Fear of the Unknown or is it Fear of the Precedents?

Fear of the Unknown or is it Fear of the Precedents?

By Erick San Juan

Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said he remained wary of other items in the agenda that could be concealed from the public about the 2009 Balikatan exercises which will be staged in the Bicol 'rebel infested’ areas on April, despite the props that the so called military exercises will reportedly focus more on engineering works and medical mission mainly in the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon (PDI, Jan.16, 2009).

Escudero cautioned the government to make sure that the RP-US military exercises will not be for our disadvantage. He wants to make sure that such exercises will not antagonize and stir indifference from various sectors.

The good senator is worried that the military exercises could be used to allow US forces to interfere with the Philippine government's war against the insurgents in that region. The communist's rebels recent statement that they will increase their tactical offensives against the Balikatan could be construed as a signal for intervention.

The thinkers within the rebel group should learn from what's happening in Gaza and review the history of fighting and conflicts. Although there are victors and losers, but most of the time, it's a mutually assured destruction, one way or another. Some are witting and unwitting tool, others are agent provocateur, thus, justifying a bloody confrontation.

"Experts" in low intensity conflicts have assets from both side of the fence. Thus, a proxy war could ensue.

As, I wrote in my last blog article this month regarding Balikatan exercises, I would like to remind you again of the old saying, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts!"

Zohan, the movie was right after all that people never realized that they were duped to fight each other and the ruling elites tolerate it to divide and rule.

By the way, why are the Zionists quiet when they are attacked by the same Jews like the movies produced, directed and starred by Jews like BORAT and ZOHAN?

Just asking?

What to Expect from Obama's Presidency by Erick San Juan

--- On Tue, 1/13/09, George Reyes wrote:
From: George Reyes
Date: Tuesday, 13 January, 2009, 9:47 AM

Sir/Madam

In connection with the inauguration of US President Barack Obama on Jan. 20, may we request a reaction/statement from your office so we can include it in our special report to be published in our newspaper -- Pinoy Today -- which is being distributed to our kababayans in California.

We will greatly appreciate if the materials can be sent before Thursday..

Maraming salamat po.

GEORGE REYES

Editor in chief

Pinoy Today


From: Erick San Juan
Subject: What to Expect from Obama's Presidency by Erick San Juan
To: pinoygeorge08@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, 13 January, 2009, 10:15 PM

Methinks that there will be no major changes in the U.S. policy, just in case, President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in as the next president of the USA come January 20,especially in it's foreign policy agenda. Why am I cynical about his inauguration? It seems that several contending power blocs within and outside his "loop" is sabotaging it. They're not sure if they can trust Obama to follow their dictate. The Gaza siege is the litmus test. The 'globalists' are awaiting for him to make a statement,either policy or personal. Obama said that he has to respect the outgoing president(George Bush,Jr.) and will issue policy statements in his inaugural address. This irked the globalists and phase two of the 'program' is on, meaning, that Obama's presidency could be sabotaged by an expose of his citizenship, possible assassination or he will be treated like a "manchurian candidate", a must to follow orders or else. I wish him well, but he has to be forewarned. The stake is high. In this kind of political game,it's so hard to tell who's betraying who. He should always remember the lessons from the great American leaders like Presidents' Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. He should learn from history!

Has The U.S Bases Really Left R.P.?

Has The U.S Bases Really Left R.P.?

by Erick SanJuan

My associate, Mar Tecson, a fellow book author has sent an email which is very timely to what I'm writing. Who said that there's no more U.S. bases in the Philippines? The essay of Tom Engelhardt, co-founder of theAmerican Empire Project and author of The End of Victory Culture entitled "The U.S. Has 761Military Bases Across The Planet, and We Simply Never Talk About It", is very revealing.

The usual reliable information that I've been getting from concerned citizens and free thinkers from the Philippines and abroad were confirmed by Tom in his article on the spread of American military bases and global empire. He cited how the U.S. operates either through diplomacy, humanitarian and economic aid, friendly visits, etc.

"Our soldiers not only arrive but stay interminably, if not indefinitely", Tom Engelhardt said. He disclosed, "Sometimes they live on military bases built to the tune of billions of dollars that amount to sizable American towns with accompanying amenities, sometimes on stripped down forward operating bases that may not even have showers. When those troops don't stay, often American equipment does, carefully stored for further use at tiny 'cooperative security locations', known informally as "LILY PADS", from which U.S. troops, like so many frogs, could assumedly leap quickly into a region in crisis.

He even cited a forward basing system during the Roman Empire who reportedly had an estimated 37 major military bases scattered around their dominions. During the British Empire, the Brits had 36 military bases worldwide. According to Pentagon records, there are 761 active U.S. military bases abroad which include portable bases, nation-states military camps where they are accommodated which act as part of the so called 'lily pads'. Despite the U.S. government and its local U.S. Embassy's denial, Tom confirmed that America garrisoned the earth, north to south, east to west, and even on the 'seven seas', through their various fleets and massive aircraft carriers with 5,000 to 6,000 personnels aboard, the population of an American town and functioning as floating bases.

Tom explained, "We don't care to know about it. We the American people, aided and abetted by our politicians, the Pentagon, the media are knee-deep in base denial." He has been so proud before that the U.S. was hailed not just as a sole superpower or a hyperpower, the global policeman, the only cop on the block which American leaders and people took that label seriously. Their bases multiplied and seems preparing to confront future wars against Muslim nation-states who happened to live on so many of the key oil lands on earth.

