tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5000591619765488702024-02-19T00:19:05.780-08:00West Philippine Sea BlogWest Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-29705205964041122722020-07-27T17:47:00.001-07:002022-05-27T15:45:28.706-07:00ECONOMIC POWER - Communist China vs. Western World<div><div><img border="0" class="bloggoimg" id="id_470e_8e13_a417_52f5" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UXvORNT4O1FZZ8fIdQgeDkHibFjeZVZPi_J9O8se3AdWN0UsZT_-PSilqQwkDj_VaCMeer4aQuB8FK7JogPoKbjwO3tGJic9f3ljbO9B5MKZySV_791zKQfToJaTkGNmj_YhAuged4s/I/photo_587180.jpg" style="height: auto; width: 403px;" /></div><br /></div><div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">UPDATE (27 JULY 2020)</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As of today, this balance of economic power has more or less remained the same.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Yes, the Wuhan Virus has severely mangled the global economy.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But everyone appears to have been uniformly impacted.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">************************************************</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ORIGINAL POST (11 FEBRUARY 2016)</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much has been said about the current Economic Power of Communist China. Let us see how the Nominal GDP figures stack up.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nominal GDP of the key countries in the Western World are as follows:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> EU - $18.5 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> US - $17.9 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Latin America - $9.5 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Japan - $4.1 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Canada - $1.6 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> South Korea - $1.3 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Australia - $1.2 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Philippines - $0.3 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's a combined total of $54.4 Trillion!</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now, let's take a look at Communist China and her lone ally:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Communist China - $11.4 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> North Korea - $0.0 Trillion</span></font></div><div><br /></div></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That's an almost 5:1 advantage for the Western World!</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">So tell me again about the Economic Power of Communist China...</span></font></div><div><br /></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-27524540977303861622020-07-23T18:28:00.001-07:002020-07-23T18:28:10.298-07:00China's Spratlys reclamations: Trump's Cuban Missile Crisis?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLiJLbTUe1NBnrMIFI5kkPRpLrooLSdTe6Ah3X5RSEUpDkZ2ZsRC_gGoRUUeCguqXPSIBAA5pGbgsJzyMxGgYtA_MEsV6WEajCsbVibc5feypn3bDAJ4hjbQRgQaQmfk1BH1NcM7YT5U/s640/blogger-image-439475383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLiJLbTUe1NBnrMIFI5kkPRpLrooLSdTe6Ah3X5RSEUpDkZ2ZsRC_gGoRUUeCguqXPSIBAA5pGbgsJzyMxGgYtA_MEsV6WEajCsbVibc5feypn3bDAJ4hjbQRgQaQmfk1BH1NcM7YT5U/s640/blogger-image-439475383.jpg" id="id_fe6c_60d6_9d8a_d527" style="width: 640px; height: auto;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">UPDATE (23 JULY 2020)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">This is now starting to emerge as incumbent President Donald Trump's moment of Truth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The geopolitical variables have remained the same. Only the POTUS is different.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">************************************************</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">For 13 days in 1962, the whole world held its breath while the US physically confronted and prevented the Soviet Union from installing nuclear missiles in Cuba.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Realizing their obvious disadvantage in an all-out nuclear shoot-out with the US, the Soviets wisely backed-off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">While the event had a happy ending, its repercussions are still being debated to this day. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Did it cause the subsequent assassination of JFK at Dallas in 1963? </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Did it also cause the ouster of Nikita Kruschev in 1964?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Today, China is slowly pushing the US to the same corner in 1962. She refuses to stop her military occupation of the Spratlys. And just like Cuba, it would be unthinkable for the US to give up control of the Spratlys to another major power. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">So Obama's end game for this crisis is already quite obvious. Eventually, he will have to impose a naval blockade on the Spratlys. And simultaneously, he will have to put the entire US Military on red alert - just in case China decides to up the ante.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">China will initially whine and cry foul. But the Chinese have always been known as a practical people. Clearly, their current capabilities vis-a-vis nuclear war against the US are even worse than the Soviets' in 1962. So cooler heads will ultimately prevail in Beijing. And China's Spratlys (mis)adventure, just like the Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, will be relegated to the dustbin of history.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Will a Chinese debacle in the Spratlys lead to the ouster of Xi Jinping? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Will it lead to the overthrow of the Communist Party?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Will it lead to the independence of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Tibet, Manchuria, Xinjiang and Outer Mongolia?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-78849627632138372272020-07-21T15:31:00.001-07:002020-07-21T15:31:29.371-07:00US Naval and Aerial Blockade - the only way to peacefully eject Communist China from the Spratlys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmHrNjp9QIV-gQG3ixvJTuNCpviZCO-JMFQRdihLdSrOYJf5C_NqEpS0RdUhNOEBiszufvFWH2cuMDHj8cYc15ErW7KVFnu2fSy_MTEtGUtsDkSA_KKm2XZmFpJy4nqEfGKbamYHp5HQ/s1600/2015-04-18-China+Runway+Construction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmHrNjp9QIV-gQG3ixvJTuNCpviZCO-JMFQRdihLdSrOYJf5C_NqEpS0RdUhNOEBiszufvFWH2cuMDHj8cYc15ErW7KVFnu2fSy_MTEtGUtsDkSA_KKm2XZmFpJy4nqEfGKbamYHp5HQ/s1600/2015-04-18-China+Runway+Construction.jpg" width="320" id="id_9bb7_10f4_7aa7_c5b2" style="width: 320px; height: auto;"></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>UPDATE (21 JUL 2020)</div><div><br></div><div><div>Uncle Sam just made an abrupt official policy shift and declared that Beijing's fake islands in the West Philippine Sea are "illegal". Analysts are of the opinion that this move opens the legal floodgates to a potential military intervention.