The AFP must change its mindset from dependency to independence

AS we mentioned in our editorial last January 4, 2022, the United States need not bother to appoint an ambassador here, given that Uncle Sam has a lot of local ‘ass kissers’ around, so much so that they can forced on Pres. Duterte the continuation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the expansion of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and if true patriots are not vigilant, the return of US military bases.

In prior years, our military engagements with the United States can be easily explained—troop deployments in Korea and Vietnam, our yearly Balikatan exercises, stationing of CIA operatives, especially in Mindanao— in the slogan of war against the spread of communism in Asia and our own ‘war against terror.’

Well, the world has changed so much since then—the Soviet Union has collapsed, China is no longer under Chairman Mao and is also no longer interested in “exporting” its revolution elsewhere and we are grateful that finally, “inch by inch,” so to speak, we are “modernizing” our military capabilities, despite the effort still being incomparable to our neighbors.

But there is one thing that has not changed: our military’s mindset that is dependent on US wishes and its bellicose, aggressive foreign policies.

Our military and national security officials are not dumb, that we can be sure about.

Thus, when they agree that in the upcoming ‘Balikatan’ exercises this coming April in Cagayan, this should now include ‘live fire exercises,’ we are pretty sure that they are aware that it is not directed against a ‘fictional enemy’ but against China and in particular, the US war plan for the “protection” of its renegade province, Taiwan.

Cagayan, after all, is just a boat ride towards Taiwan.

And as they are not dumb people, we assume that our defense and national security officials are fully aware of the ramification of their decision to hold the Balikatan in Cagayan with live fire exercises— to prepare our own troops to be an auxiliary, nay, a puppet army, of the US military—again.

We are of course referring to our AFP’s shameless role in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, both US-instigated aggressions against our fellow Asians. Of course, in both instances our participations have been “glorified” in official accounts as to the “heroism” of our soldiers.

But looking closely, they are what they are: our soldiers are mere tools of US Imperialism, cannon fodders for the unending wars that America, since 1946, has decided to impose on the world, especially against our fellow Asians.

We can agree that in the campaign against the 53-years of terrorism of the CPP-NPA, it would soon be over.

But if people think that the actual demise of the CPP would mean Filipinos, especially the youth, would endear themselves to the AFP, think again, peeps!

For how can Filipinos truly identify themselves with their own Armed Forces when they fully know that more than a century after our enslavement by US Imperialism—thru bloody means, by the way— our own solders and their leaders remain an adjunct of the Pentagon and the White House. Who would be proud of that?

The CPP may be on its last gasps but to think that the fierce nationalism that it has nurtured and espoused would also die with it is wrong.

Unless the AFP finally matures and starts deciding on what is good for the country, unless it stops to always being beholden to US wishes and interests, in short, unless our military starts becoming truly independent in mind and mission, we foresee that sooner than later, another social movement would arise calling for an end d to America’s political, economic and military control of the Philippines.

And that would not be communism or terrorism. It would be called militant nationalism.