Once upon a time, there was a vast and beautiful sea
where many different animals lived in peace and harmony. Among them were the
Philippine eagle, the Vietnamese buffalo, the Malaysian tiger, and the Bruneian
sea eagle. They were all friends and neighbors who respected their boundaries.
However, their peaceful life was disturbed by the
arrival of a huge and fearsome Chinese dragon who claimed that he owned the
entire sea and everything in it. He flew over their waters, breathing fire and
smoke.
The Philippine eagle and his friends were outraged by
the Chinese dragon’s aggression. They tried to resist him by complaining, but
he ignored them. The Philippine eagle and his friends realized that they could
not fight the Chinese dragon alone, as he was too powerful and cunning. They
needed help from someone stronger than him.
Looking around the sea, they saw an American eagle
flying high in the sky, watching over the sea with his keen eyes. The
Philippine eagle flew up to him and before long, both flew to meet other
friends – the Australian kangaroo, the Japanese monkey, and the Indian tiger.
Befriending the enemies of their common enemy, they
banded together to fend off the Chinese dragon’s threat to protect their sea.
ANCIENT WISDOM
The expression “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is
an ancient proverb according to Wikipedia which “suggests that two parties can or
should work together against a common enemy”.
Often used as a strategy in warfare, politics, or diplomacy to gain an advantage over a common adversary, it was first expressed in the Latin phrase “Amicus meus, inimicus inimici mei” (my friend, the enemy of my enemy).
One notable example in history was the alliance during
World War II between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union despite their inherent
differences. Both sides then recognized a need to work together to meet the
threat of a common enemy – Adolf Hitler.
Let’s look into these two parallel recent developments
in which this ancient wisdom is called into play: the West Philippine Sea
geopolitical conflict and our local political stunt. Taking into account both are relevant and
important because they involve the interests and values of our country and the
Filipino people, as well as the implications for regional and global security
and stability.
WEST PHILIPPINE SEA
The West Philippine Sea geopolitical conflict is a
dispute over the sovereignty and rights of various countries in the South China
Sea which is rich in natural resources and crucial in strategic value. The main
actor and threat in this conflict is China which claims almost the entire area,
including parts of the exclusive economic zones of the Philippines, Vietnam,
Malaysia, and Brunei. China has also built artificial islands and military
bases on some of the disputed features and has deployed its coast guard and
maritime militia to harass and intimidate other claimants.
In this conflict, three situations exemplify the use
of the ancient proverb – befriending the enemy of my enemy.
First, the alliance of the U.S. and its allies with
the Philippines and other SEA countries against their common “enemy” -- China.
The U.S. and its regional allies, such as Australia, Japan, and India, have affirmed
their commitment to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight in the
South China Sea, along with respecting the 2016 arbitral ruling that
invalidated China’s claims.
Moreover, they have conducted naval operations and exercises in the region and have offered military and diplomatic assistance to their partners.
Second, the strategic partnership between the Philippines
and Vietnam against their common “enemy” -- China. Both being claimants in the Spratly
Islands and having experienced China’s aggression and coercion in their
respective waters, the Philippines and Vietnam established the strategic partnership
agreement in 2015 expecting to go beyond the security dimension as well as urging
both countries to cooperate more closely in areas that will deepen the ties
between them.
Third, the collaboration of civil society groups and
activists from the Philippines and other countries in their advocacy for the protection
of the West Philippine Sea, like the coral reefs, against the common “enemy” –
China. Time Magazine’s article The Environment Is The Silent Casualty
of Beijing’s Ambitions in the South China Sea disclosed:
“Most ecologically harmful is China’s construction of
artificial islands in the South China Sea, which depends on dredgers to churn
up coral reefs and smother them with sand and gravel to create land. Since
2014, China has transformed seven mostly underwater reefs into artificial
islands, including ones with runways long enough to welcome military jets. “
“’The worst issue with the island-building is that the
effect is permanent,’ says John McManus, a professor of marine biology and
ecology at the University of Miami.
“Once a portion of coral reef has been buried under tons of sand and gravel, it cannot ever recover. Imagine telling this to our grandchildren.’”
LOCAL POLITICAL STUNT
“Arroyo urged ex-president Duterte to return to
politics” (ABS-CBN News)
“Gloria Arroyo on ‘social dinner’ with Leni Robredo”
(GMA Network)
The above headlines are neither about Duterte’s “re-entry
to politics” nor the “Bicol politics”. It’s all about Gloria Arroyo – giving
human shape to the war cry “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”.
Remember, five months ago, she suffered a rare demotion in the House of Representatives. Rep. Edcel Lagman said, “She may be waiting for the right moment to strike back.”
Could this be the right moment? The optics, with
Duterte and Robredo as her heavyweight props, appear Arroyo is flexing muscles,
looking daggers, and giving a warning to everyone concerned – including to the “tambaloslos”
and his top honcho -- that she’ll be back, putting to good use the ancient
wisdom: “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Could Arroyo turn out to be a Liz Cheney? Removed from
her third-highest ranking position in the House of Representatives by her own Republican
Party for her outspoken criticism of Trump and her vote to impeach him for the
Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Cheney launched a new organization, “The
Great Task”, to educate Americans about the ongoing threat of Trump to
democracy. On top of that, she serves in the House Jan 6 Committee investigating
the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol. What is more, she appears to be a potential
U.S. presidential candidate in 2024.
Or, perhaps, instead of being like Liz Cheney, could
Arroyo be just “all bark and no bite”, like a fighter who as Clint Eastwood
said has stayed too long in the ring until one could no longer perform at his
or her best?
Imagine you are a lion. You have learned how to
befriend the enemy of your enemy to survive and thrive in the jungle. But you
also know that the jungle is constantly changing and that your enemies and
friends may not remain the same forever.
As we face an increasingly complex and interconnected
world, we should remember that befriending the enemy of our enemy is not only a
smart move but also a risky gamble. It requires careful evaluation and constant
vigilance, as well as a willingness to compromise and collaborate.
After all, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
Content put together in collaboration with Microsoft
Bing AI-powered co-pilot
Head collage photos courtesy of South China Morning
Post, Philippine Star, Inquirerdotnet, Nikkei Asia, Indo-Pacific Defense Forum,
& Facebook
Video Clips courtesy of YouTube
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