Under the VFA:
Further imperialist aggression

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

More than a year has passed since the reactionary senate ratified the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Through this and other military agreements, the US continues to provide strategic, logistical, intelligence and moral support to the reactionary AFP. US imperialism would like to ensure that it could rely on the puppet armed forces to suppress the revolutionary movement in the Philippines and safeguard the joint dictatorship of the US and local reactionary classes in the country and that the AFP remains an effective instument in advancing US interests in the Asia-Pacific region.

The following series of military trainings held this year after Balikatan 2000 in January-March provide vivid proof of heightening US presence and military activity in different parts of the country:

Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training or CARAT 2000. First held in the Philippines (Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija) in June, CARAT's objective was to strengthen cooperation between the American and Philippine Marine Corps, which "may one day fight side-by-side in the same battlefield" and train troops in patrol tactics and techniques, squad and platoon small arms live fire and placing demolition. This is a series of military exercises between the US and Asian countries.

Flash Piston 007. This comprised two training exercises held from August 4 to August 28 in Toledo City, Cebu participated in by a US Navy SEALS 16-man team and a team from the Philippine Navy Special Warfare Group. Flash Piston 007 included underwater demolition, weapons familiarization, sniper training, direct actions and field training exercises.

Balance Piston 00-05. Held from August 15 to September 22 in Clark Air Base, Pampanga and Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija, Balance Piston 00-05 involved a combined "jump school" training of 90 members of the "A-Team" (better known as the elite Green Berets unit or US Special Forces), the US Air Force 35th Special Operations Group and the Philippine Army's Special Operations Command. The Green Berets have expertise in conducting commando operations in any kind of environment and have the capacity to develop, organize, equip, train and advise or direct special operations of local forces of up to battalion size in different countries.

Marsurvex 00-04. Comprising training in coordinated intelligence operations, it was held on September 26-28 along the coasts of Mindoro Occidental and Pangasinan. Members of the US Navy and Philippine Navy and Air Force participated in this training.

Palah 01-01. Currently being held in the towns of Subic and San Antonio, Zambales, Palah 01-01 participants are elements of the Philippine Navy and US Navy SEALS. It began on October 16 and is set to end in the first week of November.

The supposed purpose of these trainings is to "establish regional security to counter piracy, terrorism and other crimes, as well as to protect evacuation centers and cope with natural calamities." But as they are generally characterized by training on land, air and sea commando operations, paratrooping and small-unit operations, the beefing up of potential rapid deployment forces as well as the use of tactical satellite communication, burst transmission, high-frequency radios and global positioning for communication systems, the trainings are evidently directed towards the pursuit and annihilation of revolutionary movements launching guerrilla warfare.

These are all within the framework of the US' forward deployment strategy, a main component of which is the permanent presence of the US Navy's Seventh Fleet in the Asia-Pacific region. Through this strategy, the US is confident that it can swiftly deploy troops anywhere in the Asia-Pacific to the Middle East where it has a war of aggression. The US has access to seaports, airports and other facilities in countries like the Philippines where it has an existing VFA or other military agreements. Aside from the Philippines, the US has bilateral military agreements with Thailand, South Korea, Japan and Australia. These countries launch about 300 military exercises in Asia every year.

Meanwhile, the US has further strengthened its military relations with the puppet regime in the Philippines. When Estrada visited his imperialist master in July, one of the main items on the agenda was a request for military aid for the AFP. In response, US President William Clinton granted Estrada military equipment amounting to $105 million: eight UH-1H or Huey helicopters, 100 trucks, spare parts for the repair of eight C-130 airplanes, one Coast Guard cutter and two patrol boats.

That the visits of imperialist envoys US Defense Secretary William Cohen and US Pacific troops commander Adm. Dennis Blaire were timed with the joint military exercises on September 15 and September 24 respectively, again indicate the US� seriousness in ensuring that the AFP and the reactionary Estrada regime remain loyal and effective instruments of counterrevolution in the Philippines and Asia.

October 2000
English Edition

	Editorial: Take advantage of the grave political crisis of the ruling system! Advance and further strengthen the revolutionary movement!
	The economy continues to decline amid the political crisis
	Teaching to struggle: Oppressed situation of teachers
	A toxic legacy
	Under the VFA: Further imperialist aggression
	Under the VFA: Abuses by American troops
	The United Nations: Apologist for imperialism
	News of the people�s struggle