US in a predicament like Gloria's

On the world stage, the United States is in a predicament not unlike that of Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, who is trying to hold on to power even as she is increasingly getting isolated.

Fighting so many wars has stretched the US military too thin. Not only that, recurring nightmares of 9/11 has forced it into a previously unheard of position where it now has to watch its back at the same time that it is engaging in any number of conflicts.

To be sure, the US is still the strongest among the world's military powers. But that is as far as the certainty goes. Beyond that, it is confronted by world made more dangerous by rogue states with nuclear capabilities and demented terrorists who believe in the folly of martyrdom.

Americans are waking up each morning to the reality that sheer military might alone no longer guarantees them the privilege of a good night's sleep. Now, more than ever, the US needs to surround itself with allies.

It doesn't really matter whether these allies have real military capabilites of their own to speak of. To a certain extent, the US can still physically take care of its own fights. But it is increasingly losing its grip on the moral authority to wage them.

And that is why allies come in real handy for the US. And that is why it gets seriously affronted when it gets abandoned by friends, as what the Philippines did when it pulled out its troops from Iraq.

The Philippine contingent to Iraq was just a token force of about a dozen poorly-armed and poorly-equipped volunteers mesmerized by the chance to earn a little extra money for doing what amounted to nothing more than a charade.

It was a contingent that was not worth a sneeze in the cold desert night. But oh how the US loved the Philippine contingent. It drove the notch higher on its list of so-called nations belonging to its self-proclaimed coalition of the willing.

The Philippine contingent could be armed with just their fingers for all that the US would care. It was not there for any other purpose than to help the US wage a p.r. war for its flagging cause of finding a moral leg to stand on when it attacked Iraq.

Arroyo, commander-in-chief of a mutinous military, didn't feel comfortable sending troops to Iraq, knowing the slightest diminution in the number of soldiers loyal to her might imperil the precarious balance she enjoys to stay in power. But she was obliged to put on a face.

However, the farce was not meant to be an extended run in the greater scheme of things. Fate intervened and a Filipino civilian worker was seized by Islamic madmen who demanded that the Philippines withdraw its troops. As the US fumed, Arroyo hastily caved in.

So if the US was seriously affronted by the withdrawal of support by a miniscule bit player in its awesome charade, you can just imagine the delirious rage it feels deep inside when bigger names in the cast refuse to budge.

On the matter of Iran and North Korea, you can be certain the US wants to beat these upstarts to a pulp. But as is increasingly the case, it is being forced into yet another charade, this time involving the need to exercise restraint and be diplomatic.

Had this been a world of even just 20 years ago, you can be sure Iran and North Korea would be scurrying back to the beginning of their daydreams with their tails between their legs. There would still have been none of this morality crap that has effectively crippled the US.

Now the US has to consider the new kids on the block like China and see if they go along with anything. China rarely does, for no other reason than to needle the old imperialist. As to Iran and North Korea, they are puny pushovers even with nukes. But they are wining the p.r. wars.