of the Pacific?

September 12, 2019 By Joseph Somsel

Given China’s position as a classic Asian land power and America’s role as an oceanic hegemon, a military challenge has emerged in the near seas close to China through which the essentials of modern industrial power flow – oil, to name just one. That means the control of the South China Sea is the next step in the establishment of a New Chinese Empire. As in 1938, when Poland lay between the Wehrmacht and the Red Army, the Philippines is the weak point between the U.S. and China.

It is common knowledge that America intends to ring the South China Sea with putative allies -- South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. A goal of our foreign policy is to unite these countries into a defensive cordon. Meanwhile the Chinese Communist Party seems to be doing what it can to antagonize the neighbors. Its “Nine Dash Line” ocean aggrandizement, the militarization of shoals and reefs, the bald-faced, brute-force stealing of ocean resources, all should make clear that China is not a good neighbor.

American diplomatic efforts to solidify the front-line countries into a balancing force rely on their basic self-interests as we see them. Our allies sometimes have different views and see complications that Americans may forget. Increasing military cooperation between the Japanese and the South Koreans faces a long history of antagonisms and bitterness, including the literal “rape-rape” of the WWII comfort women. The Vietnamese still remember what we did to try to prevent the current Communist regime from taking over the country. Pieces of B-52s downed during the Christmas Raids of 1972 still adorn public parks in Hanoi......To Read More....