SHOULD US GIVE MORE?

 

President Duterte and Senator Lacson, got into bit of word war, because the President told the Americans, that if they want to somewhat extend the VFA, that they should pay more. Senator Lacson, told the President to read the constitution, and the Philippines are not a country of extortionist. But then the President retorted, that the payment is not of money, but of armaments.  And the question is, should the US give more to it’s ally, the Philippines?

You may have heard many times in the past, from many US Presidents in the past, and officials that the Philippines is a strategic ally, of the United States. With the title strategic ally, I think the United States should give more.

I mean, it will be their problem too, if the Philippines remained too weak. We are the chink in the armour, along the strings of allies of United States in the region. Japan is strong, South Korea is strong, Taiwan is strong, Indonesia is strong,  Australia is strong. Only the Philippines is weak in the region. And we are a strategic ally.

And the opposition might, oppose or criticize the idea of Duterte asking more payment, from the United States. Especially the main opposition party, the Liberal Party. Let me remind you, the party of the Aquino, that Ninoy Aquino himself agrees, to these idea of Duterte. He even word it rentals. Watch his statement in this documentary  NINOY: The Heart and The Soul, on 1:13-23-1:14:58 about the US bases at the time. And I will quote some part of it.

“Rather than continue the situation of this nature. May we therefore ask the United States government that they pay us rentals for these bases, so that with these rentals, we can now update the position of our Armed Forces, we can have our own missile batteries, we can have our own missile frigates,we can have our own modern weaponry. Rather than go out with our hands out...” –Ninoy Aquino

So why US should give us more. First of all there is a threat now, unlike before. Before we are only a launching pad for Vietnam. Now there is a threat of the paper dragon. And the US knows that they are really a threat. And if they will not give more to the Philippines. They will have a problem in the West Pacific. China may invade, or force the Philippines to give Pacific positions to them. At least if we are strong, China may think twice. And as an ally, US should help, because it is on their interest too.

But why Duterte is asking for more armaments? It is because we want to have the capability to stand alone. Not to ultimately defeat China, we can’t . We only want to have the capabilty to bloody the nose, so that China might think twice, of confronting us. With our present military capabilities. It can only cause a scratch, and it might be an insignificant scratch.

We want to stand alone, because US has a history of abandoning allies, along  with its western friends. Look at Poland, The Allies, promise help, but left alone to face both Germany and the Soviet Union. Lost their freedom in 1939, and gain it only after 1990. That’s a 51 year freedom lost.

Look at Great Britain, Winston Churchill pleaded with all of his heart, to then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to join him in the war against Hitler’s Germany, after the defeat of France. He did not get it until Japan attacks Pearl Harbor, and Hitler declares war on the United States. That’s almost a year of abandonment.

Philippines in World War 2, was left alone by Americans to the Japanese. Although they came back, but it destroyed Manila, and left a lot of jeeps. And it had let the Japanese to do atrocities to Filipinos.

South Korea, Syngman Rhee asked for weapons, for him to wage war in the North. They declined, and US pullout of the South. The North Koreans attacked. The Chinese got involved. And the peninsula is still divided.

South Vietnam, although they start by supporting them. They abandoned them, when things go south.

The United States has this habit abandoning allies. They are unreliable, when it comes to a shooting war. So to that former justice, who is saying that the US will come in, if there will be an incident with China and the Philippines. You are very naive, to think that. You are not a student of history.

So its only right to ask US to give more. All they have given us in the past, are obsolete helicopters, tanks with no guns. C130 scrap of weaponry, Maybe its high time to give us, newer weapons. And I believe the government is willing to pay. We all know that it’s not cheap to manufacture such weapons. But I envy Iraq, in a way. It’s a former enemy, and a conquered state yet it has possesed US weaponry that the Philippines didn’t have. And we are called a strategic ally. Is it because we don’t have oil? Why is that a former enemy have that kind of weapons, but an ally was given scraps? Why is that? Your Excellency, Mr. President Joe Biden, why is that? Why is that?

REMATCH 2024

 

The Biden administration should not really f*** themselves up, or else they have a problem coming to them. With the vote 57-43, only 7 Republicans turning on the former President. Trump was acquitted twice, after being impeached twice.

I mean, its basic. Impeachment is a political process. Democrats should have thought it through before doing this. Even President Biden, is not that optimistic about this. That it should not be a priority of the Senate. And then this happen, most Republicans still back Trump, and no matter how strong the argument is, with Democrats not having enough numbers. Trump prevailed.

