A war is raging in the Middle East but countries in other parts of the globe are silent. There are many reasons for that silence, one of which is that the war is being waged mainly using missiles and bombs, drones and occasional warplanes and the attacks have been limited to Iran and Israel. We are just fortunate that Iran has not developed a nuclear bomb yet or Armageddon would have been a major concern. Especially now that the United States is helping Israel wage the war against the Islamic State.
We talked online with our brother who is based in Spain and it looks like Europeans are not that concerned, probably because the war in Ukraine has been more of a problem for them than a war that is raging far away. Still, I am worried about the Middle East conflict drawing in the world’s nuclear powers. We all know what will happen if World War 3 erupts.
The immediate impact on the Philippines of the said war is on the price of oil. It’s not only that some of the oil sources have been affected but also that the transport of oil worldwide would become expensive. Besides, some Filipinos, including overseas Filipino workers, are in Iran, Israel and neighboring countries. I think that oil sourcing and the welfare of overseas Filipinos are now the concerns of the government of President Bongbong Marcos.
What makes recent developments problematic for Iran is that many Middle Eastern and African nations are silent probably because they too are protecting their own interests. The Houthis in Yemen are the only ones that have come out so far in support of Iran and they have caught the attention of US President Donald Trump. We are still awaiting the stances of such powers as China and Russia.
My wish, of course, is for the war to remain limited. Iran’s government was widely known to be the “head of the snake” and accused of funding and arming terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah that were targeting Israel and, to a certain extent, the US. Israel should, therefore, not go beyond its existential concerns. This should not be the reason for World War 3 to break out.
Of course, the Philippines is far from the “theater of war” but we also know the extent of the Filipino version of the diaspora. In many countries of the world there are Filipinos and any disruption in the current world order would affect them. We have been blessed with the advancement of technology especially in communication, things that are important for a group of people that are dispersed throughout the globe. We are glad that, in this sense, the war has not been disruptive.
Filipinos should therefore pray for the end of the war. Let us all pray for a return to a peaceful coexistence or to, should I say, a rules-based world order. Some of Iran’s clerics seem to have hardened their stance because of the war. Still, we hope that they will change their stance. As for the oppressed people of Iran, it is time for them to have a say on what is happening to their country. Because in the end, it is the people who have the right to map out their destiny.