The US role in the Philippines (catch all)

[sgmgrumpy]

Are US Special Forces engaged in an ‘offensive war’ in the Philippines?

Focus on the Global South is a non-profit policy analysis,research and campaigning organisation, working in national, regional and international coalitions and campaigns, and with social movements and grassroots organisations on key issues confronting the global south. Focus was founded in 1995 and is attached to the Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute (CUSRI) in Bangkok, Thailand. It has programs in the Philippines and India.

Since January 2002, US Special Operations Forces (SOFs) have been stationed in the southern Philippines and have not left since then.

[max161]

Global South has been conducting an excellent disinformation campaign. Very sophisticated. Herbert Docena is currently fixated on making allegations we are attemptong to re-establish bases in the Philippines. He does an excellent job of data mining from the internet and then selectively piecing together out of context quotes, facts, and documents (inlcuding my own!) to make his arguments that the US is doing something wrong in the Philippines. The fact remains the US is supporting an ally in its fight against terrorism. The US respects Philippine sovereignty has been very transparent in its actions in Mindanao despite what Global South and Herbert Docena allege. I would love to see the press analyze what Global South is doing and take a good look at their methods and motivations (other than what is stated on their web site).

V/R

Dave

[Ken White]

anyone with any experience but it'll fool many. Too many, unfortunately.

Slick presentation, too; takes big bucks to get a pub like that on the street. They're probably providing it free to University libraries worldwide...

[RTK]

Global South has been conducting an excellent disinformation campaign. Very sophisticated. Herbert Docena is currently fixated on making allegations we are attemptong to re-establish bases in the Philippines. He does an excellent job of data mining from the internet and then selectively piecing together out of context quotes, facts, and documents (inlcuding my own!) to make his arguments that the US is doing something wrong in the Philippines. The fact remains the US is supporting an ally in its fight against terrorism. The US respects Philippine sovereignty has been very transparent in its actions in Mindanao despite what Global South and Herbert Docena allege. I would love to see the press analyze what Global South is doing and take a good look at their methods and motivations (other than what is stated on their web site).

V/R

Dave

Sir,

Have either one of them every tried to talk to you personally?

[max161]

Sir,

Have either one of them every tried to talk to you personally?

Interesting that you should ask that. The answer is no, not that I know of. Our PAO has never been approached while I have been here in the last year. But I say that is interesting because today I had a conversation with a Philippine Army Public Information Officer who happens to be a university classmate of Herbert Docena. We were discussing his allegations on US bases and she told me that she challenged him on this very idea and asked he has never asked to interview me or Philippine military officials. Of course he is writing reports (and an occasional letter to the editor) and he does his research through data mining on the internet and as I mentioned by talking quotes and facts out of context. I do not think he cares about talking to anyone who might not give him something to confirm his preconceived notions. But it will be interesting to see if he takes up the PIO's challenge to him.

V/R

Dave

[pinoyme]

Hi:

As of this posting, I admit to be firing from the hip.

I am pressed for time, but I simply have to comment regarding the bases.

Return of the US bases is a non-issue here in the Philippines. And to tell you frankly, anecdotal evidence suggests most Filipinos are happy with the American presence in Mindanao.

A caveat though. What did the US bases in was the fact that American policymakers until now appear not to understand the dynamics of Philippine nationalism.

My suggestion: study this first.


Cheers.

[CalmSeas]

The dynamics of Filipino Nationalism begin & end with $$$. Fact: The Philippine Senate was asking for $1.2 billion as rent for the U.S. bases annually (a huge mark up from the then, $800+ million) even though the U.S. was ready to give up ALL other bases/facilities here & just settle on Subic. Nationalism was the furtherest thing from their minds. It is only an after thought espoused by kids barely old enough to remember the bases being here & the $$$millions$$$ that were infused into the local economy because of it. I observed it going to college here & was quite amused. They complain about everything U.S., but their deepest desire is to immigrate to America. Go figure...

IMHO the best move the U.S. did was to leave the Philippines. This took away the "Kasi (because of you)" excuse making syndrome from Filipinos, at least as far as the U.S. was concerned. Sadly, the current "Stumble in the Jungle" is giving these loudmouths ammunition to once again blame the USofA for their ineptitude in becoming a successful country.

As for the bases on-going drama...I see it as piss-poor journalism. These Clowns are too lazy to do any real reporting, so they keep re-inventing the Boogey Man.

Fact: The GenSan base theory was an approved USAID project PRIOR to the closure of the bases for something like $144million, which was later reduced significantly after the termination of the lease on bases...period. This story keeps getting whipped around ad naseum.

General rule here: "Believe nothing you hear & only half (still verify that) of what you see."

The U.S. has no plans to even try to re-establish bases here according to offical statements...now, training areas is another subject & would be in-line with the Mutual Defense Treaty & VFA.

[pinoyme]

Calm Seas:

I trust you are an American. Hence, I shall accept the fact that at times, you tend to be too forward in your speech.

The dynamics of Philippine nationalism begins with the opening of the Suez Canal, when inhabitants of the Spanish colony began to identify themselves as Fillipinos.

The US came in at the close of the 19th century--at a time when the first nationalist revolution in Asia and the last of the Hispanic revolutions was taking place in the Philippines.

That explains the love-hate relationship between the Philippines and the US.

Yes, the Philippines asked for US $1.2 billion. That's true.

But the US negotiators' handling of the bases issue showed how insensitive they were. And that's why a lot of Filipino senators remembered how the US backed the Marcos dictatorship until the end.

And that's why also , the anti-bases vote got through.

Moreover, a case can be made, the Philippines really did the US a big favor.

It was the end of the cold war, remember. Amercian bean counters would have started to view Subic and Clark as costly white elephants in need of major downsizing--at the very least.

That may have been financially rational. But for the US to have said it was getting out of the Philippines for reasons of money would have been a big political disaster for it.

I suggest that Americans by and large learn to be more sensitive to the aspirations of possible allies. Failure to do so would lead to disasters in the Long War.

Having said that, I am happy that Filipino-American relations are on the mend anew.