Without U.S. who will stand against china? In a region where every missile launch makes headlines and alliances define stability, a quiet but powerful shift is underway. The United States is considering a partial military withdrawal of around 4,500 troops from South Korea—out of the 28,500 currently stationed there. At first glance, it seems like…
Pagasa Island—aptly named “hope” in Filipino—is a mere 37 hectares in size, yet it carries immense symbolic and strategic weight for the Philippines. Situated in the disputed South China Sea, it hosts a tiny civilian community of around 300 residents who live in modest wooden homes, fish the greenish blue waters, and grow vegetables in…
Imagine a place of stunning beauty — islands surrounded by bright turquoise waters, home to colorful coral reefs and peaceful beaches. Now picture that same place at the center of a dangerous global conflict. That’s what’s happening in the South China Sea, where geography meets geopolitics in a very tense way. This sea is one…
The Philippine Air Force’s Interest in the F-16 Viper For decades, the Philippine Air Force has defended its skies with legacy aircraft—outdated platforms in a region rapidly modernizing its aerial arsenals. But now, a game-changer is on the horizon. The F-16 Viper—America’s legendary multirole fighter jet—is being offered to the Philippines. Is this the long-awaited…
In a political twist that reads like the plot of a dystopian thriller, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte—currently detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for alleged crimes against humanity—has just won the mayoralty of Davao City in a landslide. The question now reverberating through legal halls and political circles alike is…
“The next major war won’t be fought on the beaches of Normandy—it will be waged on scattered Pacific islands, in cyber domains, and across invisible satellite grids. And the U.S. Marine Corps knows it. That’s why it’s gutting its old identity and rebuilding itself for a future fight—one likely to involve China. In the shadow…
From the skies over Ukraine to the waters of the Taiwan Strait, modern conflict is increasingly defined not just by troops or missiles, but by intelligence—real-time, high-resolution, and relentless. Across the world’s flashpoints, spy planes and surveillance drones have become the silent sentinels of power, shaping outcomes before a single shot is fired. From the…
As fighter jets scream across contested skies and warships jostle for dominance in the Indo-Pacific, one nation faces a defining question: Can the Philippines afford to be left behind? With the region on edge and great powers playing hardball, the Philippines finds itself under pressure, not just diplomatically, but militarily. Its aging air fleet, more…
In today’s increasingly contested maritime environment, naval power is no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially for an archipelagic nation like the Philippines. With over 7,000 islands to defend and vast waters within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) under growing scrutiny, the country is intensifying efforts to modernize its naval capabilities. Recent developments, including…
Luzon’s skies have turned into a battleground, and it’s not just for show. This is a power move with consequences that stretch far beyond the Philippines. Dozens of U.S. helicopters, including Black Hawks slicing low over rice fields and Chinooks thundering across mountainous terrain, have descended in a coordinated show of force that’s anything but…
