GOING more than a full year now on Russia’s preemptive strike in Eastern Ukraine last February 24, 2022, it has become crystal clear to many peoples and countries—even those under NATO and some segments of the US outside of its corporate mainstream media—that the war, really, could have been avoided—had they “listened” to Russia and its own national security concerns—no more NATO eastward expansion, a stop to the genocide in Eastern Ukraine by the Zelensky fascist regime and a pledge that Ukraine would never join NATO.
As a consequence, it is now also as clear as day that, far from harming or breaking up Russia thru the sanctions imposed against it and the outpouring of Western military and financial aid to Ukraine, the reverse happened– it is the people of Europe and NATO and most especially Ukraine, who have borne the burden of war—soaring gas prices, another wave of refugee crisis, mass demonstrations in Germany, Italy and France, even as Ukraine continues to be devastated that it would take at least 50 years for it to recover to pre-war level and its economy and national wealth already auctioned off to Western banks and governments to pay for the cost of the war.
This ongoing catastrophe could have been avoided if only the West listened and addressed the sincere remonstration of Russia, especially during the last 6 years before its special military operation in Ukraine.
But what is the connection of this piece’s title to what is going on in Eastern Europe today?
Well, over the last several days this month, China has been warning that much to its regret, it is headed for a “collision” with the United States owing to the latter’s unceasing provocations against China and its success in turning Japan and the Philippines as part of its ‘first island chain of defense,’ along with Taiwan, for its planned war against China.
New Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, in his first global press conference last March 7, said: “If the United States does not hit the brake but continues to speed down the wrong path, no amount of guardrails can prevent derailing, and there will surely be conflict and confrontation.”
The Filipinos’ friend, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, in two statements last March 10 and March 12, also cautioned Manila that our perverse dalliance and false understanding of ‘friendship’ with US Imperialism would prove disastrous for us “at the end of the day.”
Responding to the derisive comments made by US undersecretary Victoria Nuland, downgrading the real and tangible economic benefits that China is giving to the Philippines while highlighting the important role of new US bases in the country thru EDCA, Amb. Huang said: Creating economic opportunities and jobs through military cooperation (with the US) is tantamount to quenching thirst with poison and gouging flesh to heal wounds.”
“Such cooperation,” he added, “will seriously endanger regional peace and stability and drag the Philippines into the abyss of geopolitical strife and damage its economic development at the end of the day.”
In a statement 2 days later, Amb. Huang pointed out: “To bundle the Philippines into the chariots of geopolitical strife will seriously harm Philippine national interests and endanger regional peace and stability.”
And so, we ask: How is Philippine officialdom treating these words from Asia’s own superpower? Can we not reflect on what pushed Russia to resort to a military solution over its problems with Ukraine? And all because Ukraine and its NATO backers have become deaf to reason and diplomacy?
If, “at the end of the day” we got dragged to the war being planned by the US against China, what would become of us? What would become of us if like Russia, which is no longer interested in a ceasefire but for the total defeat (and destruction) of Ukraine, China, too, has run out of patience over us, concluding that like Ukraine, we have become “unreasonable” to talk to?
If we don’t listen to China now, pray the day won’t come when China would also not listen to us anymore as it takes on the US and its “allies” thru military means.
For when that day arrives, that is how we shall define the word, “disaster.”
Abangan!