The two issues that our country face today, namely, that of Chip Tsao’s brash satire on Manila’s claim to the Spratlys, and the ongoing crisis on the kidnap of the ICRC workers, reminds me of a verse in Sun Tzu’s Art of War:
Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory:
(1) He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
(2) He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
(3) He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
(4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
(5) He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight
I find the attention that the Philippine blogosphere was willing to pay for Chip Tsao’s rabid commentary amusing, bordering on absurd.
While the Chinese writer has obviously made a fool of himself, the unfortunate truth is that the Philippines is, in military terms, an inferior force if the Chinese decide to take the Spratlys. I’m not suggesting that we abandon our claim, but when push comes to shove, the winner of any ensuing battle would already be known.
Sure, we can win the word war against Chip Tsao, but to win against China in political terms, we’ll have to work a lot harder than that.
He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces
As far as I can see, the Abu Sayyaf is an inferior force that is no match for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, yet our nation is held, by the balls, by the demands of their group. It is unfortunate that the lack of political will and the softness by which politicians with their pathetic appeals for peace and life has prevented the eradication of this threat.
On the other hand, the Chinese Navy is clearly a superior force. Our politicians and diplomats must tread this territory carefully, lest this dragon decides to flex its muscles and breathe fire on everyone. While it is clear that China won’t dare act too harshly, for fear of a regional war (the Spratlys issue affects almost all ASEAN nations, anyway), it is clear that it has one eye opened to the whole situation, while the other eye is shut.
Now that it is revealed that there’s a network of hackers at the disposal of the Chinese government, despite their denials, the situation becomes even more precarious.
He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks
The wishy-washy decision making of the government and the top ranks of the AFP, including decisions to give in to the demands of scum and vermin like the ASG, only serves to erode the morale of our soldiers. Soldiers who are ready to die for their country and their people anytime — soldiers who are pawned in the games of those who do not have the balls to be in their shoes. I sincerely hope that any form of troop pullout from Sulu is part of some big tactical ploy or strategic repositioning, because if it’s taken at face value, it will only make the Filipino people — and with it, its soldiers, feel bad about not being able to do anything.
He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared
The Abu Sayyaf succeeds over and over in terrorizing the Filipino people not because our forces are ill-equipped (on the contrary, all the aid that the United States have given us in terms of equipment are sufficient) but mostly because the government is unprepared. We’ve been through this before. We’ve been through this with the Burnhams. We’ve been through this with several other victims both foreigner and Filipino. Yet here we are not knowing what to do regarding the situation yet again.
Shouldn’t someone have written a field manual for kidnapping situations already?
He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign
Our government’s policy with regards to the ASG is always a matter that’s up for discussion, when it should already have been set in stone a decade ago. While the strategies and tactics to root them out and fight them have already been written down and practiced and trained for, the government always flip-flops in its decisions on how to deal with the situation.
And this is why the military can never prepare enough to respond. They have the military capacity, but they are constantly interfered with by the sovereign — the Philippine government — and the ASG remains as a threat that can’t be wiped out.
The Abu Sayyaf has brought terror to this country for far too long, at the expense of far too many lives, and they should be wiped out, now, at all costs. Anything less is unacceptable. If we negotiate and, like cowards once more, pay ransom for the lives of their ICRC hostages, the vicious cycle of kidnappings will continue.
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On a side note: Happy Anniversary, Filipino Voices!
(Image taken from allposters.com)
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Jon,
FYI :)
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/155062/Chip-Tsao-apologizes-for-maid-country-remark
Nice to hear that very good development! Thanks for the info!
In all five essentials for victory by Sun Tzu we will score 0. Yes a big ZERO. Could that be the reason why Cheap Tsao call us a nation of EGGHEADS?
I’m just a kibitzer here. But I rejoice in celebrating with you guys todays anniversay.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FILIPINO VOICE.com!
The hackers were used in the cyberwar against the independent Republic on Taiwan. Now before China can think of lobbing bombs on Philippine territory such as Pag-asa island, it should deal with the independent Taiwanese republic and negotiate a political solution. The Chip Tsao satire has to be seen in this context.
