Ballooning

China over U.S. airspace. Recovered remnants of that balloon have been sent to an FBI laboratory for examination.

Washington has not released technical details to date.

On Feb. 10, U.S. jets downed another “cylindrical” flying object off the coast of Alaska.

Here, too, we are not told how much of the downed object was recovered from the frozen sea.

All that has been shared is the observation that the downed object did not seem to have any system of propulsion or control.

The flying object has not been attributed to China.

A day later, Feb. 11, another U.S. jet shot down a “highaltitude airborne object” over Canada’s Yukon province, close to the border with Alaska. Apart from describing it as a hexagonal object, little has been made publicly known.

On Feb. 12, yet another strange flying object was tracked from over Montana and shot down over Lake Huron.

Still, we are not told about the nature of the object nor its origin. Washington says the object was shot down because it posed a threat to commercial aircraft.

With very little detail disclosed, it is assumed that the three later objects were also balloons or something akin to it. Inasmuch as Washington had not officially attributed the three latter objects to China, Beijing has not issued any statement about them. The mystery deepens.

A debate has erupted in Washington over whether the flying objects shot down while wafting over North America were actually engaged in surveillance. We know next to nothing about the larger framework within which these strange flying objects was launched.

These balloons and whatever equipment they carry are rather costly things. They are not being sent up for the pleasure of watching a balloon waft in the air, carried by atmospheric currents with apparently very little ground control over their precise flight paths. In addition to the very real ratification in July of that same year. The agreement was very timely as it paved the way for the conduct of disaster relief assistance by the Australian Defense Force when Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the Philippines in November 2013.

President BBM’s recent visit to Tokyo is also expected to boost economic as well as security ties between the Philippines and Japan. No less than the President underscored this when he said prior to his departure that the bilateral visit is essential as it is “part of a larger foreign policy agenda to forge closer political ties, stronger defense and security cooperation” in addition to “lasting economic partnerships with major countries in the region amid a challenging global environment.”

In a recent brief written by our friend Gregory Poling with Andreyka Natalegawa and Danielle Fallin titled, “Building a U.S.-Japan-Philippines Triad” published at the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ online site, the authors underscored Japan’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific, and hazard these balloons pose to commercial aircraft, they have been flown over another country’s airspace without prior notice. That is a clear national security concern. We are now told that unidentified balloons have been detected flying across U.S. airspace the past years, although nothing was done about these previous flying objects.

One analyst surmised that China could be testing highaltitude or “near space” craft as part of its futuristic weapons development program. When enough has been known about wind currents and weather corridors, these devices could be fitted with warheads.

Defense officials have enough reasons to be worried. Over the past months, North Korea has been testing missiles like mad. A few weeks ago, Pyongyang paraded intercontinental ballistics missiles that could theoretically reach the U.S. heartland.

It is not just North American airspace that have been violated by these strange flying objects. A large balloon similar to that one shot down off the coast of South Carolina was reported in the vicinity of Colombia. These why Tokyo and Washington should collaborate more closely in “engaging with other alliance partners, including the Philippines. Japan is uniquely suited to this role given its extensive and long-standing security partnership with the Philippines, creating a robust level of security cooperation between Tokyo and Manila.”

In fact, having security alliances that show we are part of a coalition of likeminded countries can serve as a deterrent and can promote peace in the Indo-Pacific region.

As usual, pseudo-nationalists are looking at it from a negative perspective, saying we may be sucked into the maelstrom if a conflict between the U.S. and China breaks out. In the first place, if there is a conflict in the region over Taiwan for example, the Philippines would not be able to remain a fence sitter for long because of its very strategic location as well as its proximity to Taiwan. We would feel the impact and would be involved in one way or another. In this global world, there is no such thing as an “island nation.” devices apparently have the ability to circumnavigate the globe and stay aloft for long periods.

The downing of the first balloon was, no doubt, a huge embarrassment for the Chinese leadership. It marked the first strong response to whatever “near space” strategy China might be brewing. Beijing is probably scrambling for a viable explanation for the other objects shot down the past few days.

The balloon-related incidents reinstates Beijing as the true strategic rival to the U.S.. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine merely exposed its muchballyhooed army as obsolete, badly trained and ill-equipped.

It is an army that belongs to the past century, now forced to recruit convicts to man the frontlines or die in large numbers trying to achieve badly thought-out military objectives.

The Russian army is now hobbled by the fact that its most sophisticated weaponry has been shown to rely on parts made in other countries.

Russian technicians are now reported to be cannibalizing refrigerators for chips to be

Fortunately, we have enlightened senators like Win Gatchalian, Chiz Escudero and Francis Tolentino who clearly see the significance of the EDCA expansion and the resumption of joint maritime patrols as good for the country. Even Senate President Migz Zubiri and many key legislators that include Congressman Rufus Rodriguez see the importance of our alliance with the United States. Some may have an axe to grind against the U.S. but they know very well this latest development is a positive step for our country’s security. And more importantly, this decision by President Marcos is appreciated and supported by 90 percent of Filipinos not only here but in many parts of the world, who continue to look at the United States as our most trusted ally and partner. (Philstar.com) * * *

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff. * * * babeseyeview@gmail.com used in assembling missiles. By contrast, China now appears to be gearing up its military for highly technological warfare. It appears to be devising strategies only poorly understood by the U.S. and its allies.

After the first balloon was downed by a missile, China might have gotten away with the explanation that this was a meteorological instrument that somehow flew off course. After the three subsequent shootdowns, the original Chinese explanation can no longer hold. Beijing better come up with a more viable explanation for why these “lost” flying devices seem to be crossing into the North American airspace in a wave.

Beijing does not have to explain anything until the remnants of downed flying objects reveal them to be of Chinese origin. Depending on the quality of the debris recovered, this could happen in a few days. (Philstar.com) * * * The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA

— The risk of contracting coronavirus in the National Capital Region (NCR) is now at “low” level as the OCTA Research group noted a positivity rate of only 1.6 percent from Feb. 9 to Feb. 11.

MANILA – President

Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Monday, February 13 that he supports Ukraine’s effort to reach a “peaceful resolution" to its ongoing conflict with Russia.

“I had the pleasure of talking to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday (Monday),” Marcos said on his official Twitter account on Tuesday morning after the Ukrainian leader tweeted about it the previous day.

He also expressed admiration for the nationalism shown by Ukrainians.

“I told him that we in the Philippines are watching with admiration, the bravery and the nationalism that has been displayed by the Ukrainians during this crisis and that we join in his effort to reach a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict

Nationwide, OCTA also reported a COVID-19 positivity rate of only 1.6 percent on Saturday, February 11. This was recorded after the Department of Health reported 174 new cases and 9,282 active cases. The NCR still has the most number of COVID-19 cases at 59 as of Saturday, followed by Rizal