</div><div><br></div></div><div>Logically, Uncle Sam's next step would be an aerial and naval blockade of one of Beijing's fake islands. Say, Mischief Reef.</div><div><br></div><div>*************************************</div><div>UPDATE (16 JAN 2017)</div><div><br></div><div>There is a new POTUS. And it appears that his administration agrees in principle that Communist China must be kicked out of the West Philippine Sea with whatever means necessary.</div><div><br></div><div>Unfortunately, the National Government of the Philippines is now overtly pro-Communist China.</div><div><br></div><div>So once again, Uncle Sam might have to do this on his own. But despite the Communist Chinese loyalties of the incumbent Philippine National Government, there will still be millions of Filipinos who will be eternally grateful.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>*************************************</div><div>UPDATE (24 FEB 2016):<br><br>Since the last update of this post, Communist China had done the following:<br><br>1. Flew civilian tourists to the Spratlys;<br>2. Deployed SAMs to the Paracels; and<br>3. Deployed combat aircraft to the Paracels.<br><br>Obviously, these are "cabbage leaves" designed to wrap the competition into submission.<br><br>It is time for Uncle Sam to get tough with Communist China.</div><div><br><br>***********************************<br>UPDATE (07 JAN 2016):</div><div><br></div><div>This article was originally written about eight (8) months ago.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then, Uncle Sam had conducted several "Freedom of Navigation" maneuvers in the area.</div><div><br></div><div>Did it deliver the desired effect?</div><div><br></div><div>Judging by the fact that Communist China is now flying aircraft to and from Fiery Cross Reef... Hell, no!</div><div><br></div><div>It is time for Uncle Sam to up the ante...</div><div><br></div><div>Impose a naval and aerial blockade on any permanent foreign presence in the section of the Spratlys which is within the 200-mile EEZ of the Philippines!</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>*************************************<br><div>ORIGINAL ARTICLE (18 APR 2015):<br><br><div style="text-align: justify;">Based on the latest media reports, China is now constructing two (2) runways in the Spratlys. This is being accomplished by destroying 500 acres of live coral reefs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In all likelihood, they will also construct a third runway at Mischief Reef. And this reef is only 130 miles from the shores of the Philippines (roughly the same distance from New York City to Wilmington, Delaware).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once these runways are operational, Beijing's logical next step would be to declare an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the entire Spratlys. And then, she will impose a naval blockade to prevent all other claimants from entering the area. This will starve-out the civilian settlements and military garrisons of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan. The West Philippine Sea and the South China Sea will then effectively become just mere backyard ponds in Beijing's growing empire. This is a textbook implementation of the Chinese Cabbage Strategy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But this ominous development can still be stopped dead on its tracks. The US can jump the gun on Beijing's impending aerial and naval blockade of the territory by imposing an aerial and naval blockade of its own - using the pretext of keeping international sea lanes open, as well as protecting the marine environment from further wanton destruction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Philippine Government can fire the opening salvo for this move by executing a formal written request for US intervention to the American People.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The million-dollar question then would be on how Beijing would react to this move. Will she dare go to war (and certain naval humiliation) in the defense of her fraudulent Nine-Dash Line claim? I don't think so.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And even if she does, it is always better to fight a half-prepared adversary than a fully-prepared one.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once those runways are in place, the casualty count (and ergo the potential for a much wider conflagration) would be much higher.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The time to act is NOW!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-63923047047401799582019-07-14T17:45:00.001-07:002019-07-14T17:45:19.030-07:00The two "Ramos" Presidents of the Philippines<img id="id_c715_2e7a_539d_9c7c" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/20d-glFS77IeR79k3q2UI0hIR2L3ayJd4ZplKcw-RFbslo9rOIESy06DRfU" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 392px; height: auto;"><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-21018050654775031602018-02-27T10:03:00.001-08:002018-03-01T12:35:45.697-08:00What can a $10B annual defense budget buy and maintain?<img id="id_affe_217a_2577_3b7f" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQOxGUDFR3mGWiGtFUBMXGu_IZ1usV-1Tao-z-W8ITSF2OlcxxUUrtAUVT9moKGcfDZuMYBsc0pFUU9zk0DVsG5obHWr9qYhu-zSK88zvakEhJMVmGbLa26LLCcjTr_gZpyFkconpSzo/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><div><br></div><div>We do not have to resort to fanboyism to answer this question. We have an actual living breathing example - the Republic of Singapore. Singapore's annual defense budget is about $10B.</div><div><br></div><div>So how much military muscle does Singapore pack for territorial defense? Here we go:</div><div><br></div><div>6 diesel attack submarines</div><div>6 guided missile frigates</div><div>6 guided missile corvettes</div><div>40 F-15 Eagles</div><div>60 F-16 Fighting Falcons</div><div>17 AH-64 Apaches</div><div>196 Leopard main battle tanks</div><div>18 HIMARS self-propelled rocket artillery</div><div>48 SSPH-1 self-propelled conventional artillery</div><div><br></div><div>Now, if the Philippines have the same amount of firepower, ask yourself these questions:</div><div><br></div><div>Would Communist China have dared seize and build a military installation on Mischief Reef?</div><div><br></div><div>Would Communist China have dared seize Panatag Shoal?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-47292670804832908902018-02-26T04:06:00.001-08:002018-02-26T04:09:39.863-08:00Noynoy was Right<img id="id_e65_488c_55f5_ffc2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnuQMC87o_3-d9LTBATKRR4b542OIScJDypJMFj6vY2I_JVn-e-vl3KqfsTtn3mLFOtQ-S1GB3hxqivqglay7Gtefk60WC1qb_CVBPYh-8gj-PzbRFHkz8An-Ff5a-5h2ofRyTMblDPU/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><div><br></div><div>A few years ago, former Philippine President Noynoy Aquino created quite a diplomatic stir when he publicly compared Xi Jinping to Adolf Hitler. It is now turning out Noynoy was right. Xi Jinping has maneuvered himself to become President-for-Life of Communist China.