LAST June 28, the permanent members of Security Council of the Russian Federation headed by Pres. Vladimir Putin, held an important meeting, the result of which can have a direct impact on the Philippines in the immediate future despite our being over 8,200 kilometers away from Moscow.
From the details of the meeting released by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as its embassy in Manila, aside from Putin, those in attendance include:
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin; Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino; Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev;
Defence Minister Andrei Belousov; Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov;
Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin; and Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology, and Transport, Sergei Ivanov.
The topic of the meeting is Russia’s response to the continued production by America of intermediate and short-range nuclear weapons after the US, under Pres. Donald Trump, scrapped the INF (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) Treaty in 2019, claiming of continued violation by Russia of its terms, an accusation that Russia vehemently denied.
The INF Treaty is among the key treaties signed by the two superpowers and possessors of the world’s biggest numbers of nuclear weapons and was agreed upon during the presidency of Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1987 (fully ratified by both sides by June 1988), after many years of negotiation.
For many in Europe—NATO and the Warsaw Pact– the INF Treaty is more important than the previous ‘SALT Treaties’ (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) between the Soviet Union and the United States that covers the so-called ‘ICBMs’ (inter-continental ballistic missiles) of both countries.
ICBMs have a ranged of over 5,500 kilometers and it can be fired to reach their targets from “one continent to another,” hence the name.
However, the INF missiles have a range of between 500 to 1,000 kilometers (short range) and 1,000 to 5,500 kilometers (intermediate range).
In other words, INF missiles can be fired by your neighbor against you for whatever reason and with the short flight time, cities can be obliterated in a span of minutes before you can finish a stick of cigarette.
The Philippines was given a reprieve of being included in the USSR’s target map after we booted out US Imperialism in 1991, just about the same time that the Soviet Union collapsed.
But if we think we are still “out of the woods,” so to speak, think again, dear readers.
For during the June 28 meeting of Russia’s Security Council, Putin made it clear that not only is the US continuing with its production of INF missiles, the Americans also are already deploying them in Europe, especially in Denmark, said Putin, and hold your breath, dear readers— in the Philippines!
According to the translated transcript of their meeting, here is what Putin said:
“In 2019, we announced that we would neither produce these missiles, nor deploy them as long as the United States does not deploy such systems anywhere around the globe.
“We now know that the United States is not only producing these missile systems, but has brought them to Europe, Denmark, to use in exercises. Not long ago, it was reported that they are in the Philippines. It is unclear whether they have taken these missiles out from the Philippines or not.
“In any case, we need to respond to this and decide on our further steps in this regard. It appears that we need to begin producing these attack systems and then, based on the actual situation, decide on where to deploy them to ensure our security, if necessary (emphasis supplied).”
Given this revelation, should we not deserve an explanation from our leaders as to why they allowed the US to deploy their nuclear weapons here, knowing that this is specifically banned by our Constitution and that this puts our entire existence, as a country and people, in grave danger? Who approved this and why?
And are these nuclear weapons still here? If Putin is unsure about the answer, then surely, our security officials, headed by defense secretary Gibo Teodoro, can give us a categorical answer.
And since Russia is as far away from our shores as between the earth and the moon, against whom are these nuclear bombs aimed at? The answer is also clear: against China.
This being the case, what we and the Americans just did is to escalate our differences with China on a very dangerous level!
Of course, China is not talking for the moment but are we to believe that they are not aware of what is going on? That we allowed the Americans to place their nuclear missiles here with the sole aim of incinerating China in a nuclear firestorm?
Given the situation that we are now in, why would China believe us when we say we want a “peaceful” resolution, a diplomatic solution of our issues with them?
For how can we talk about peace when we are pointing nuclear weapons in their direction?
Here’s hoping that Pres. Marcos Jr. finally realized he is being played for a fool by his security advisers and by our American “friends” and act in the best interest of our nation.
He can start by calling the US Ambassador for a dressing down and firing the war freaks and “Amboys” in his Cabinet.
Abangan!