Global flash points, growing untamed - I

Time was when Uncle Tom acted as the world cop and peacemaker. When a bully anywhere ever threatened peace, and/or before brushfires attained conflagration magnitude, Uncle Sam put them out. A word or two deterred any trouble makers to behave. The carrot-and-stick twained with the stars-and-stripes as the unwritten law: substantial aid for the compliant nations; economic and military raps on the recalcitrants.

Speaking of flash points, at random now… There’s the war-mongering North Korea with psycho despot Kim Jong Il at its helm. Tagged as one of three “axis of evil” by Pres. Dubya Bush, North Korea virtually dares the world to do their worst, especially USA, Russia, Japan, and South Korea, while firing their test missiles, despite dire warnings.

Since 1994 when Kim Jong Il as “Dear Leader” took power after his father, Kim Il Sung (the “Great Leader”), his one-track consuming passion stays, that is, for the Red nation to attain nuclear status even if North Koreans die starving, as sacrifice for his obsession. On the wings as heir-apparent is Dear Leader’s third son – Kim Jong Un – apparently with similar bellicose mind set.

The 2006 first test flopped amidst fear of its neighbors. Kim Jong Il resumed this year on April 5, and on May 25 underground tests and several missile launches. South Korea whimpered; Japan did “not tolerate” it; Russia expressed “serious concern”; its patron China “firmly opposed” it; and Pres. Barack Obama mumbled that it would “serve to deepen North Korea’s isolation”.

The May 25 blast was of kilotons equal to the Hiroshima atom bomb ending World War II. Unfazed by global condemnation and uncowed by UNO tighter shipping embargo/economic sanctions, and freezing of its assets, Kim Jong Il appears sadistic, nihilistic, and recklessly belligerent. He showed daredevil guts with a July 4 long range missiles launch towards Hawaii that put the USA in frenzy of its defenses against 5 Scud and 2 Rodong missiles. Overall, NKorea has spent $700 M on nuke missile tests enough to solve its food shortage for 2 years or so.

North Korea as imminent flash point poses as the most dangerous fuse for world conflagration that even its allies – China and Russia – are incapable of taming. Or, seemingly encouraging it?

Another incendiary area is Afghanistan, especially its Pakistan border as the Taliban hideaway in vast mountain redoubts. Originally, this region had been the natural aftermath of the 9/11 disaster where Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda are holed in, so far scot-free.

Actually, it’s not just a flash point because the off-and-on skirmishes beyond capital city Kabul had long been ignited despite peace-making efforts of President Hamid Karzai. If not for the blunder of Pres. Bush over CIA’s inaccurate intel that Saddam Hussein had massive arms of destruction as a backlash of 9/11, Al Qaeda’s Afghan base would have borne the brunt of US might, instead of Iraq.

When the war in Iraq was still in full swing, with the bulk of American military forces and British battalion committed there, the Afghan front was manned by limited NATO contingent. The Taliban had also chosen to lie low in mountain areas, except to conduct ambuscades and road skirmishes.

However, with Pres. Barack Obama’s vow to start withdrawal of American forces from Iraq as of June, except for skeletal core in green zones, it’s now Iraq’s civil government under PM Nouri Al-Maliki with its police and militia ruling the country. And so, the 130T or so American GIs have started by this time being recalled home until completing it in mid-2010 as Obama’s target.

(To be continued)

Our condolences to the bereaved Cortes family and clan on the passing away of “Inday Narsing” Cortes, widow of the late City Mayor Demetrio “Boy” Cortes. May her soul find serenity as her bereaved children mourn over her demise, in peace and mutual love.

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