When the Cold War ended, the Philippine Islands replaced Berlin. They are now the nexus of world conflict. They have the largest Muslim nation in the world to their south, pirates nipping at their flanks and enemies across the South China Sea. In addition, Filipinos are weakened by a myriad of choppy foreign personalities that have adopted Manila as home.Lately, while native Filipinos have striven to keep their equilibrium, China has been aggressively moving to take advantage. The United States Navy has been deployed to redress that balance. Is it too late?In this land of beautiful people, sensual culture and quicksilver alliances, is another layer of bones about to deposited in the Philippine rain forest?