Sunday, July 8, 2012

Ellentordesillas: treasonous or hysterical?


I see that President Aquino is taking some flack for saying he may ask the U.S. for air coverage of the areas of the West Philippine Sea that are in conflict with China.

The uber-nationalists are blaming him for giving up Philippine sovereignty to the U.S. The harshest view, surprisingly enough, comes from the usually calm and rational blogger Ellen Tordesillas:

  • Aquino’s solution of asking the United States to do the monitoring through their spy planes over those disputed islands is tantamount to ceding sovereignty over to the United States. That’s treason.

I think this is a tad hysterical. It seems bizarre to me to declare it treasonous to seek ways to protect Philippine territory and interests. If it is treasonous to lean on an ally then I wonder what Great Britain was doing during WW II.

Here's the link to the full article: ellentordesillas re sovereignty

China of course pounced on the President's remark for its daily rant against the Philippines. Listening to the big, fearful, quaking China, you would think that the Philippines has aimed nuclear missiles at Beijing. China displays the diplomatic nuance of a thug with its jock twisted a little too tight.

So both Ellen and China are ragging on the President. Strange bedfellows.

(Quick digression: Inquiring minds want to know if the famous roast duck is now called Beijing roast duck, or what? I have not been in a Chinese Restaurant since I was forced to slurp chicken feet soup and eat goose liver in Hong Kong back in, oh, 1995. We had Peking roast duck then, as I recall.)

Another article parsing Mr. Aquino's choice of words was penned by journalist manuelbuencamino on propinoy.net. He is his normal wry self, querying:

  • As for Beijing, I wonder what it will do if the US does conduct surveillance flights over the disputed areas with or without any request or permission from the Philippines. Is it going to shoot down those planes?

The full article is here: manuelbuencamino re China

Well, I've been critical of President Aquino's lose lips on this matter. I think he should let his foreign affairs people speak on this incident and reserve his comments for serious moments, like when the Philippines issues an ultimatum to China to get its warships out of Philippine territory. I offer that little bit of advice to STRENGTHEN the President, not weaken him.

The Worm Has Now Turned, eh?
http://philippines1900.tumblr.com/post/263328179/drama-and-sedition
The policy ought to be to keep military craft out of the contested areas. We don't want Chinese military occupation of what we consider to be our territory and we presume Bullyboy China feels the same way. So keep the stinkin' guns out of the contested zone until the matter is resolved.

I guess that's what I don't understand about the hue and cry against President Aquino from certain hystericals. You would think HE is the enemy, not China.

This seems to me to be reflective of the Filipino penchant for declaring that if someone does it differently than they would do it, that person deserves to be attacked. Brought to the ground, as it were. It's a win/lose world in the merry Philippines. You are for me or against me, and if you are not for me, you deserve to go DOWN.

It also seems like a grand inferiority psychosis to me, that any active engagement with the U.S. is somehow a threat to Philippine autonomy. I guess you don't give the Philippines and Filipinos much credit, eh? You figure the Philippine officials will automatically kiss Uncle Sam's ass rather than work for the good of the Philippines? They will automatically become pawns to American interests?

Such a low opinion you have of Filipino intelligence, strength and ability to act on behalf of the Philippines.

People who don't trust U.S. motives don't trust President Aquino, I guess. They don't trust ANYBODY but themselves.

That's bad thinking, especially for people who ought to be stock full of Pinoy Pride. If we RESPECT that the President has a big challenge on his hands here, we'd recognize he needs our backing for whatever avenues he and his staff pursue. He doesn't need backbiting. He needs benefit of the doubt. And our trust.

Let me make clear to Ellen and her group of like thinkers what she must not have considered. Mr. Aquino is not the enemy here.

China is.

When Chinese warships are parked in Subic Bay, are you going to declare it treasonous to seek American assistance?

It strikes me that the more that Filipino opinion leaders criticize and undermine the President, the bolder China is likely to become.

So, let me ask . . . call it aggressive curiosity, not accusation . . . where REALLY does the greater "treason" rest?

With those seeking ways to defend the Philippines? Or those aiding and abetting China by undermining the Philippine President?

