As the Thai military repeatedly attack and seize Cambodian territory, they repeatedly demonstrate that their ultimate objective is not peace with security, but rather peace with control over sovereign Cambodian soil.
This is not a war over the safety and security of the Thai people; it is a war over the seizure of territory that the international community and international courts have unambiguously recognised as Cambodian sovereign territory.
The Thai military are pursuing these objectives to advance their own internal national political agendas as much as their foreign policy goals. Because the Thai military is pursuing these objectives using US military assets, it is incumbent upon the US to increase its pressure on Thailand to cease its unlawful war.
As the strongest country in the world, only the US can stop this aggression. Cambodia trusts in the steady, strong and decisive leadership of the Trump administration to act before this border conflict becomes a full-fledged war.
Youk Chhang is director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). The views and opinions expressed are his own.
