FIRST, it was Uganda's Idi Amin and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Burma's Hun Sen and Iraq's Saddam Hussein. Before them, we knew of Adolf Hitler's brutal tactics and transgressions of human rights.
Their cruelty defied reason and the world was at their mercy then.
Fast forward to 2020. Russia and China are now the notorious aggressors. Their leaders Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping dance to unorthodox, means of getting what they wanted. Russia wants to invade Ukraine, a former member of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics and eventually annex it and China, ceaselessly annoying Taiwan after forcing its hand on Hong Kong and own Taiwan as part of its majestic yet oppressive territory. Both these nations do not entirely believe in diplomacy but in the maxim Might is Right. Both Russia and China do not subscribe to gentlemen's pact, summits or conventions. To them, they feel victorious in asserting their military supremacy and no amount of foreign intervention can stop them.
And what could the civilized world do? The United States, our big brother, has always mediated in our behalf but can it muster enough military strength to nip in the bud the devious plans of these two bullies? And for this matter, will NATO or North Atlantic Treaty Organization members UK, Germany, France and others, along with the US, adequately defend against the aggression of these two bullies? Or is it because no nation is strong enough to oppose such bullying?
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Of late, Philippine Star columnist Boo Chanco posited that China or its CCP took advantage of the Philippines where the first reported infectee was a Wuhanese tourist.
Of course, it is well-known that Chinese vessels have repeatedly driven away Filipino fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds thereby depriving them of their precious livelihood.
China also continues to grab properties in the West Philippine Sea (or South China Sea to the invading Chinese) in defiance of international conventions.
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Russia also continues on its bullying acts on its former member states. After annexing Crimea, it turns its sights on Ukraine and probably Belarus next. Its leader, like that of China, has devious reasons to conquer never mind the consequences or immense cost to lives and properties! Ayyay...