</div><div><br></div><div>There is no more doubt. We are facing an imperialist despot in our western borders. And unless we make a life-or-death stand for Our Republic's survival, the Philippines will become the first cornerstone in Xi Jinping's own 1,000-year reich.</div><div><br></div><div>Let us strengthen the territorial defense capabilities of our Armed Forces to address this threat. <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To enshrine this measure in our national policy, our legislative bodies should pass a law pegging our annual defense budget at 3% of GDP. This would amount to about $10B annually.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Education Budget-based cap on our national defense spending should also be removed through legislative action.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-14626993908111215942018-02-25T16:04:00.001-08:002018-02-25T16:26:43.572-08:00The Maldives Crisis: a blueprint for confronting Communist Chinese military adventurism<img id="id_aa31_b689_30b8_b123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikF60nbmLX1diUS4nqyW6Wlb0fHLEnJ5Pvt_iAu5ko2ijCnzAAf4HFJEjJy5tdHMVTuLYkLl8oe9pMMMaPnTXLcbhyphenhyphenzSJCOI1EHXDrXDYYO1EoK9shvTdcU8lob4-yAv0lONjLyxM7USA/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br> <div><br></div><div>It seems that Beijing's much self-publicized 11-ship Maldives Intervention Force quickly evaporated into thin air. Beijing might be greedy but Beijing is not stupid. The Indian Navy by its lonesome would quickly make mincemeat out of Beijing's seriously outgunned fleet. And Beijing still has to contend with the possible intervention of other Western navies, covert or otherwise.</div><div><br></div><div>This should bring a groundswell of hope to the small SEA countries that Beijing is currently trying to bully into submission - the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.</div><div><br></div><div>Beijing can be made to back down. The key is Superior Firepower.</div><div><br></div><div>India's investment in a substantial annual defense budget clearly paid off. Vietnam and Indonesia appears to be following the same strategy.</div><div><br></div><div>Only the Philippines is being left behind.</div><div><br></div><div>Is it because of lack of funds... or is it because of lack of Love of Country?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-10374542291589965382018-02-21T21:16:00.001-08:002018-02-21T21:16:43.447-08:00Big Trouble in Little Maldives<div><br></div><div><img id="id_acf4_ec4a_e710_3f64" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG9eM-rq3e_R1hm2cFU-s6zaIwuzq1YU1GnQQOteTrA66zPaoHXznUh99t5jeOC7hweOhLFii2jnlH2BxUMqJaLnYuYQvIAFluZJ-7vVslBEUegp6ujuIA1ad_L5mchsQH60wYYGXs9rk/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D" alt="" title="" tooltip="" style="width: 353px; height: auto;"><br><br></div><div>According to published accounts, an 11-ship flotilla of Communist China's PLA Navy is on their way to the Maldives to help discourage an Indian military intervention in the political crisis currently engulfing the islands. A handful of Guided Missile Destroyers and Guided Missile Frigates substantially account for the long-range punch of this small fleet. Of course, it would be naive to believe that Communist China's silent service did not tag along for the ride too. A pair of nuclear attack submarines is probably shadowing the fleet.</div><div><br></div><div>By contrast, here's what India can muster:</div><div><br></div><div>1 Aircraft Carrier</div><div>1 Akula Nuclear Attack Sub</div><div>1 Nuclear Ballistic Sub</div><div>14 Diesel Attack Subs</div><div>11 Guided Missile Destroyers</div><div>9 Guided Missile Frigates</div><div><br></div><div>The potential area of conflict is also well within range of the land-based combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force.</div><div><br></div><div>But I wouldn't be surprised if, by this time, Beijing has already forward-deployed its own combat aircraft on the Maldives itself.</div><div><br></div><div>Nevertheless, the tactical balance of power is still overwhelmingly on the side of India. So it would be safe to assume that Beijing's little fleet will end up in Barnacle Land should it try to interfere with any Indian military deployment in the Maldives.</div><div><br></div><div>But that would only be the opening salvo. Beijing can quickly retaliate with a land attack on the northern territories of India.</div><div><br></div><div>The outcome of this impending confrontation might well decide Beijing's military adventurism in the Western Pacific.</div><div><br></div><div>If India blinks and let Beijing have her way in the Maldives, Beijing will surely be more emboldened in muscling her way into the territories of her Western Pacific neighbors.</div><div><br></div><div>But if Beijing's Maldives military adventure ends up in a catastrophe, the ensuing political fall-out might force the Communist Party to once again look inward for the better of the next few decades.</div><div><br></div><div>This will be buy time for frontline countries like the Philippines and Indonesia in strengthening their respective militaries.</div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-10360027070960899042017-08-22T16:36:00.000-07:002017-08-22T16:39:42.514-07:00The Philippine President has balls of Steel...<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNYgRtafLtmnojp7zoqwzJyGYrSxG7Vq-r68E-A6ZOPQQIU5xoCl9M4OMJCjhVJ_c4ZvANzS3rkKTUUlekqrZDbT3X3CzJtbZWewvRoN3kU4EdWvYCuwrDlTZ5Qp_t6oUFnYsn3kiOPs/I/photo_449690.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-20473692726029749912017-03-16T08:40:00.000-07:002017-03-16T08:59:36.270-07:00Nagging questions on Benham Rise<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy-ourDPtmsxg1vZpWMDSdiAqmrJpti4fpO06lAAfydB1iB7JOcnH2ODZEz9e_42cw6dR_zPiWdCyTnNayrbrQiPRIG6TB0aufTM99sGjM4GE318HB5agW-uNgU9eeYFkhnvDF8TcAr0/I/photo_936276.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The series of events:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1. Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Lorenzana publicly complained of the suspicious long presence of Communist Chinese ships at Benham Rise.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2. Philippine President Duterte said that he personally gave Communist China permission to conduct surveys at Benham Rise (apparently without DND Secretary Lorenzana's knowledge).</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3. According to DND Secretary Lorenzana, Communist China appears to be looking for possible deployment locations for their submarines.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3. Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice (and recent Presidential Adviser) Carpio said that Benham Rise is not Philippine territory (Why on earth would he say that?).</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice (and recent Presidential Adviser) Carpio said that other countries have the legal right to park their submarines within another country's Exclusive Economic Zone (Again, why on earth would he say that? And, it appears that he is wrong. The Exclusive Economic Zone sovereign rights holder has the exclusive right to establish installations on it.).</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5. Philippine President Duterte ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to construct permanent structures at Benham Rise.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The nagging questions:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1. Why would the President of a country go out of his way to accomodate the unusual request of another country which is currently actively grabbing other territories of his own country?</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2. Did the Duterte Administration just secretly agreed to grant underwater submarine basing rights to Communist China at Benham Rise?</span></font></div><div><br></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3. Is the publicized construction of AFP facilities at Benham Rise just a smokescreen for Communist China's own construction of underwater submarine facilities?</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. Is the Duterte Administration conscious of the fact that Benham Rise could be used as a base for Communist Chinese submarines (aka "Boomers") armed with intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles aimed at military and civilian targets in the Continental US (and would, therefore, be guaranteed to invite US retaliation)?</span></font></div><div><br></div></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-75777366459060946022016-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:002016-07-20T16:56:39.910-07:00The UNCLOS decison is a game changer...<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_JKksoQ7COXn2taqhC_cCqYSsQC4zTREe5Gm9SdLH_E7JqGue04laJypWIEdjYLOGNfp1a_nxQpYsljCZdZQ21yVbucUIPK4Ftb6oITyMUYXEuKW0YqfvxL_aqWXdJEzqtd_pLXqjIk/I/photo_249033.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-90913829782379554182016-05-21T19:54:00.000-07:002016-05-21T19:58:01.237-07:00The AFP needs a slingshot in the West Philippine Sea<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDqU6HpZ_wwss5FNLB2_pHSLBSZcKz5rFqYgZHG4woPUvk36npF-5fRtogSaPaeLFWE-9bQ9cEfnTcyN9MDUV3D_yY7FhmaZZ1JVXqnJaaEemS4FKEryq-RlBMxhETDnnMZUmQWGUnmNs/I/photo_477616.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-45022515996467077832016-05-19T07:51:00.000-07:002016-05-19T07:53:57.713-07:00Support Hong Kong independence!<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpODXe2VhlLcwCY2QbthUpxW7sbC1QXiV_SFn-R8wZn2doGcwarM3iW7vWB9xZj8zurZ4u-RB-IOh4yhJ7EZQyviqw3FIDmDwg6viNIT9CPLVwchGyimDdj9imwRxfBwkiQCNYnlrgy-U/I/photo_635467.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-88578351779945230242016-05-01T13:55:00.001-07:002016-05-01T14:02:03.186-07:00Communist China's "Poison Pill" defense in the West Philippine Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UFE8OCiFctEk23U3LHBGc3w5cFQRlIGUZG4RZ7X3duVZE4UMkFktigjJcUqz9W2xTCs_XlrSwTCLIH-iw8pOCAzJVNxeU7xBRQ_TOQare3gqvGTLgy7kMGjngYg0WdDKWvPU_cXE6M8/s1600/nuclear+explosion+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6UFE8OCiFctEk23U3LHBGc3w5cFQRlIGUZG4RZ7X3duVZE4UMkFktigjJcUqz9W2xTCs_XlrSwTCLIH-iw8pOCAzJVNxeU7xBRQ_TOQare3gqvGTLgy7kMGjngYg0WdDKWvPU_cXE6M8/s320/nuclear+explosion+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Communist China recently announced that she has developed a portable nuclear reactor. Then she proclaimed to the whole world that she is planning to install them on all her Fake Islands in the West Philippine Sea. The official justification given was to meet the energy needs of these Fake Islands. But I think she has more sinister plans in mind.</div>
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You see, despite the much-publicized modernization the Communist Chinese Military had undergone, Uncle Sam can easily vaporize with stand-off firepower the facilities installed by Communist China on these Fake Islands within minutes of any military conflict.</div>
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The presence of nuclear materials on each island would complicate this. One wayward ordnance could release lethal nuclear radiation in the surrounding seas. And poison marine life for years to come. Think of a man-made Fukushima multiplied 20 times!</div>
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So instead of just placing stand-off ordnance cross-hairs on these Fake Islands, Uncle Sam will have to take them out one-by-one with ground troops.</div>
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But even that approach could not guarantee the avoidance of "nuclear incidents". Communist China can easily install self-destruct charges on these portable nuclear plants. And turn each one of them into a "dirty-bomb-in-waiting".</div>
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And judging by the degree of callousness Communist China had shown in destroying all those marine life in the Spratlys in the pursuit of her fraudulent Nine-Dash Line claim, she certainly had it in her to commit this dastardly act. <br />
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West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-20918218864614320652016-04-12T18:02:00.000-07:002016-05-01T14:22:48.477-07:00Is Communist China upstaging the US in the West Philippine Sea?<div>
<img border="0" class="bloggoimg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBMkL8MjLR4yfUcavj794cF40pJ4_V8JtdVp6MNhscvIYYkkukZclN6UIronwWyX1rn98hyphenhyphenQtGHkioUmvpTybf-S-st79a1_pKMq-b9WiDGdajH_xgHKXf7tR0GuKCqp_5QWs2Fb5Xmk/I/photo_166536.jpg" /></div>
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I just saw an article by the Wall Street Journal claiming that Communist China has upstaged the US in the WPS.</div>
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For the record, I think the main obstacle to US Military Action against Communist China in the WPS is Wall Street. Which, understandably, wants to protect its investments in Communist China at all cost. No investor in his right mind would exchange a multi-trillion dollar portfolio for a bunch of uninhabited islets, shoals and reefs in the middle of nowhere.</div>
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Beijing knows this too. That's why she is brazenly doing what she is doing now, notwithstanding the overwhelming firepower of the US Military she is facing.</div>
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Communist China is not upstaging the US in the WPS, she is just taking advantage of the Economic Interests of America's 1%!</div>
