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Wars and Rumors of Wars



What’s so big about Kishida visiting? Initially, I thought the person was some r and b singer whom I had never heard of.) Oh, he’s the current Japanese Prime Minister. That reminds me of what happened to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. That was tragic.


What’s so special about this visit? I suppose, heads of state get to visit every now and then. I guess, they talk about trade treaties with the President. I guess, that’s regular. But why do both Houses have to suspend business to sit in a joint session? Why is Senator Hontiveros happy with what President BBM is doing? Now, that’s weird.


Oh, wait, I get it. Is this a defense treaty? Is this what is it? It’s not just not any defense treaty. Opposition is willing to lay down guns and administration is willing to sit down together with them to celebrate this treaty.


Oh no! This is how wars start. This is how wars have started. Before World War 1, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy had a treaty together. (Yes, back then, Austria-Hungary was a nation.) England, France and Russia also had a treaty together. Then, one assassination later, one nation felt that they needed justice. Another nation felt obliged to help. Another nation felt a need to help their friends. Then, there was war. Before World War 2 broke out, Germany had a treaty with Italy, Japan became friends with Germany, Germany had a treaty with Russia, Britain and France had treaties with Poland, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, then after some time, everyone was firing machine guns and dropping bombs at each other. There’s something ominous about these treaties. It is as if when nations work so hard for peace, they get war instead.


We’re all probably aware that we have this complicated relationship with China. They’ve been crossing the fence and troubling the trolls for more than a decade now. So, what does a regular school kid do when he gets helplessly bullied by a big kid on the block? He befriends another big kid on the block, so the bully sees that they’re friends and thinks twice with his bullying, and backsoff. Before 1939, Poland befriended Britain and France to show Germany that they had big friends. Did it deter Germany? No, not really. Germany invaded anyway. Ukraine flirted with NATO so they could have big friends. Did it deter Russia? On the contrary, Russia invaded anyway. So, maybe, the whole idea of flexing a big friend isn’t really a good idea after all.


There’s something paradoxical about these peace pacts and treaties. Peace leads to war nonetheless. China supported the then united Korea, then, Korean War exploded tore the nation apart. US wanted to help Vietnam, then, Vietnam war exploded and united the nation. The Arab nations became friends and they gang up on Israel. US, Britain, France, West Germany and others became friends. USSR, Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary and others became friends. Then, there’s the Cold War chilling across the world. Why do friendships lead to frays?


On a wider picture, what is with the human race? The reasons for war then remain to be the same reasons for war now. Anti--Semitism leads to unprovoked conflict. Reclaiming former glory leads to expansion of territory that leads to invasion. Retaliation leads to harder offensive. Nazis exterminated European Jews; and Hamazmassacred Israelis. Nazi Germany invaded Poland; and China encroaches on neighboring maritime territory; and Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia marched through Europe to retaliate against German invasion; and Israel is now pummeling Gaza in retaliation. Not much has changed. Oh, yeah, something did. They’re nowshooting deadlier weapons.


We would like to believe that we advance higher towards civilization. We would like to believe that much progress have been achieved towards world peace. School children engaged in arts and crafts to make downsized flags to celebrate United Nations. Yet, the more we strive to be united, the more the world becomes fragmented.


I don’t know. Maybe, I’m being paranoid. Maybe, I’m analyzing too much. Maybe, I have been watching too many historical documentaries. Let’s hope all these do not lead to international conflict. Let’s hope that strengthened ties with US and Japan don’t lead to international conflict. Let’s hope that military exercises between our military with those of the US, Japan, Australia, EU, Malaysia and Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations do not lead to conflict. Let’s hope our countrymen along the shores of the West Philippine Sea don’t have to evacuate over to our side of Luzon.


Matthew 24:6: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”


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