The Philippines and America The romance has gone Options

[orient]

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displa...ory_id=13579335

But the dream lives on

A CHORUS of protest against the Philippines’ military ties with America has greeted the acquittal on appeal of an American serviceman accused of raping a Filipina. Left-wingers are demanding the removal of American forces from Philippine soil. Politicians nearer the centre are calling for changes in the rules covering their presence. This is the latest touchy episode in a sensitive relationship between the Philippines and America, the former colonial power, in which Filipino national pride often obscures the national interest—and sometimes the interests of justice.

In a case that stirred nationalist passions, a court in December 2006 convicted Lance-Corporal Daniel Smith, an American marine, of raping a woman, identified only as “Nicole”, a year earlier. The court sentenced Lance-Corporal Smith to 40 years in prison. He was tried in a Philippine court, as decreed by the ten-year-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which governs the presence of American forces in the Philippines. At the time, the conviction was greeted by Filipino supporters of the military alliance with America as proof that it was an equal partnership, and that a previous era when American servicemen could commit crimes in the Philippines with apparent impunity was over.

However, Filipinos sceptical about the VFA soon smelled a rat. Lance-Corporal Smith was detained not in a Philippine prison, but in a converted freight-container in the American embassy compound, while he awaited the outcome of an appeal. Then, in March this year, it was revealed that Nicole had dismissed her lawyer and made a sworn statement to Lance-Corporal Smith’s lawyers that she was no longer sure that she had actually been raped.

It was also revealed that Nicole had accepted 100,000 pesos ($2,000) in damages from Lance-Corporal Smith and that she had gone to live in America with her American boyfriend. When, on April 23rd, three female judges upheld Lance-Corporal Smith’s appeal and set him free, calling the alleged rape a “romantic episode”, opponents of the VFA cried foul. Politicians expressed their outrage in the press, calling for the abrogation or amendment of the VFA, while protesters demonstrated near the American embassy. The government simply expressed satisfaction that justice had been done.

The government welcomes American forces because they give their Filipino counterparts much-needed training and equipment for coping with decades-old communist and Muslim insurgencies and the newer threat of international terrorism. Nationalists believe the Philippines is cringing before its former masters. But so they would. The most vociferous nationalists are from left-wing parties that carry the torch for the communists, whom the Americans regard as terrorists.

Amid the noise from the nationalists, the stars of this “romantic episode” appear to have been forgotten. Lance-Corporal Smith has spent over two years incarcerated in a container, is $2,000 out of pocket and his military career is probably over. And as for Nicole, to the embarrassment of the nationalists, many ordinary Filipinos envy her for living a dream many of them share: in America with $2,000 to spend.

[taybenco]

i think it's best to just ask (like Nicole...)

SHOW ME THE MONEY.

Where's that military aid from the US Army? Should be easily over 100 Million by now.

[*promo]

The government welcomes American forces because they give their Filipino counterparts much-needed training and equipment for coping with decades-old communist and Muslim insurgencies and the newer threat of international terrorism. Nationalists believe the Philippines is cringing before its former masters. But so they would. The most vociferous nationalists are from left-wing parties that carry the torch for the communists, whom the Americans regard as terrorists.

hmm when they draw that line some day i know where ill be standing. better to have stood up, then lived on my knees and prayed for answer. it was great day 4 years ago when I declared myself a man of that follows no other mans faith.

[alexandra]

shoot, the romance with America has been long gone.. since Marcos' era.. US just played ball with him bec they needed the bases & allies against communist factions at that time- which he(Marcos) dangled like a lollipop to them & US turned a blind eye to all of his abuses in that country & it's citizens.. (still Pis*es me !! to see Kissinger pics waltzing matilda with Imelda)

anyway.. nothing surprising with latest episode esp that Nicole took the moola..

[Suzuka00]

shoot, the romance with America has been long gone.. since Marcos' era.. US just played ball with him bec they needed the bases & allies against communist factions at that time- which he(Marcos) dangled like a lollipop to them & US turned a blind eye to all of his abuses in that country & it's citizens.. (still Pis*es me !! to see Kissinger pics waltzing matilda with Imelda)

anyway.. nothing surprising with latest episode esp that Nicole took the moola..

one of it's abuses to the philippines is Balangiga massacre.

[alexandra]

i don't excuse what America have done ignoring what was happening to the Phil under Marcos.. actually, I'm sick with them.. as the CIA was keeping dabs on Marcos & his cohorts & knew exactly what was going on.. & they did nothing..

this is the dark,sleazy side of US politics.. they did this with Vietnam, Central america & pretty much a lot of other countries.. supporting dictators.. SICK!

that's why, I have no patience for Johnson, Nixon, reagan, Bush sr.. ( bushy jr for different reasons) they all played dumb & dumber with Marcos.. & Marcos knew how to play them..

Kissinger.. phew.. hypocrite!

[mrconfusion87]

Well the romance has died with me too and I think there are more people in my generation who feel the same than in previous generations!