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But how long will this Economic Interest Umbrella last? You and I know that it can be trounced overnight by adverse American Public Opinion. And the way I see it, all that is missing now is that teenie-weenie spark that will propel adverse American Public Opinion to heights that would justify US Military Action.</div>
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Just remember, before Pearl Harbor, the Empire of Japan was seemingly upstaging the US all over the Western Pacific too.</div>
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Tick-tock... Tick-tock...</div>
<br />West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-81252379928583915212016-04-09T10:07:00.000-07:002016-05-01T14:18:11.469-07:00Remembering Bataan<div>
<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" class="bloggoimg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEcR4m8R-el-UM9w2CoTf9xL1IRQN7nO7KwwObSUcz6an0Bkq8e-xyN_uQJAx9SktStQUClqGnYJGtMsLcoJwFPGBN-3tzmdkNX-y4LGn0783FR8FTlzsg0qsKzOlfsL4vl1lE8640f8/I/photo_947340.jpg" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" class="bloggoimg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMyXsdjVdjbYnGg3Ujw2u8Lmn7N90j0-MsauFjkFAwucLb4xUbVvTmUH7DqPphKV9f_2BuxWxFPpAV2SD83Mp6JGWa8a9ZihtqTDHppd4nhePeF0bl3R_lt3WFxqEwgpR_vsP83IwwLc/I/photo_183195.jpg" /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />Today, April 9, is Bataan Day.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us all take a moment of silence to remember our relatives and their brothers-in-arms who gave everything they had in the Defense of Liberty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" class="bloggoimg" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDFteIdiG7Gxbnf5eCXGvNWJbOB7yU6sDbBiNoAPvL4ZtwRFomJLO58_ujZYMgXQcbZvAORNCJT2yaeXzVYn9zPGqcSQJRbv7g9QCRje9_psNWznJCtu6fw-1VqLRG7dD9TDkbpO85rwQ/I/photo_112078.jpg" /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">War is hell... but losing one is the worst fate of all.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let us all bear this in mind as the prospect of war with Communist China grows stronger everyday. Never again should we allow a hostile foreign power occupy our shores!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Interestingly, we are now on the same side as our old WWII nemesis, the Japanese.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Which just goes to show that in geopolitics, there are no permanent friends or enemies...</span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: -webkit-standard;">Only permanent interests.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></span></div>
West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-91191208219058150602016-02-21T17:23:00.000-08:002016-02-21T19:22:04.779-08:00The Sunnylands US-ASEAN Summit was a resounding success, but we might need a WESPACTO...<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmimQ0DXJAHuXgdReBh5obBf1xiUEshOX_Oz3tMdpG-qfwV0xrljT4mQTeIiQqJpX3ghB9hkFB7_vekDJdKbDufl0K9fYSGkq0iqg_pFpS32sd9JPGjw7RbyUdnWO-F6QT919agQAkZM/I/photo_918609.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Despite what some pundits might have said, the recently-concluded Sunnylands US-ASEAN Summit was a resounding diplomatic success for the Obama Administration vis-a-vis Communist China. Just read the full text of the Sunnylands Joint Declaration presented below. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to immediately recognize that Statement Nos. 6 to 8 are specifically directed against Communist China.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">At the same time, however, one also realizes that the Sunnylands Joint Declaration is already the best that ASEAN can do. Although ASEAN was created partly because of the collective fear of Chinese Communism, it has evolved through the years as a socio-economic organization, and not a security one.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">In the 1960s, Communist China was just carrying the Big Stick of Communism. Now it is carrying both the Big Stick of Communism, as well as the Big Carrot of Economic Develepment. And among the 10 members of ASEAN, only five (5) are currently threatened by the Big Stick of Communist China. It is a tribute to the diplomatic efforts of the Obama Administration that the remaining five (5) also went along with the Sunnylands Joint Declaration. But it is understandable if they will refuse to go any further, specially if it will involve potential military confrontations with Communist China. The upside is not just there for them.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">So what is needed now is a defense-oriented version of ASEAN. Something similar to the now-defunct SEATO.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">And the obvious members of this new defense organization would be the US, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei</span></font><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: -webkit-standard;">, Japan and Australia.</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: -webkit-standard;">And here is a possible name: Western Pacific Treaty Organization (WESPACTO)</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: -webkit-standard;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">************************************</span></div>February 16, 2016</span><div><b style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></b></div><div><b style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Joint Statement of the U.S.-ASEAN Special Leaders’ Summit: Sunnylands Declaration</b></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><b><br></b></span></font><div><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-field-forall-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field field-name-field-forall-body field-type-text-long field-label-hidden forall-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><p class="rtecenter" style="text-align: start; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sunnylands, California</span></font></p><p class="rtecenter" style="text-align: start; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">February 15-16, 2016</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States of America gathered in Sunnylands, California, on February 15-16, 2016, for a Special Leaders Summit. This Special U.S.-ASEAN Leaders Summit was the first ever to be held in the United States and the very first Summit following the establishment of the ASEAN Community.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Summit marked a watershed year for both ASEAN and for the increasingly close U.S-ASEAN. strategic partnership. In 2015, ASEAN Member States celebrated the establishment of the ASEAN Community, working together toward an ASEAN that better serves the people of Southeast Asia.</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">At our Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November 2015, we elevated the U.S.