E·N·Q·U·I·R·Y
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
For friendship?
Sunday, 07 18, 2004
US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, reacting to the decision of the Philippine government to withdraw its 51-man humanitarian contingent in Iraq in exchange for the liberty of Angelo de la Cruz, was quoted as saying, “In a time where enemies demand that you kneel, [I] just ask you, please don’t refuse your enemies with your friends.” That statement speak volumes of the veiled threat of a friend to its ally, or rather unmasks that friend for what it really is, the real enemy.
The confusion in the handling of the crisis involving Angelo is more the product of the confused labeling of the relationship between the US and the Philippines insofar as the occupation of Iraq by the “coalition of the willing.” The government had no second thoughts about sending the humanitarian contingent to Iraq, on the premise that it is on friendly terms with the US. On the other hand, the Filipinos, from day one, never approved of their involvement in the occupation of Iraq.
Until the entire Philippine contingent is withdrawn, Angelo faces the unpalatable fate of either coming back upright and whole or horizontally, with its head severely missing the rest of his body. The risk – plus other forms of hideous bodily harm that the Iraqi militants can creatively think of – is what friendship has brought to bear on thousands of other Filipinos now working in the Middle East. The imposing mind of the military leadership imposing its will in Iraq is unmindful of the plight of the Filipino. Already, Iraq is off-limits to Filipinos trying to eke out a living. Can the President give them the jobs here that were denied them in Iraq? These, and the anxiety of the long wait, and the recriminations at home on whether to stay or to pull out, are the by-products of that much vaunted friendship.
The fate of Angelo laid for sometime on the stubborn head of the presumptive President. Nothing could make her take the conclusive move that would ensure a whole and hale Angelo coming back. Some outside force – impervious to prayers and rallies and certainly unmoved by tears – that has shaped the military policy of this country, continued to hold sway. The President was nowhere near any realization that she had better comply with the demand for a pullout rather than heed what her benefactor-friends are whispering to her ears.
And why should she not bring them back, indeed? After all, they are a mere token force, who have no mandate to engage the Iraqi militants, not even well-prepared or trained to cope with the perils of the occupation.
We have just gone through an electoral exercise that unfortunately did not take up the issue of involvement in an occupation of a foreign country. But the public outcry against the continued presence of Filipinos in Iraq, following Angelo’s abduction, is as much a referendum now as to how the country regards the Filipinos' presence there. The verdict is clear and strong: Pull them out.
What was the President trying to prove by not acceding earlier to the public clamor for a pullout? That she is her own man? That she cannot be dictated upon (by any Filipino) on what to do? How easily she forgets her commitment to govern on the basis of consensus.
The posting of Filipinos in Iraq was an act of machismo without regard to the consequences. It is symptomatic of the irrational mode of governance that has punctuated this government since it came to power. What did we gain from a friend by the deployment? Nothing. Nothing even that anyone can think will benefit us in the long run, not even peace from terrorism. Something is not right – or rather, everything is not right – in this friendship.
The ready commitment to deploy a token contingent was more to prove that we are the reliable friend that we have always been. And that is where the fault lies: They were deployed to that hellhole to please a friend, to curry favor and to affirm that she is the only President, and no other else in this part of the world, who could be depended upon.
An immediate pullout is something the government did not want to take the risk of, lest it displeases her military back-up. Not a whit of a rational thought was given, that could salve the aching Filipino demand for a rational approach to the maddening imposition for support for an occupation that should have never been in the first place. Here was a President who was trying to put up a brave and compassionate face, but in truth somebody who was more out to save her neck, more than willing not to make the fate of Angelo the casus belli for her early stepping down from her shaky throne, by some outside force.
Angelo is a pawn waiting to be sacrificed by two uncaring players. For many days that passed since his abduction, nothing was done to respond responsibly to the situation. The government even tried to manage the media, in order that it would not appear to be buckling down to pressure at home for a pullout. But the prayers and rallies of those opposed to the presence of Filipinos in Iraq brought enough pressure. The leadership finally agreed to a pullout, to the dismay of its friend.
The nation awaits the return of Angelo either whole or beheaded. It is a catharsis of sorts, and damn the powers that will impose their might on the future course of this government.
The sage once said there is no friendship between those associated in power; he who rules will always be impatient of an associate. Let not the government delude itself that a friendship exists. The sooner it realizes that it is but an associate in an immoral occupation of another country by the biggest terrorist country, the better it would govern and rule in the best interest of the Filipinos.
Nurturing a friendship is not worth the sacrifice of one precious, innocent life. We could lose our self-respect with Angelo’s senseless death for a cause he is not even involved in, or for our nation that gains nothing good for it. A friend never puts his friend in jeopardy. Somehow, the leadership seems to have realized that, albeit dimly and belatedly. Now, she could be the leader, if she only knows how to follow those whom she leads.
Prove it, Madame President. Forget your friend. You know who the real enemy is.
