Deterrence or dance?

THE Philippines proclaims itself as the oldest democracy in Asia. Colonized by Spain from 1521 until the end of the Spanish-American war in 1898, minus the brief period of British rule from 1762 to 1764, it became a US colony from 1898 to 1946, save the period of occupation by the Japanese imperial forces from Dec. 8, 1941 to July 5, 1945. Since July 4, 1946, it has existed as an independent republic, with close political and military ties to the US.

Today it is caught in the global competition for supremacy between China and the US, raising questions about its status as a sovereign and independent state. How long will it remain what it is? Not many Filipinos dare to ask this question openly, but rapidly evolving reality compels them to do so. Many of us are compelled to admit we have become a client-state of the US.