9 comments:

  1. From: Island Jim E
    Subject: perspectives and opinions don't
    put the "pork on the table"...actions do!

    1. From my rocking chair I observe that
    it probably makes no difference what a few
    "personalities" make or take on the so-called
    chinese "tempest in a teapot/spoon" over the
    high seas...just please pass the "cheese"
    and sit back, have another cold SanMig...!

    2. High treason, low treason, any treason
    title should not even be considered as
    relevant as regards The Dragon of China
    in it's disguise as a asian vampire-shadow- theatre drama...!

    Why you ask...and my response says I...is
    that wisdom would dictate that the question
    of who owns what ounce or two carbon based
    resources in the "great ocean seas" (with a
    few palm trees, coral features, a few fish
    and two or three sandy beaches/sand dune) is best left to the International Court and the United Nations!

    Given the issue of "possession is 9/10ths of the law...and a possible land-grab in the making...bullets never won a court case,
    privateers as did pirates both swung at the
    dock...sooner or later!

    3. I says I, better to keep our island steam,
    environment, resources, treasures, and other
    assets under a re-investment plan vs. the wasted effort of throwing dollars/pesos at
    a step up to a war time footing:
    a. as a foolish waste and ill advised effort.
    b. as a need to spend our time fighting
    pollution, crime, buidling infastructure,
    reformation, addressing the needs of our
    growing population, etc..
    c. against a China that beats
    the drums of war to turn attention of the population away from it's own internal
    crisis! Distractions only
    work for magic tricks...and you can only
    fool people some of the time....and then
    not for long!

    The Question should not be one of treason...
    but who benifits the most from "feeding of the fires of discontent" with more inflamatory activities/

    Why does the dragon insist on spitting venom at the asian rim nations? Why now?

    Maybe "the wall builder" is upset that the
    asian rim communities are building casinos,
    improving infastructure, constructing
    Disney and universal world entertainment
    centers and doing the necessary actions to improve the economic well being of it's citizens...!

    I cannot visualize the "Dragon" coughing up
    a mouth full of fire over a few fish, some
    releatively small patches of sand and sea
    just to prove that it has the will-power
    and firepower...except to act as a diversion
    from other activites and persuits which it
    does not want the world community to give
    close inspection to!

    Deception yes....treason is for people who
    "sell out"....rights to own or lease property belong in the courts...so I am content to "pull a cork" on a "guart" of good cheer and leave
    the subject in the hands of the higher
    legal powers!

    Notice:
    Please don't bother on throwing mud at one another and messing up our play pen for no or bad reasons!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. China seems to have one foot in the new era of modernism and commercial harmony and one foot in that old, rigid, nationalistic, thuggish (possibly racist) camp. China is out for China, and China is avidly seeking to commandeer the world's resources, recognizing it is otherwise a big economic balloon likely to pop. The nine-dash map is a thing of amazing arrogance, to suppose that one nation can claim a sea right up to the beaches of another. China rejects UN authority to rule on borders. Would you accept Chinese military boats patrolling 150 miles from Luzon? Chasing out Philippine fishermen?

      I rather think China would cough a mouth full of fire for the principle of preserving her territory. Oil not fish.

      I think the term "treason" is powerful, and too easily used when people simply disagree about what tactics to employ. It is the attitude that leads to coups, a hotheaded, anger-stoking term. Totally unnecessary.

      Delete
  2. From: The cricket...
    RE: Jingoism be damned....! Better to spend our limited
    resources as wise as possible!

    1. Bullets and bombs cost hard earned dollars for any nation
    not to reserve for the "last resort" (aka: hell)
    Blood is cheap...life is cheap...too many people in the pot
    spoils the recipie sooner or later!

    2. For those of you who have not bled over any war/conflict=
    police action, violent gang-ups/downs/arounds, etc...shame on
    you....you should know better!

    3. Once you unleash the dogs of war...it is almost impossible
    to get them to return to the bottle....!

    4. Someone once stated that the next world war would be fought
    with stones and sticks....if anyone is left to pick them up"!