-ASEAN relationship to a strategic partnership, recognizing the transformation of our relationship over the past several years. On the occasion of this Special Summit, we the Heads of State/Government of the Member States of ASEAN and the United States of America take this opportunity to reaffirm the key principles that will guide our cooperation going forward:</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">1. Mutual respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality and political independence of all nations by firmly upholding the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, the ASEAN Charter and international law;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">2. The importance of shared prosperity, sustainable, inclusive economic growth and development, and the nurturing of our young people to sustain continued peace, development, and stability for mutual benefit;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">3. Mutual recognition of the importance of pursuing policies that lead to dynamic, open, and competitive economies that foster economic growth, job creation, innovation, entrepreneurship and connectivity, and that support SMEs and narrow the development gap;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">4. Our commitment to ensure opportunities for all of our peoples, through strengthening democracy, enhancing good governance and adherence to the rule of law, promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, encouraging the promotion of tolerance and moderation, and protecting the environment;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">5. Respect and support for ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms in the evolving regional architecture of the Asia-Pacific;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">6. Firm adherence to a rules-based regional and international order that upholds and protects the rights and privileges of all states;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">7. Shared commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, including full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS);</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">8. Shared commitment to maintain peace, security and stability in the region, ensuring maritime security and safety, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the seas, and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as well as non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of activities;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">9. Shared commitment to promote cooperation to address common challenges in the maritime domain;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">10. Strong resolve to lead on global issues such as terrorism and violent extremism, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as well as illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">11. Shared commitment to addressing climate change and developing a climate-resilient, environmentally sustainable ASEAN, as well as to implement individual countries’ nationally determined contributions made under the Paris Climate Agreement;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">12. Shared commitment to promote security and stability in cyberspace consistent with norms of responsible state behavior;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">13. Support for the advancement of a strong, stable, politically cohesive, economically integrated, socially responsible, people-oriented, people-centered and rules-based ASEAN Community;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">14. Shared commitment to strengthen people-to-people connectivity through programs that engage ASEAN and American citizens, particularly young people, and that promote opportunities for all our peoples, particularly the most vulnerable, to fulfil the vision of the ASEAN Community;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">15. Shared commitment to promote a global partnership for sustainable development through the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, to ensure a sustainable, equitable and inclusive society where no one is left behind;</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">16. Shared commitment to enhance collaboration at international and regional fora, especially at existing ASEAN-led mechanisms; and</span></font></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: baseline;"><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">17. Shared commitment to continue political dialogue at the Head of State/Government level through our Leaders’ attendance at the annual U.S.-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit.</span></font></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-8729954028054621642016-02-20T17:33:00.000-08:002016-02-20T17:37:46.516-08:00I have a Dream...<div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7jjmAg61eI1WJ2eFtm4kd52pwonVwZj_atBfDEA7usPsmmX6rI5MPnr8Q5H5osG-tgTWm30DshaKf2ydEKuBM-B_kEzRTMnrNELVcmNnZ5alaGjELp21CjpYuC8HQgA5uTNYlEjqWsI/I/photo_986462.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br><br> West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-81917193255279464152016-02-14T18:08:00.000-08:002016-02-14T18:37:59.677-08:00Revive SEATO at the US-ASEAN Summit!!!<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoIJw02F9HMd1tuMcumzoHuC8j__3rwCjkLZXM7n0zfgGX5_2dd4MSjibASbPGEnuzJ4i03vch3SAYJtG659_dBMWD3w2MnlZPt-xXrtalqySo-gJmtLK0Hi5a5s3L4LS9-MOo_OF5M4/I/photo_497829.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div>For the first time in history, the US will host a summit with ASEAN starting tomorrow, February 15, 2016.</div><div><br></div><div>The summit will be held at the same California venue where POTUS once hosted Communist China's Xi Jinping.</div><div><br></div><div>The subliminal message is quite clear. To Uncle Sam, the 10-country ASEAN has now the same geopolitical value as Communist China!</div><div><br></div><div>What should be the focus of this historic summit?</div><div><br></div><div>The TPP should be one.</div><div><br></div><div>Certainly not human rights. A significant number of ASEAN's Heads-of-State have skeletons in their human rights closet.</div><div><br></div><div>Communist China's fake islands in the Spratlys should be another.</div><div><br></div><div>But POTUS can really make this summit an earth-shaking event if he will be able to plant the seeds for the revival of SEATO, the Cold War SEA equivalent of NATO.</div><div><br></div><div>Some ASEAN members, like Cambodia, will surely refuse to join for obvious reasons.</div><div><br></div><div>But the great majority of ASEAN are now in the right mood to join a regional defense alliance.</div><div><br></div><div>After all, the Communist China they are now facing is more powerful and more aggressive than the one they faced during the Cold War.