China risks further split with a Spratly war and it is possible that Taiwan will do what is we all believe is inevitable, declare formal independence once it sees that the politburo in Zhonghanai is split.
When that happens the Dalai Lama can easily be carried on a palanquin to the Potala Palace in triumph.
Now can China contemplate that? China will end up with commie warlords and Japan will likely flex its military muscles in “self-defence”.
Now with our estuarine navy, we are back in December 7, 1941!
I forgot, Tsao’s HK-SAR will have to decide whether to join the Taiwanese or China. Methinks, HK may declare independence as a majority Chinese state like Singapore.
You are quoting the “Art of War” which is a Chinese classic, and your name too Limjap sounds Chinese. Be careful you are showing your Chinese color which may put you in bad light at this time when anything Chinese would be considered an irritant by the Anti-Chinese racist due to that Chauvinistic Chinese fellow called Chip Tsao who wrote an absurd article that degraded the Pinay-DH in Hong Kong.
Both of which are subtle ironies I was hoping to reserve for my own amusement. You really had to point those out, didn’t you? ;)
Like Mr Limjap I have Chinese ancestry too! This comes from my mom whose great great grandpa is from Xiamen. may angal?
Don’t you think it will be a crime to openly declare your Chinese ancestry JeJeJeJeJeJe! Or you may have to join Lucio Tan and Henry Sy as criminals who are said to exploit our fellow Pinoy!
So you have Chinese ancestry…. napakinabangan mo ba?
Having Chinese ancestry, especially a Chinese surname is a disadvantage. You will be subject to racial discrimination and become target of extortion because of the general perception that ” Intsik Mayaman”!
I always appreciate people like you who are open to all kinds of culture regardless of their racial origin. One of the books I like is ” The Prince ” by Niccolo Machiavelli. In Chinese classic series, Romance of The Three Kingdom is a “Must Read”, it is so valued by the Japanese.
It was said that “Lucio Tan fronted for Mr. Marcos. Bongbong wanted to get back his dad’s millions from Mr. Tan when the Marcoses came back. Mr. Sy employs thousands of Pinoy sales ladies with a tenure of 6 months, allows the appointment to lapse after 6 months and rehire them after 1 or 2 months furlough so these sales ladies would not become permanent entitled to vacation leave and sick leave”
Obviously, both Lucio Tan and Henry Sy are experts on “Art Of War” of Sun Tsu. Explanation to come later, tomorrow maybe if I have time! I got to make a living first by concentrating on selling Taho, it is rich in protein, good also for my Filipino friends here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F–nHysJkw
Tapos ang laban..panalo si Jon. Talo si Renato.
Chip Tsao is ignorant of the history of his people. Chinese laborers
came to America to build the railroads. They were treated a little
more than the Black Slaves.
He should have sympathy with suffering people.
Your are right there, Tasio!
Allow me to refresh all your aged, fogged memories …
Philippinas is the earliest liberated and democratized country in Asia! Raise your hands if I’m wronger.
South Korea came out of the ashes in mid ’50s; Viet Cong, ’70s; Japaneses were totally incenerated that they needed bailout from their conquestadores; China, in the ’60s, after cultural revolution; Singapore, Indonesia and others came out on-line after Philippines.
And where is Philippines now?
WE ARE TOTALLY LEFT-BEHIND!!! We are in league of Cambodia, Burma and Bangladesh. We even shove Bombay out of the limelight for Manila to become the densest city in the woRLD. REPEAT: MANILA IS THE DENSEST CITY IN THE WORLD.
You cannot grasp what Manila is like? Let your mind wander to Bombay and replace that word with Manila. Got the picture? GOOD!
End of class!
Your point being?
That we, Filipinos, cannot learn may it be Einstein or Tsing Tsao or Sun Tzu or Wang Yu …
Look, we sent PMAyers to Quantico for training and they came back with balooney … We have foreign-educated-ivy-school graduate bureaucrats and they scam Filipinos … We have UCLA, Berkley, UCSD graduates they end up trolling for bankrupt filipinos, DUIs bunch of ambulance chasers …
We are more Dilbertian than critical thinkers.
Great. Is that all?
Tapos ang laban..panalo si Jon. Talo si Renato.