FORMER Peace Corps volunteer Jim Peters, the one mentioned in your April 28, 2025 issue, was my history teacher at Marianas High School in 1970. He taught that subject during third period (10 a.m.) on the first-floor classroom, second from left facing the building, of Building B. I remember him vividly because of my mistake in marking as “true” in a true or false answer finals second quarter test that “General Toy Ota” and (I believe) “Admiral Dat Sun” were the high command officers of the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy during World War II. He found my mistake unbelievable that I would fall for what obviously was a false answer— I did not study for the finals (I never did) and I had no reason to think that he would come up with something that silly. So, he, knowing my potential, challenged me for the next quarter that if I did not make an “A” grade that I would treat him to a dinner, and that if I did make it that he would treat me that dinner. I did make that grade (you know he could have cheated) and offered me that dinner at the Royal Taga Hotel. I turned down the dinner because I appreciated that what he did was only for my own good. Good deeds are never forgotten.
On another subject — Russian-Ukraine War. The Russian Federation’s economy is on the brink of collapse, its currency, the ruble, is depreciating rapidly against the dollar, and its army is no longer the ten-foot soldier we used to think of it — the soldiers in the frontline in Ukraine are starving, sick mostly of tuberculous, and have not been paid in a long time (donkeys have been recruited as supply transports to the frontline, and because of lack of armored vehicles scooters are now being deployed). Its Navy is really pathetic, it no longer has a functioning Black Sea fleet, cut down by a no-navy Ukraine (it has only one aircraft carrier that is not seaworthy and towed by a tow trawler when going to sea). President Donald Trump, give Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy the arms he needs, unconditionally, and you will see a ceasefire proposed by Russia sooner than the approach you are now pursuing.
On another front, the U.S. is pivoting to and ramping up its military presence in the Indo-Pacific region in preparation of possible kinetic war in 2027 with China. The Chinese Communist Party dear leader Xi Jinping has already ordered the People’s Liberation Army to prepare for forced retaking of its rogue Taiwan province as early as 2027 — ever since, the PLA has been conducting invasion drills around Taiwan. In a recent testimony before the U.S. Congress, top military brass on the Indo-Pacific region told that the PLA are no longer conducting military invasion drills but that they are “rehearsals” for Taiwan invasion. Already, the U.S. military has been clearing up and repaving the World War II North Field runways on Tinian which is said to be ready for use by 2027 — curiously the abandoned radar on Ogso Pudos Kalahe in Kalabera has also been cleared maybe to be repaired or replaced of what seems to be connected with what is going on in Tinian and Guam. Maybe it is now time also for our Commonwealth government to prepare for some kind of civil defense for the civilian population when that dreadful day comes — there is no knowing if China has us in its medium range ballistic missile crosshairs. Hafa mohon Governor Palacios?
Sincerely,
JOHN S. PANGELINAN
Kagman I, Saipan