</div><div><br></div><div>The only difference is that, this time, the whole of Vietnam are on the side of the Good Guys.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-84020379805388432702016-02-13T15:44:00.000-08:002016-10-27T17:20:06.744-07:00Uncle Sam is the goose that lays the Golden Eggs for the Philippines<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1d3o9PAFH-zbASYD_e7d3UOthwT7uAgnuHWgpPhEln6IUDripKVzuIZKZNsedv6-1AE2yKCyICYRSe-61DJMy0UTuTyiGauaddt4MDg-OJJtWGKyywa5gYkM1Ispq_QpYxO-2vaytWSk/I/photo_29693.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4">The 1st Golden Egg</font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The estimated number of Filipinos currently residing in the US is about 3 Million. They account for about 43% of the total inward FOREX remittances to the Philippines. In 2014, this amounted to about $10.4 Billion.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4">The 2nd Golden Egg</font></u></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><br></font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Philippines has become the primary destination of the BPO business of English-speaking America. The annual revenue being generated by the Philippine BPO Industry is now about $25 Billion.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4">The 3rd Golden Egg</font></u></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><br></font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Since the Panatag Shoal Crisis in mid-2012, we are witness to the steady stream of US military hardware in our Country - guided missile warships, nuclear submarines, etc. These equipment are not cheap. And we need them to keep Communist China at bay. If we acquire and operate them ourselves, I would conservatively estimate the annual cost as no lower than $10 Billion.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4">Conclusion</font></u></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><br></font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Based on the foregoing, it appears that the Golden Eggs which our goose Uncle Sam lays for us are currently worth about $45 Billion per annum.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One does not have to be a genius to figure out that if something bad happens to Uncle Sam's economy, there will be a corresponding reduction in the value of the Philippines' annual Golden Egg windfall.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So whenever the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) needs to buy something, it should always try to buy American first.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And this is particularly true in our military purchases.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Because the US Defense Industry is a major pillar of the US Economy.</span></font></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-35657274424397873362016-02-12T21:13:00.000-08:002016-05-21T14:27:53.198-07:00The Philippines is the key to continued US global supremacy<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjdcL1HIqnO0WkZgWUWg7wuk9gwk0ISAMv7FllhIb9JUlm17-lfxUU4W1R3o6MlS9s4GeYiBWwslXjww4VCutGCrGDRkgQgmcfzMc8QqiEQ1PyQQnpNnFph7G5hqT_Ji-LE-HdkDALdA/I/photo_995504.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div>According to the World Bank, the Per Capita Nominal GDP of the US in 2015 was $55,904.</div><div><br></div><div>Theoretically, therefore, 101 million Filipinos have the potential to add $5.6 Trillion a year in Nominal GDP to the US Economy. That will make the US Economy even larger than the entire EU!</div><div><br></div><div>If the US wants to maintain its lone superpower status well into the 22nd Century, the obvious solution is to re-absorb the Philippines.</div><div><br></div><div>And this can easily be done. All the US has to do is pass a law declaring as US Citizens all US Subjects born in the Philippines when the latter was still a US territory.</div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-55199138419701457942016-02-10T16:12:00.000-08:002016-05-21T14:20:53.854-07:00Spend on National Defense like Singapore!<div><div><br></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mKyEPsLLD5ZcsBDnTRXtqsp8JyjYvQErWvEttPE5PkU0xriEl7n3gU4K2-z8u8RqRPR7ZV20mjCAE2VCiVIN-M7YYXzN7B6RvRMqKxqQ78PxnkL6LHJjL7E04aPUe35luhliQLgqg40/I/photo_844975.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div>At an Annual Defense Budget of $10 Billion, we will be more or less on the same level as Singapore. Can you imagine what $10 Billion a year can do to the AFP?<div><br></div><div>And as the figures below show, this is totally doable:<br><div><div><br></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><u>Singapore</u></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nominal GDP - $308 Billion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Population - 5.7 Million</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Per Capita GDP - $53,604</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Defense Budget - $9.5 Billion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Per Capita Defense Budget - $1,667</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As % of Per Capita GDP - 3.1%</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard">Philippines</font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nominal GDP - $330 Billion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Population - 101 Million</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Per Capita GDP - $3,267</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Defense Budget - $3.8 Billion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Per Capita Defense Budget - $37.62</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">@Defense Budget = $10 Billion:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Per Capita Defense Budget - $99</span></font></div></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> As % of Per Capita GDP - 3.0%</span></font></div></div><div><br></div><div>With an annnual budget of $10 Billion, the AFP will clearly be able to afford the latest MRFs, GM frigates, submarines, ASMs and SAMs. So, why aren't we doing it?</div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-39584486832129324752016-02-10T14:56:00.000-08:002018-02-20T20:20:29.069-08:00Lessons from India<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNjoDzJjXvNuIQZVSYBj0IaUDYYJScmIENXCqlMPOZSXBj-XO40WnMnFSVysNBzs4Cnhzb5DugBars-SokqM32AggxBsSrsKrrmIxp3AqRhpjw4fXmuQIAxuNwE4KYmmGVQgqqOWVag4/I/photo_112831.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg" id="id_1bd2_6897_6745_3d6b" style="width: 750px; height: auto;"></div><br></div><div>Here are the comparative stats for India and the Philippines:</div><div><br></div><div><u>India</u></div><div>Nominal GDP - $2,041 Billion</div><div>Population - 1,277 Million</div><div>Per Capita GDP - $1,598</div><div>Defense Budget - $40.7 Billion</div><div>Poverty Level - 29.8%</div><div>Poor Headcount - 380,546,000</div><div><br></div><div><u>Philippines</u></div><div>Nominal GDP - $330 Billion</div><div>Population - 101 Million</div><div>Per Capita GDP - $3,267</div><div>Defense Budget - $3.8 Billion</div><div>Poverty Level - 25.2%</div><div>Poor Headcount - 25,452,000</div><div><br></div><div>Here are the interpretations of the above stats:</div><div><br></div><div>1. The living conditions of the average Indian is much worse than the average Filipino.