And what is the implications of him winning? This story is still developing, by the time this was written, so what I am saying maybe superseded by things that will and might happen still that we dont know for the moment. The implication is that he might run again for President. Bad thing if he win, bad thing if he lose. If he win, he might f*** up America again, if he lose, he might repeat the events of January 6, 2021.

And with that stripping of memberships that happened in some clubs, that the former President have joined and everything. I think if he run, he will remember those guys. For he is a vindictive guy.

I mean, if he somewhat run, and wins. I hope the pandemic is over. He is really not good in handling the pandemic. And that withdrawals, with the Paris accords, WHO. Foreign policy he has some little points, Korean War ends in his administration. The I can bomb you reminder, policy. And somehow, he got the Arab states, and Israel, to work with each other. Because those two sides hate each other.

The wrong with Obama though, is that he is trying to ease sanctions with Iran, for them not to pursue, nuclear weapons, talking to them and European allies, even China and Russia, but not talking to important side in the region. Israel. Now with Biden elected, they are trying to resume talks with Iran. But this time, they should talk with Israel, cause it’s a ticking time bomb, in that region, with Israel being paranoid and nervous. It may even go nuclear, God forbid.

And locally speaking, the policy of America with Biden for the Philippines, and China is still blurry at the moment. Obama has this don’t care policy. Trump is tough on China. Biden I don’t really know, which is why it’s scary. And to the fate of Duterte, I hope they don’t intervene in our affairs. And also don’t provoke confrontations within this region, in which the Philippines, might be put in the middle of.

Biden still has to prove himself. He has to address the CoVid problem correctly, and I hope he doesn’t go wrong in foreign policy. I hope for the success of these administration. A second Trump, and a possible renewed two terms, I don’t like. Reversal of policies again, that are bad for the world. And because of that, allies might lose trust completely. And with that, China will fill the void, and I don’t want China being in the leadership position of the world. It will not be good. I mean, if I am an American, I might vote Republican, but not Trump. If Trump runs again, please re-elect Biden. That’s all I can say for now.

ATTACK ON DEMOCRACY

 

Bill Maher, a comedian with a political talk-show, semi-satire, Real Time with Bill Maher, had been saying for years, that if Trump loses the election, he will not leave.

 

It was reiterated by nonetheless, Michael Cohen, who is the personal lawyer of the President, and I quote: I fear that if he loses the election in 2020, that there will never be a peaceful transition of power.

Spoiler Alert: Trump did lose the election, and Mr. Bill Maher was wrong. He will leave office by himself or by force. And Mr Cohen’s fear was realized partially, because it still developing, that there will never be a peaceful transition of power.

On January 6, 2021. The President incited his supporters to march on the US Capitol, in order to somehow overturn his defeat at the 2020 election, as the House of Congress and Senate, is to certify the vote and the winners of the US Presidential Election. The rioters broke windows, ransacked the offices, and loot some properties. Four people died because of that. I must say that the move is unnecessary and a practice in idiocy.

The President could have just go down in history, as a President that has lost against Joe Biden. But because of this, his name will have notoriety forever. Both allies, and adversaries, condemned the President for his actions. All living former Presidents condemn what he has done. And has damage US prestige and reputation forever.

I can only think of two incidents that came close, to this event in history. One was EDSA 3, where Estrada supporters, marched to Malacanang at the instigation, of opposition senators then, especially Mr. Juan Ponce Enrile, in trying to overthrow the sitting President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. They didn’t breached Malacanang, but they came very close to doing so. And its very chaotic that day. But you have to understand, that at the time, PGMA, was not an elected President. She got the Presidency, by a coup, and Estrada supporters counter-coup, but failed.

The other one, was in China. It was what they called, the Cultural Revolution. Which was nothing cultural, but only a revolution. Because of the failures of the Great Leap Forward by Chairman Mao, he was set aside by his colleagues, and remove him  from power. But they did nothing else. So Mao incited the youth, and launch the cultural revolution. That in turn, put him back on power, and his enemies perish. So what happened in the US Capitol, was not very American.

And one thing I want to point out. Hitler, ran for a presidential election too, in his time, and he lost to Hindenburg. Hitler was already judge by history, as a madman. But did he rally the Nazi’s to attack the Reichstag, in order to overturn the election results? History doesn’t have such records. Although he did burn it, when he got the power, which was the beginning of the slippery slope for Germany, that ended in 1945.

