Increased U.S. Military Aid And Presence In The Philippines Will Not Stop China In The South China Sea

The United States is increasing its military aid to the Philippines, apparently in response to China expansionism in the South China Sea. In addition to increased military aid, the United States will now have use of a number of Philippine military bases. Who will benefit? It sounds cliche, but the military industrial complex. Also, a select group of contractors and a select group of Filipino politicians and business people. In typical United States fashion, the United States thinks military first, no matter how much it bankrupts the United States, no matter how much it drains its treasury, no matter how ineffective the military first approach might be. We have bases we can ill afford all over the world. We rush into wars we cannot win and that drain our resources. And this does not even take into consideration death, wounds, and disabilities that result from war. Even if the United States conducts daily war games in the Philippines( U.S. war games in South Korea have done nothing to deter North Korea), doubles military aid to the Philippines, establishes U.S. bases back in the Philippines, it will not stop China. The military first option will do absolutely nothing to stop what China is doing in the South China Sea. What will stop China, economic action, no one wants to do. Certainly not corrupt politicians and business people in the Philippines that have sold out their country in the interest of profit. If the Philippines stops China development projects and Chinese mining in the Philippines, that would have an impact. Not more helicopters, warplanes, warships, that everyone knows will not be used to attack China in the South China Sea. Instead of business as usual, the Philippines should insist on no business with China until the South China Sea dispute is legally resolved. And the United States should for once learn from its past and understand there are options other than military ones that at times work best. Meanwhile, Chinese development of the coral reef islands and shoals of the South China Seas means the last healthy fisheries of the South China Sea are are being destroyed, and that people will go hungry. This is an urgent matter that cannot wait for the United States to pump the Philippines full of useless military aid.