For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
DEMAREE J.B. RAVAL
For friendship?
Sunday, 07 18, 2004
US Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, reacting to the decision of the Philippine government to withdraw its 51-man humanitarian contingent in Iraq in exchange for the liberty of Angelo de la Cruz, was quoted as saying, “In a time where enemies demand that you kneel, [I] just ask you, please don’t refuse your enemies with your friends.” That statement speak volumes of the veiled threat of a friend to its ally, or rather unmasks that friend for what it really is, the real enemy.
The confusion in the handling of the crisis involving Angelo is more the product of the confused labeling of the relationship between the US and the Philippines insofar as the occupation of Iraq by the “coalition of the willing.” The government had no second thoughts about sending the humanitarian contingent to Iraq, on the premise that it is on friendly terms with the US. On the other hand, the Filipinos, from day one, never approved of their involvement in the occupation of Iraq.
Until the entire Philippine contingent is withdrawn, Angelo faces the unpalatable fate of either coming back upright and whole or horizontally, with its head severely missing the rest of his body. The risk – plus other forms of hideous bodily harm that the Iraqi militants can creatively think of – is what friendship has brought to bear on thousands of other Filipinos now working in the Middle East. The imposing mind of the military leadership imposing its will in Iraq is unmindful of the plight of the Filipino. Already, Iraq is off-limits to Filipinos trying to eke out a living. Can the President give them the jobs here that were denied them in Iraq? These, and the anxiety of the long wait, and the recriminations at home on whether to stay or to pull out, are the by-products of that much vaunted friendship.
The fate of Angelo laid for sometime on the stubborn head of the presumptive President. Nothing could make her take the conclusive move that would ensure a whole and hale Angelo coming back. Some outside force – impervious to prayers and rallies and certainly unmoved by tears – that has shaped the military policy of this country, continued to hold sway. The President was nowhere near any realization that she had better comply with the demand for a pullout rather than heed what her benefactor-friends are whispering to her ears.
And why should she not bring them back, indeed? After all, they are a mere token force, who have no mandate to engage the Iraqi militants, not even well-prepared or trained to cope with the perils of the occupation.
We have just gone through an electoral exercise that unfortunately did not take up the issue of involvement in an occupation of a foreign country. But the public outcry against the continued presence of Filipinos in Iraq, following Angelo’s abduction, is as much a referendum now as to how the country regards the Filipinos' presence there. The verdict is clear and strong: Pull them out.
What was the President trying to prove by not acceding earlier to the public clamor for a pullout? That she is her own man? That she cannot be dictated upon (by any Filipino) on what to do? How easily she forgets her commitment to govern on the basis of consensus.
The posting of Filipinos in Iraq was an act of machismo without regard to the consequences. It is symptomatic of the irrational mode of governance that has punctuated this government since it came to power. What did we gain from a friend by the deployment? Nothing. Nothing even that anyone can think will benefit us in the long run, not even peace from terrorism. Something is not right – or rather, everything is not right – in this friendship.
The ready commitment to deploy a token contingent was more to prove that we are the reliable friend that we have always been. And that is where the fault lies: They were deployed to that hellhole to please a friend, to curry favor and to affirm that she is the only President, and no other else in this part of the world, who could be depended upon.
An immediate pullout is something the government did not want to take the risk of, lest it displeases her military back-up. Not a whit of a rational thought was given, that could salve the aching Filipino demand for a rational approach to the maddening imposition for support for an occupation that should have never been in the first place. Here was a President who was trying to put up a brave and compassionate face, but in truth somebody who was more out to save her neck, more than willing not to make the fate of Angelo the casus belli for her early stepping down from her shaky throne, by some outside force.
Angelo is a pawn waiting to be sacrificed by two uncaring players. For many days that passed since his abduction, nothing was done to respond responsibly to the situation. The government even tried to manage the media, in order that it would not appear to be buckling down to pressure at home for a pullout. But the prayers and rallies of those opposed to the presence of Filipinos in Iraq brought enough pressure. The leadership finally agreed to a pullout, to the dismay of its friend.
The nation awaits the return of Angelo either whole or beheaded. It is a catharsis of sorts, and damn the powers that will impose their might on the future course of this government.
The sage once said there is no friendship between those associated in power; he who rules will always be impatient of an associate. Let not the government delude itself that a friendship exists. The sooner it realizes that it is but an associate in an immoral occupation of another country by the biggest terrorist country, the better it would govern and rule in the best interest of the Filipinos.
Nurturing a friendship is not worth the sacrifice of one precious, innocent life. We could lose our self-respect with Angelo’s senseless death for a cause he is not even involved in, or for our nation that gains nothing good for it. A friend never puts his friend in jeopardy. Somehow, the leadership seems to have realized that, albeit dimly and belatedly. Now, she could be the leader, if she only knows how to follow those whom she leads.
Prove it, Madame President. Forget your friend. You know who the real enemy is.
For comments about this website:Webmaster@tribune.net.ph
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