    5. The unknowning (novices, uneducated,) those with no
    experience should not be allowed to speak or vote until the
    are "certified"....! (this is real life, not a fantasy-
    entertanment movie that puts more money in the hands of a
    few rich bastards who are shaddow vampires!).

    6. I would welcome and invite (as judge and jury)...twelve good people selected by lot from the middle class of each country ..."we the little people" to sit at the
    table and sort things out....then the governmental, business
    corporate vampires dividing up the quart of blood among
    themselves....!

    7. We have to realize that the size of the life-boat or
    sand box we occupy is limited....and we have to learn how
    to control, manage, disclipine, administrate, legislate,
    then appoint-elect-fire if necessary- qualified leaders
    to attend to the day to day"stuff"....(with the power of
    the purse in the hands of very responsible CPA and auditor
    types upon quarterly review) ...this is not a race to the finish...!

    This is a push for the "salvation play" (or pay the
    consequences)!
    We need to learn now to keep the "sand box" clean and well maintained....or else!

    8. Lastly, anything that man can invent, build, constuct,
    etc., can be "one upped" by superior power, smarter use of
    resources, a dedicated extreamist, or mother nature! Shame
    on any nation for thinking that it can "beat the system"...
    and I can prove it by looking at history, science, and the
    "gardens of stone"!

    Lastly, I would invite anyone to play a all out war-game with
    me....and be prepared to lose...if not then bring a case of
    beer and we can discuss the "mess"!

    P.s., I can recall a conversation I had with my x-brother in
    law (a 25 year US Navy senior master cheif) regarding how to
    defeat the vessel he was staioned on....he stated that the
    vessel was invincible....guess what happend to the USS Cole!
    (besides the loss of life the lesson learned was a humble-pie
    incident!)

    Chirp, chirp!

    Chirp

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I bled in the war I was assigned to fight, and came back home an enlightened man, and protested said war as a civilian. So I grasp where you were coming from, and the futility of this incessant need to strut and demand and then shoot. Better to build schools than tanks. Your idea of respective juries from countries in conflict working out the problem is superb. The problem is if you are dealing with a nation that does not subscribe to the same values. That has always been the problem. "The other guy."

      Delete
    2. From: The cricket!

      1. Remeber I still have some portion of "hope"
      left to keep me fired up! This is my secret
      weapon of choice....!

      2. What I am counting on is the "the other guy"
      has a smart, intelligent, educated, command-
      person for a wife, girlfriend, mother/mother in-law named... "hope"...and that she keeps him in line...or has her "sights" set just right for the type weapons she has at her command!

      3. Whips, chains and "leather" is always a
      good fall back for MS. HOPE...if her sweetness
      does not win the day!

      chirp!

      Delete
    3. Hope is a beautiful lady, indeed. When she pals around with Intelligence and Compassion, she is also powerful.

      Delete
  3. Joe,

    Historically, many times USA had been asked for military assistance by her allies. Philippines is no different, the only difference is irresponsible journalism.

    The spy plane overfly should have been kept confidential, thanks to the presidential big mouthed attribute, but even if it is true, like what you have stated Joe, there is nothing wrong for a president to ask for military assistance in time of needs.

    Ellen Tordesillas thinks that she is a journalist. I agree she is not only a journalist, but the super irresponsible one.

    Fair reporting in the Philippines is in danger when it is politically motivated. No wonder they are killing journalists. No offense; I admire unbiased jouralism.


    Its Jack

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Jack, you nailed that one. An unbiased journalist would not suggest a president is "treasonous' and retain any credibility for future reports that purport to be objective. She can be a political pundit or a journalist, but she cannot be both.

      And, yes, President Aquino has been way too casual in his remarks about the China conflict. I think he finally got the message (provoked by an uproar from around the world) and has now clammed up. Other dignitaries (legislators, for example) also need to be more prudent in their remarks, less they feed the beast, China.

      Delete
  4. Ha! Thanks a lot joe. ;)))

    Yeah, I agree with prudence. President Aquino and his cabinet and top government execs has to go to USA attending FBI confidential seminar.

    I wonder if these people has confidential clearances?


    Its Jack

    ReplyDelete

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