PH-India ‘Brahmos’ deal, a US machination?

CHINA last January 17, 2022, added P800 million for the Philippines’ rehabilitation of its ‘Odette’ devasted provinces. I raise this to call attention to China’s message at the Davos World Economic Forum (WEF) where President Xi Jinping was welcomed ardently.

Pres. Xi conveyed his untiring message: Mankind, must work together (Multilateralism) to triumph over global crises; leave Cold War “zero-sum games and build a “Community of Shared Future.”

Meanwhile, the so-called “leader” of the “free world’ who insists on reserving “the seat at the head of table,” US President Joe Biden, skipped the annual international global event where heads’ of states, global business leaders and renowned experts congregate (virtually in this pandemic times) to offer different analyses of our global problems and present solutions and common action for mankind to take.

WEF President Borge Brende expressed pleasure that President Xi strongly underlined that global solutions are imperative to global problems, saying, “…we are all part of the same global village and we should collaborate more and deeper,” while lamenting the lack of cooperation from others.

“…(W)e are also seeing the consequence of not working with each other… New variants of the Covid-19 virus are affecting even countries with high vaccinations…”

China’s message for global cooperation and brotherhood is gaining momentum over the unremitting provocations, sniping and taunting of the US which continues to sow the seeds of its own destruction internationally and internally.

In Europe, the U.S. is putting up the pressure on Russia through the U.S. installed comedian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, bidding to be part of NATO forcing Russia to threaten to invade Ukraine if it does. Historically, Ukraine has always been a part of Russia’s territory.

The U.S. sees Russia as the strategic soft spot to weaken the Russia-China-Iran Triangle to hit at China eventually.

This strategy also stymies Germany seeking to pivot away from the US to rise as an independent power again. Germany refused to give overflight permission to UK arms shipments to Ukraine. 50 percent of Russia’s government budget is from gas exports much of it imported by Europe; the US is pressing EU to buy from its own higher priced gas instead.

In Asia in 2021 the US stepped up provocations against China through a massive increase in air and sea incursions into the South China Sea, Taiwan and Yellow Sea regions (remember, the US Malaysian and Philippine air identification codes to mask their planes) and announced the AUKUS alliance.

In what may likely be a US brokered deal to help its QUAD ally India, the Philippines bought the unremarkable ‘BrahMos’ missile system despite its spotty reputation.

In one sensational failure, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile failed during an Indian test firing carried out in July 2021.

“The missile fell off very shortly after the launch this morning. The reasons for the failure would be analyzed by a joint team of scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation and BrahMos Aerospace Corporation,” the Indian news site, ‘The Economic Times’ reported.

One reason I suspect the US hand in the BrahMos deal is the spin on it by mainstream media here and abroad like the Times of India: “Eye on China, Philippines to buy Brahmos…” and US “presstitution” hack like Richard Javad Heydarian publishing in the British Asia Times that this starts India’s leverage to “insert itself more deeply in SCS disputes,” which is laughable and a figment of US propaganda as India can’t even control the Indian Ocean.

The BrahMos anti-ship shore-based version missiles is going to be a huge waste of the Philippines’ much needed financial resources; it’s standard 290 km. range too short against any enemy missiles with 1,500 km. plus range launched from at least that distance.

The missiles have a limited shelf life and expensive to maintain with limited use and also limited radar capabilities. This deal is clearly just an expensive publicity stunt.

The US and its minions in the Philippines are running out of provocative stunts to counter China’s genuine goodwill and altruistic acts.

Instead, China has been raining financial aid, millions of doses of vaccines for free and for “global public good” prices.

Bridges like the soon to open Binondo-Intramuros Bridge after the Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge, the later now being enjoyed by tens of thousands daily, including the well-lighted bridge’s bikers and pedestrian lanes.

The latest “manna” raining down is DOTr Secretary Tugade’s announcement of the P142-billion contract with Chinese contractors to design and build the first 380 km. segment of the PNR Bicol railway from Bgy. Banlic, Calamba, Laguna, to Daraga, Albay.

This comes on the heels of the signing of the 100-km P82-billion Tagum-Davao-Digos segment of the Davao del Norte to Tagum railway at the end of 2021. There is just no end to the “missiles of goodwill” from China.

President Xi at Davos, Ambassador Huang Xilian in Manila, are both one thing – building the “Community of Shard Future for Mankind.”

(Samahan si Ka Mentong Laurel at mga panauhin sa “Power Thinks” tuwing Miyerkules @6pm Live Global Talk News Radio (GTNR) sa Facebook at sa Talk News TV sa You Tube; at tuwing Linggo 8 to 10am sa RP1 738khz AM sa radyo.)