I have been to some of the U.S. bases in Japan like in Yokosuka and Kadena in Okinawa but the Pentagon's latest report according to Engelhardt have a total of 124 bases in Japan,38 in Okinawa and 87 in South Korea.

Overheard that the Israeli-Palestinian war in Gaza will lead to the installation of a new US base on Israeli territory at the Negev desert There are allegedly 194 countries, officially 39 of them have American 'facilities'. Some nations share their military camps with the US bases. After the Iraq-Iran war and the Iraq-Kuwait war, the US temporary bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia became permanent fixtures with both governments paying the US government to act like their "security guards" to protect them from terror groups.

The need for the US bases by wealthy nations neutralized the attempt of the Pentagon to close some of their bases due to budget constraints, possible job loss and lost income. Most of the US bases were relocated instead near or closer to the oil heartlands and seabeds to monitor the 'black gold' meaning offshore oil drilling.

It's quite amazing how Southern Philippines is being developed by USAID and the Pentagon from Palawan, Basilan, Gensan, Zamboanga, Sulu and now Tawi Tawi, building superior airstrips and modern pier.

Will the portable US bases in Minsupala (Mindanao-Sulu-Palawan) become permanent? I hope that the warlords,local politicians and media from Mindanao will not be tricked by the operators of ’hidden hands' so that the Southern Philippines will not be divided and get 'balkanized'....... Just thinking!

Police Training as Part of Balikatan?

Police Training as Part of Balikatan?

by Erick San Juan

When I read in the newspapers that our police forces will be trained by the U.S. military and law enforcement experts, it was at first glance a welcome move especially if it's "gratis et amore". But when my friend, Tony Abaya of the Manila Standard sent me an email entitled -The Pentagon is Muscling in Everywhere, It's Time To Stop the Mission by Thomas A. Schweigh, I recalled the old adage of warning--"Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts".

Schweigh's article seems credible and relevant. He served the Bush administration as Ambassador for Counter-Narcotics in Afghanistan and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Law Enforcement Affairs. He's a life long Republican and a son of a retired U.S. air force colonel.

He said that the U.S. no longer have a civilian-led government and its constitution is at risk. Schweigh explained that the most unnerving legacy of the Bush administration is the encroachment of the Department of Defense into a striking number of aspects of civilian government.

He added that incoming President Barack Obama's selections of James L. Jones, a retired four-star marine general to be his National Security Adviser and retired Navy admiral Dennis C. Blair to be his Director for National Intelligence allegedly present the Obama administration with an opportunity and a major risk. These appointments in his analysis could pave way for these respected military officers to reverse the current trend of Pentagon encroachment upon civilian government functions or they could possibly complete the silent military coup d’état that has been gaining ground in the radar screen of most Americans and media.

According to Schweigh, he witnessed the quiet de facto military takeover of much of the U.S. government while serving the U.S. State department in several senior capacities over the past four years. He commented that the first assault on civilian government occurred in far away places like Iraq and Afghanistan and in theory, justified by the exigencies of war.

The White House reportedly let the defense department to call the budgetary shots, vastly underfunded efforts by the State department, the Justice department and the U.S. Agency for Inernational Development to train civilian police forces, build functioning judicial systems and provide basic development services to those war-torn countries. He cited as an example how the Justice department and the State department after the 2003 invasion of Iraq that they needed at least 6,000 police trainers in the country.

Last year, the State department received an average of about $40 million a year for rule-of-law programs in Afghanistan in contrast to the billions that the Pentagon got to train the Afghan army. Under then Defense secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the DOD failed to provide even basic security for the meager force of civilian police mentors, advisers, and aid workers from other U.S. agencies operating in Afghanistan and Iraq, which drove policy makers to hire contracting firms like Blackwater Worldwide. After setting up the U.S. government to fail, military authorities then declared that the other agencies unsuccessful police training efforts required military leadership and took them over after brutal inter-agency battles at the White House.

When Afghanistan and Iraq were given the programs, both nations were unnecessarily militarized thus producing supposed to be law enforcers who look more "militia" members than ordinary beat cops, Schweigh added. Then, they become paramiltary groups, well armed with U.S. equipment ready to become "manchurian candidates".

Ronald Neumann, former U.S. ambassdor to Afghanistan who was removed in 2007 because of his "admirable" efforts to balance military and civilian needs had an early retirement when he said that "we are in a war after all". When the military takeover of civilian functions was leaked, he was suspected and was also blamed about the leak of classified informations to the media.

The same scenario could happen in the Philippines, especially now that the two perceived terrorist groups, namely, the NPA and the MILF have been very active and our law enforcement units seem helpless to address the insurgents. These groups if they will not stop bullying and provoking can be a good copy for such military and police exercises where they could be the guinea pigs.

On the issue of international drug operations, the controversial drug war in Mexico as written by Gemma Cruz Araneta of the Manila Bulletin last week could have a repeat here. Local drug cartels using their surrogates created so much noise that led to tip offs and buy bust operations. The Chinese Triad group versus the boys of the Indian drug financiers. Believe me, this could be a prelude for foreign governments with vested interests to intervene.

Protectorate anyone!!!