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Monday, July 23, 2012

Where are the magnificent 12 the dirty dozen?

     Yes, where are the dirty dozen?  the 12 senators as they were then aptly termed who voted for the closure of the US military bases in the country 20 years ago.
     Today, the fire-eating giant is battering our door with the ultimate intention of crushing it down  and eventually thumping and trampling    every one inside while the magnificent 12 and our current choosen leaders are Noynoying or are still snoring away.  But thank God some are now  creating and joining groups and look  for the big stick and its owners to help us defend our door.  While others have changed heart and now ask and plead the US for help. ngii... chutzpah  To those who were born in the 1970s and earlier they very well knew where the big stick is and where the owners are.

     The largest US military bases in the Pacific and in the world were once located in the Philippines, the Subic naval station and Clark Airbase in Pampanga.   Certainly, not far from the disputed Scarborough shoal.  In the early 1970s at the height of the anti-American campaign and the over-abundant promises of the Nationalist movements, the politicians then,  whose built-in skill in holding on to power  was go and ride-on with the popular sentiment of the people. Thus,  the 12 senators voted in favor of the closure  of the US military facilities the decision which brought  the country to where it is now,   in the face of the fire-eating giant, China. The US flag was finally lowered in Subic on November 24, 1992.

    THE BIG QUESTION?

    Would China be as bold and daring as she is today in sending armed vessels  - combat ships in the vicinity of the Scarborough shoal  had the US naval station remained in Zambales?  Your answer, I am sure will be as good as mine.

     What is now the position of the Dirty Dozen?
Was their decision to drive the Americans out  wise and deserving?  Was the closure justified in the long run?  What did the country get after 20 years?  Most of the Pinoys now prefer to think the decision to drive out the Amerians out was ill-advised and shortsighted.
      Among the most important reasons given at that time that led to the unwise decision were:  the US supported the militarization of the whole country,   the fear that the US bases are storing nuclear weapons in their warehouses in violation of the constitution,   the country will forever not learn to stand on its own feet, and the others the rise of crimes an prostitution.
      Maybe it is worthwhile reading some of the senators reasons why they voted in favor of the closure.
Wigberto Tanada, "the treaty must be junked since national freedom cannot be postponed and the dignity and honor of the Filipinos cannot continue to be trampled"
Agapito Aquino,  "I vote against the US military bases because I love my country more than my president (Cory Aquino) 
Joseph Estrada, " it was our finest hour"
Juan Ponce Enrile,  "Our decision struck a blow in favor of national sovereignty, we collectively echoed the sentiment of our people to unshackle themselves"
Lest the people may forget the nightmares that Enrile brought during the dark days of martial law, even if he was made instant hero during the impeachment trial.  Today he is proposing charter change. Let us watch for his third would-be unwise decision.
Let us read another important link.  Mr. Denny Roy, a senior fellow at the East West   Center in Hawaii said,  "too much had been said about  the obscure treaty between Manila and the US,  I look at it based  on what is to the best interest of the US and certainly US and  China going into a shooting war at each other over an inhabited tiny group of islands is purely insane." 
    

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