</div><div><br></div><div>2. At about 381 Million, the number of poor people in India is almost 4X the total population of the Philippines.</div><div><br></div><div>3. Percentage-wise, the poverty level in India is also higher than in the Philippines.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Despite her not-so-rosy economic conditions, India managed to come up with a Defense Budget of about $41 Billion. And this level of defense spending enabled her to invest in aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, satellites, and nukes.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Just like the Philippines, India is also a Democracy.</div><div><br></div><div><u>Conclusion</u></div><div><u><br></u></div><div>Poverty and lack of money is not the main cause of the laughable state of the Philippine Military.</div><div><br></div><div>The Filipino Poor is just being used as a convenient bleeding-heart excuse.</div><div><br></div><div>The main causes are:</div><div><br></div><div>1. lack of Political Will; and</div><div><br></div><div>2. in the case of the Duterte Administration... Fear.</div><div><br></div><div> Fear of offending their Communist Chinese Masters.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-10048242656212681362016-02-10T10:08:00.000-08:002016-02-11T06:35:49.047-08:00ECONOMIC POWER - Communist China vs. Western World<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UXvORNT4O1FZZ8fIdQgeDkHibFjeZVZPi_J9O8se3AdWN0UsZT_-PSilqQwkDj_VaCMeer4aQuB8FK7JogPoKbjwO3tGJic9f3ljbO9B5MKZySV_791zKQfToJaTkGNmj_YhAuged4s/I/photo_587180.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Much has been said about the current Economic Power of Communist China. Let us see how the Nominal GDP figures stack up.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nominal GDP of the key countries in the Western World are as follows:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> EU - $18.5 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> US - $17.9 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Latin America - $9.5 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Japan - $4.1 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Canada - $1.6 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> South Korea - $1.3 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Australia - $1.2 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Philippines - $0.3 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That's a combined total of $54.4 Trillion!</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now, let's take a look at Communist China and her lone ally:</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> Communist China - $11.4 Trillion</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> North Korea - $0.0 Trillion</span></font></div><div><br></div></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">That's an almost 5:1 advantage for the Western World!</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">So tell me again about the Economic Power of Communist China...</span></font></div><div><br></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-500059161976548870.post-63875829960532577882016-02-08T14:50:00.000-08:002016-02-08T15:07:38.710-08:00Lumbia Airport hypocrisies<div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGNDxOar6PUYD95rYQwP77sTD4RzirxNa204j6NfzXpzb2e3IZY7ulQ-GBSVON0_XFCefFM4iA0h4fg5Ev8C-_sVvBM957-GFThby7JrzSEP2p-dS-F1Z-oJRP3liKzXQ9j2xYQ2VSS9I/I/photo_314690.jpg" border="0" class="bloggoimg"></div><br></div><div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard">GRP Hypocrisy</font></u></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard"><br></font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Malacanang is still insisting that the US facilities at Lumbia Airport will be merely used to store Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) equipment.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">C'mon POTPHI, this is already the Age of the Internet. Do you think the Filipino is still that gullible?</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The whole world knows that the US Military is back in force in the Philippines to counter the threat of an on-going Communist Chinese Invasion. Right now, the Invasion is at a creeping pace. But tomorrow, it may not be so. The US Military is our insurance policy against the possibility that Communist China will one day be tempted to quickly actualize her delusions of grandeur.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So the best approach to this controversy is for POTPHI to come clean and tell the Filipino People that the Lumbia Airport facilities will definitely also be used to store US military hardware needed to counter any future military adventurism by Communist China. But for reasons of national security, the details of such hardware cannot be made public.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I think the majority of Filipinos would appreciate such a more forthcoming approach, rather than be blatantly lied upon like an ignoramus.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard">Philippine Left Hypocrisy</font></u></div><div><u style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font face="-webkit-standard"><br></font></u></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This is the greatest hypocrisy of all.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Philippine Left is trying to make mountains out of the Lumbia Airport mole hill.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That will just be a freaking military equipment storage facility!</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Compared to the airbase Communist China has constructed on Mischief Reef (and other fake islands in the Spratlys), that's practically nothing! </span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But my advice on the Philippine Left is to keep on protesting.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Because you are doing a good job of showing the Filipino People where your sympathies really lie.</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">That deep in your hearts, you honestly believe that it will be to the best interest of your Misguided Ideology...</span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If the Philippines becomes a vassal state of Communist China.</span></font></div></div><div><font face="-webkit-standard"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></font></div>West Philippine Seahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04951008470861726111noreply@blogger.com0