Because of what happen, many  Democrats, and also Republicans, called for the 25^th Amendment, especially, Section 4, wherein the cabinet will convene, and strip the President of all his powers, and kick him out of office. But the Vice President Mike Pence, although has accepted the result, was not willing to invoke it. So the Senators moved to impeached the President .

Although I understand the fears of the Senators, of both parties, with the President being still in power. Time is against them. By the time I am writing this, he has only 8 days left. And both 25^th Amendment, and Impeachment are time consuming. And as the President elect said, it will hamper, his legislative agendas, because the Senate, will be busy impeaching, a non President. Why not let him get out of office, and file cases against him, when he is citizen Trump. At that time he has no immunity whatsoever, that will protect him.

This has forever damage the prestige, and reputation of the United States, From a leader of democracy, to becoming a part of the club, wherein someone don't like election results, they will cause chaos. And as I said, that’s not very US-ish. Losing candidates, generally accept results of elections. Even if they dont', I don’t know if there is one, they don’t go to such lengths, that they will incite supporters to attack the counting. Only Trump did this, he’s really one of a kind, but an infamous one of a kind. As I rephrase, Franklin Delano Roosevelt quote: January 6 2021, a date which will live in infamy.

And I would like to quote, Senator Mitt Romney as a closing remarks for this article

 

No congressional audit, is ever gonna convinced these voters, particularly when the President continue to saying that the election was stolen. The best way we could show respect for the voters who are upset, is by telling them the truth! That’s the burden, thats the duty of leadership, the truth is that President Elect Biden won the election. President Trump lost.I have that experience myself, its no fun! Scores of courts, the President’s own attorney general, state election officials, both Republican and Democrat have reached that unequivocal decision.

And I appeal to Mr. Trump, even though I am no American, but because the world is leaning, and relying to America’s leadership. Please kindly step down now, and do no more chaos.

JOE AMERICA

 

I’m calling him Joe America, because he sometime in the past, once called his former boss, on a campaign, Barack America. It has been a subject of jokes of some comedians such as Robin Williams etc.

But kidding aside. Come January, whether Trump like it or not, he will have to step down, and swore into power, the new President of the United States of America, the President Elect, Joe R. Biden. Him winning the elections, was one of the better news, along a stream of bad news this 2020.

I may not agree, of some of Democrat’s policy. But with Trump In office, and his handling of things, especially COVID-19, any Democrat will do, that can replace him. And as Joe Biden, rose as the candidate of the Democratic Party, it’s a good thing, that despite differences is principle within the party, they all come together behind Joe Biden, unlike what happen when Hilary Clinton ran for president.

All I am saying is, Joe Biden is the common sense candidate to be voted, against Trump. Especially with the mishandling of COVID 19 in the United States. With it being still the number 1 country with most cases in the whole world. A common sense, in the presidency, must be put in place, and that is Joe Biden, more than Trump. A leader, that should encourage wearing mask, and not discourage them. And a leader that encourage social distancing, rather than encouraging mass gathering. And again, that is Joe more than Trump.

I can only speak of COVID 19 for Joe Biden, because of the failure of Trump Administrations to tackle the crisis. Even if consecutive administrations before him, put a measure in place, to tackle such crisis, yet cases and deaths skyrocketed. Cause lets face it, many countries in the world are have a declined in number of cases, and deaths cause by COVID. Some have already declared the defeat of COVID 19 in their countries, even China has a lower number of cases now, which where the contagion started. But if the US, will not tackle COVID with seriousness right now, these pandemic, will be prolonged than expected. And don’t put all your hopes, on the vaccines, despite news that it has 95% effective. It will take years, to distribute to all the world, doses of it. And not being so negative, it might still failed as a vaccine. All we need to do is to stop the spread, by following  health protocols. And America is spreading it a lot, in their own country. And if they open up, they might spread again to the world, starting an endless cycle. That’s why I am glad, that Joe Biden won the elections. Even though I am not an American.

But what would be the implications, to my home country, the Philippines. Will it affect the stability of the Duterte Administration? Knowing that his former boss, Barack Obama, is the President of the US, that our President’s hates the most. Will it also had an effect, to the candidacy of the now Vice President Leni Robredo, just like him? I hope not.  We may never know. We hope a cooperation, and not so much intervention from the incoming administration. And we hope, that the Philppines start being treated as an equal and sovereign country, and not as a vassal, or a satellite state. Hoping for good transition, and better run as the new President of the United States. Good luck, and God Bless.