The Korean crises

Just a week ago, there was an exchange of artillery fire in the Yellow Sea between the armed forces of North Korea and South Korea and heightened fears that North Korea might recklessly instigate another US – China war, similar to what happened during the 1950s Korean War.

It is doubted if China would want to engage the U.S. in a war unless the armed conflict is really inevitable. China is dominating the U.S. in trade, manufacturing and so forth. They would not deviate from where they are succeeding and enter a stage of conflict where the outcome is uncertain. Also, the U.S. would think twice before engaging China in a war. If the U.S. could not defeat China during the 1950s Korean War, what makes them think they can now defeat a more powerful China, economically and militarily. However, even if there is lack of intention of those two countries to go to war, history repeats itself and war still manages to erupt.

This leads us to link our Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the U.S. With the VFA, we are very vulnerable to an armed conflict (God Forbid) between U.S. and China. We are identified by China as an ally of the U.S. because of this Visiting Forces Agreement which allows the U.S. a military capability in our country. With what is happening in Korea today, there is every reason to believe that we will be part of the U.S. – China conflict if war erupts. Geographically, we are very near to China, with its military might, we would not be able to survive an aggressive foreign attack from China. We sadly lack the training, equipment, hardware and other logistical requirements to make our armed forces at par with China. We cannot be able to defend our country and its citizens from such foreign aggression.

The Philippines should abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement with the U.S. It is a magnet to war and as I mentioned, history repeats itself. We might be engaged again in a war which we should not be involved as what happened in the second World War. The past should teach us a lesson in history.

China today is the richest country in Asia and second only to the U.S. in the whole world. It has the biggest population of more than one billion people with modern military warfare including nuclear weapons. The Korean crises is a big threat to world peace and the United Nations must do its best to avoid and avert a third World War involving the big powers in Asia and the United States.

By: Joey E. Clarin

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