Iraq Isn't the Philippines

[pinoyme]

Hi:

Greetings from the Philippines.
And my apologies to the Mod for trying to send a reply through the report command.

Yes, the Philippines is not Iraq.

But some lessons can be learned from the US victory in the Philippine-American War. I am a Filipino and hence, I will never call this an insurrection.

One factor causing the US victory was because Americans successfully won over much of the middle class at that time, who were then called the Ilustrados or "Enlightened Ones", because they were privileged enough to have been educated all the way to college--many even in Europe.

There were many other factors, of course. But space constraints confine me to this comment for now.

Incidentally, the Philippine revolutionary army was not that all poorly armed. It had a sizeable stock of Mausers--state of the art then and much better than the Krag. This German model served as the model for the Springfield '03.

As they say in my country, Mabuhay, which in Spanish means "Viva"

[Jedburgh]

Parameters, Spring '05: Lessons from a Successful Counterinsurgency: The Philippines, 1899-1902

...No diplomat, soldier, or pundit can know with total accuracy which
tactics, techniques, and procedures will succeed in quelling a given insurrection. What is clear is that the odds of success decrease the further one strays from the basic, oft-tested principles of counterinsurgency: separate the population from the insurgents, give them more reasons to support the counterinsurgents, and deny the insurgents safe haven or support from any quarter. Having empirically shown these lessons in the Philippines, one might add another: empower leaders with the freedom to experiment with tactics, techniques, and procedures that achieve the mission while adapting to local conditions. It was the initiative by soldiers at different levels that derived the principles and techniques that won America’s first victory in quelling an overseas insurrection....

Military Review, May-Jun '05: Pacifying the Moros: American Military Government in the Southern Philippines, 1899-1913

...Understanding past U.S. actions in the southern Philippines is important because of the region’s status as a front in the current war on terrorism. The terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf has its refuge there, and U.S. Special Forces advisers have helped the Philippines Armed Forces operate against the group. In fact, in early 2002, a joint U.S.-Philippine action on Basilan drove the Abu Sayyaf from the island, but the group remains active...

[pinoyme]

Hello:

Maybe so, as Mr. Jedburgh quotes two respected military journals.

But the Fil-American War could have lasted longer if much of the middle class then did not go over to the American side. This the Americans did by promising this class a chance to participate in the governing of the Philippines.

The Americans also promised universal education, which they in good part fulfilled through establishment of a public school system. Spanish friars, BTW, considered educated Filipinos as threats to the established order, and caused the political persecution of many of them. This included the family of Jose Rizal, the country's national hero whose two novels and whose execution sparked the revolution against Spain.

During the Spanish period, the highest Filipinos could go in running local affairs was forming part of the Comite de Festejos during the annual town fiesta. This was always made up of the town's leading citizens.

Once more Filipinos prospered during the late 19th century and were able to get educated--many in Europe--such an arrangement became intolerable.

Fast forward now to the early to mid-1980s. Without the sympathy of a significant number of the middle class--the Maoist New People's Army--which then posed as freedom fighters against the Marcos dictatorship--could not have gone that far.

It is an open secret that a significant number of doctors and other health professionals at that time formed part of the NPA's medical corps. Lawyers helped defend captured Communists. Engineers also contributed technical skills.

Meanwhile, Filipinos with professional skills in journalism, advertising, and PR also helped the NPA propaganda effort. After 1986, however, such support dwindled.

[Steve Blair]

I just wanted to thank pinoyme for bringing a local perspective to the discussion of the Philippines. If memory serves, winning the middle class (or at least trying to when one was present) was also important in many of the Marine Corps efforts in Central America in the 1920s.

[SWJED]

I just wanted to thank pinoyme for bringing a local perspective to the discussion of the Philippines. If memory serves, winning the middle class (or at least trying to when one was present) was also important in many of the Marine Corps efforts in Central America in the 1920s.

Same - Same in thanking pinoyme...