07 May 2014

It's Ironic, Militants Tells US Leave PHL Alone

US Deal With PHL
Fact: The United States is taking its role as the world’s primary military superpower seriously that they sometimes find themselves meddling in each country’s political and economic processes.

When US President Barrack Obama visited the Philippines to formalize the 10-year agreement that will give American warships, planes and troops greater access to bases in the archipelago, his brief stay was met a very small number of militant protests.

Under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which militant groups are against, Manila grants American troops temporary access to some Philippine military camps and would permit them to preposition fighter jets and vessels.

The protest action might have been ironic if it weren’t so stupid. After all, the perception of the world in general is that the US is the only major force that prompted China from bullying the entire Asia Pacific into accepting its self-serving redefinition of national boundary.

A rebuttal is in order. Fact: The United States is taking its role as the world’s primary military superpower seriously that they sometimes find themselves meddling in each country’s political and economic processes.

It was solid military work with much more acceptable price to the country that prevents the total Chinese domination in the region. The proof of the US military’s success is the fact that the Chinese military have not yet been able to dislodge the pathetic 8-man Philippine contingent stationed at a rusting and old sunken ship that stood as a garrison on Second Thomas shoal. A direct aggression will definitely have a serious repercussion from United States.

For the air-wasting militants to protest loudly against the Americans and take a quiet and meek role towards China is not just unforgivable, but smacks of a ploy to deflect attention from the fact that China has done precious little in helping the country solve its economic and monetary woes. The medieval-thinking militants has not even questioned publicly in the international community the Chinese blatant denial of supply to men stationed on Second Thomas shoal which is 105 nautical miles from Palawan and 1,000 miles from China's Hainan .

The United States did well to stand firm on their commitment to help the Philippines defend its national territory. It is unfortunate that the act of a few radicals is being used by some to score political points with China. It is especially unfortunate when militants use this internal debate to reduce the trust between the two long-time allies that share common history. Fortunately, anti-Chinese thinkers far outnumber the anti-US supporters.