8/2/2019 5 Reasons to Oppose US Militarization
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Sender:5 Reasons to
Oppose US
Military
Intervention in
the Philippines
1. It violates the national sovereignty of the PhilippinesThe
arrival of US forces invariably involves some form of military
intervention including outright aggression, occupation and
colonization. Itwould be like people storming into your house,
moving their equipmentinto your bedroom, throwing out your stuff,
ordering you to cook and clean
for them, beating up your children and spouse, and informing you
thatyoud be responsible for continuing to pay rent as well as
supplying themwith meals and entertainment in return for protecting
your home.
2. The American people pay without a sayThe American people
never agreed to send US troops to the Philippines.
The current round of military exercises and deployment of US
troops tothe Philippines takes place under the terms of the
Visiting ForcesAgreementa treaty that was never ratified by the US
Senate, has no
implementing law and is not self-executing, but has been in
effect since1999. And it costs American taxpayers millions of
dollars every year
without any agreement or oversight by the Senateor the
Americanpeople.
3. Civilian deaths, displacement of thousands of families,
andother human rights violations will increaseEven before US troops
arrive, the US and Philippine military prepare
miles of land for military exercises by conducting clearing
operationsshorthand for kicking thousands of families out of their
homes and eventaking over schools to house US troops. Once the
troops land, conditions
get worse. US servicemen have fired on civilians, including
children inthe area whom soldiers mistook for wild pigs. The joint
exercises
between US and Philippine troops and use of US advisors to
thePhilippine military becomes even more questionable when you
considerthe Philippine militarys human rights record: 1,280
murders, 215
abductions, and 1,150 acts of torture against innocent civilians
since2001. If the Philippine military is perpetrating these
atrocities, what arethe US troops and advisors doing with them?
4. It is linked to increased prostitution, rape, and other
sexualoffenses, particularly against women and childrenAround US
bases and military encampments, the development of anentertainment
and service industry leads to a rise in the number of sexworkers
who are exposed to sexually transmitted disease and abuse US
servicemen. Young girls have been subjected to rape. And its
nowonder:A Marine Corps Times article published on April 8, 2012
said thatthe Philippines also are known for their raunchy party
atmosphere!Places such as Olongapo and Angeles City feature
notorious red-light
districts where alcohol and scantily clad women have attracted
manyMarines and sailors over the years!Thats what WestPac is: a lot
of fun,a lot of good partying and a lot to do. The Philippines is
left to deal with
the social costs from the rising sex trade and incidents of
rapewith theperpetrators allowed to go free.
5. The militarys toxic waste pollutes the environment for
decades and leads to deadly diseasesEnvironmental damage due to
military activities devastates communities
for generations. Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines,
through theconduct of numerous studies and investigations, is known
to have toxicPCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) that were left in
corroding powertransformers after 1991. In Subic, Filipino workers
at the former base
were forced to handle toxic waste, including burying it, and
swimmingthrough sewage to unclog pipes. Subsequent deaths of these
workersand children near the area have called attention to the
effects of these
wastes. A recent study by KALIKASAN-People's Network for
theEnvironment revealed that 800 out of 4,000 residents near Subic
Base
are afflicted with asbestosis. Today, residents return to their
villages afterthe military leave and find live ammunition, used
shells and casings, andland laid to waste that used to be used for
farming.
In the short-term and in the long-run, US militarization in
thePhilippines benefits no oneAmerican or Filipino.
US Out of the
Philippines!www.bayanusa.org
