EDITORIAL - Re-examine our position

If the world, united in its condemnation of the nuclear policies of Iran and North Korea, cannot bring itself to bear forcefully on these two rogue countries, what realistic expectations await the Philippines in its sovereignty claims against an even more powerful country like China?

The Philippines is threatening to bring its conflicting claim with China over Scarborough Shoal and other outlying islets in the South China Sea before international arbitration. But the truth of the matter is, China really couldn’t care less.

Pray tell what international body is there that can force the world’s third most powerful country to its knees when no international body has succeeded even against much punier states as Iran and North Korea beyond certain sanctions, mostly economic in nature.

Of course anyone with any sense of what is right can get aroused by the most intense of passions. And no self-respecting nation such as the Philippines ought to simply fold its arms at the effrontery of bullies whose only claim to legitimacy is pure and simple might.

But life’s realities are hard and harsh. To the victor really belongs the spoils. And to the mighty often sides the law, as well as history. It may crush our hearts and demean our whole beings, individually and as a nation, yet what profits us that which we cannot assert.

If for the sake of national pride alone, then by all means let us bring this issue before every international body we can find. And while doing so, let is with all the vigor we can muster proclaim to anyone willing to listen just how unintimidated we are.

At the end of the day, however, let us not drop dead over the matter. Grieving may be a matter of principle, but common sense is still in the national interest. Let us not compromise national security and sovereignty over a claim we cannot assert.

We do not advocate abdication or capitulation, only a reassessment of our position based on realistic assumptions, primary of which is the fact that we stand to lose so much more if we decide to put all our marbles in a basket that is too little.