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Useful idiot’s G.I. Joe toys DIE HARD III Herman Tiu Laurel 02/10/2012

Friday, February 10, 2012

Useful idiot’s G.I. Joe toys

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
02/10/2012
While the prosecution’s case in the Senate continues to crumble amid growing public revulsion, and with certain religious sects rallying in front of the Supreme Court (SC) against Malacañang’s assaults, the “useful idiot” in the Palace continues his inane programs serving US and Western interests.

The newest toys that BS Aquino III is acquiring for his policy of “territorial defense,” announced through his equally inane Defense Chief Voltaire Gazmin, include multi-purpose attack helicopters, destroyers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Earlier announced was the acquisition of a squadron of F-16s and Hamilton class cutters (of which one had been delivered, refurbished, and christened BRP Gregorio del Pilar). All these are part of a P70-billion (roughly P10 billion annual) modernization budget for eight years.

Considering that an F-16 costs around $70 million (or P3 billion each, fetching P36 billion for a squadron of 12), very little else can really be bought, with the ones already acquired either obsolete or soon to be so by the end of eight years.

The F-16 is a “fourth-generation jet fighter;” its military aviation technology is now classified as 6th generation. Meanwhile, China, the perceived “territorial threat” of Malacañang (with the obvious prodding of the US), already has an undisclosed fleet of Chengdu J-20s.

Further, unlike the Philippines, most Asean countries are already flying 5th generation fighters. Malaysia, another country that has territorial issues with us, has its F/A-18D Hornets, MiG-29 Fulcrum and Sukhoi Su-30. India, for its part, has developed the Sukhoi PAK FA with its Russian partners.

Given these realities, acquiring a squadron of F-16s is merely G.I. Joe stuff — toys for the really small boys.

And these are definitely no different from the World War II-vintage Hamilton cutters being bruited about by Malacañang. As for the UAVs already in the Philippines, even retired Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Gen. Ramon Farolan in his newspaper column suspects the recent bombing of the Abu Sayyaf lair in Sulu, allegedly killing its top three commanders, as being done by US UAVs — not PeNoy Broncos.

A Predator drone, widely used by the US in its operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, costs $4.5 million or P200 million each. Maybe it would cost a little less if it is only for surveillance and reconnaissance, but the drone itself is just a small part of an entire infrastructure consisting of satellite links, command and control, etc.

The yearning for multi-purpose attack helicopters by Malacañang and Gazmin is clearly out of synch with the real needs of the country, where several natural disasters affect hundreds of thousands of Filipinos, who are most often in desperate need of rescue and emergency airlift operations.

As for anti-submarine ships, Malacañang would do better to build up the Navy’s drydock facilities for repair and maintenance, as well as to focus on the building of ships to keep those still afloat floating and to produce new ones that run and don’t sink. In other words, we have to build our own shipbuilding capabilities.

It is now an old tenet that the strength of a nation is in its economic and industrial capacity for with it, a nation can build and buy the best. In the armaments arena, if you cannot have the latest then you are the most likely loser in a war.

The acquisition of G.I. Joe toy-weapons is useful only to the traders of these armaments, including US congressmen and senators who are peddling these in the Third World. G.I. Joe toys will do nothing to enhance the territorial defense of the Philippines especially when the real invaders have long infiltrated the country like the US, which already has its troops and drones in our territory all these years.

Even the purchase of G.I. Joe toy guns, ships and planes being directed by the real G.I. Joes is meant to sustain the Western economies and their defense industries now in dire straits — with funds taken from RP’s share in, say, Malampaya. It’s the classic “frying us in our own oil” scheme, where the US and its allies get to devour the feast.

If injected into the coconut industry to develop its downstream products and industries, P10 billion even just for a year would already start a massive economic upsurge.

There is a growing global demand for healthy nutritional alternatives that coconut provides, from the humble virgin coconut oil (VCO) to new anti-Alzheimer medication derived from it; to packaging and marketing of coconut water; to the development of “nutraceuticals” for the medical and beauty industries; to high-end chemicals with applications even in the explosives industry; to eco-textile against soil erosion for countries such as China. P10 billion for just one year injected into the local dairy industry can spur local production of dairy products that will save the country $1 billion in dairy imports every year.

Just think: Investments into these two grassroots agro-industrial commodities alone will help improve the income of at least 40 percent of the population in the agricultural sector and boost both the industrial and service sectors’ vitality.

Let us not play games with our nation’s future anymore. Only when we purge our nation of various foreign economic and political subversives can we get to provide ourselves with a stable economy — first, through a strong industrial base and, second, through a strong Armed Forces that will keep these pesky infiltrators out.
(Tune in to 1098AM, dwAD, Sulo ng Pilipino/Radyo OpinYon, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m.; watch Destiny Cable GNN’s HTL edition of Talk News TV, Saturdays, 8:15 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11:15 p.m., on “The struggle against the Rule of Farce;” visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus TV and radio archives)

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120210com6.html

Mossad hit-squads behind Iran scientists' murders - US official

Mossad hit-squads behind Iran scientists' murders - US official

Israel’s Mossad trained and financed a terrorist group that carried out a series of Hollywood-style assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists, unnamed US officials have revealed. Iran, however, believes the CIA was also sponsoring the killings.

­Two senior US officials confirmed to NBC that People’s Mujahideen of Iran dissident group (MEK) was to blame for the killing of Iranian scientists. “All your inclinations are correct,” said one of the officials in an interview, while speaking about MEK’s involvement in the assassinations and Israel’s support for the group.

At the same time the officials have denied US involvement with the group. After the latest attack on January 11, 2012, Iran’s Foreign Ministry claimed that it has evidence that the CIA provided “guidance, support and planning” for the operation..... MORE

SourceRT

URL: http://rt.com/news/iranian-scientists-assassinations-israel-923/

CNN: Peeing on dead Afghans is fine just don't joke about Beckham's underwear

CNN: Peeing on dead Afghans is fine just don't joke about Beckham's underwear


Apparently CNN is cool with its contributors Dana Loesch wanting to join American Marines to pee on the corpses of Afghans and Erick Erickson getting joy from “watching a hippie protester get tased.”

But don’t talk “ish” about David Beckham’s new H&M ad.

This after CNN made the choice to suspend Roland Martin a political contributor on Wednesday for the joke he made on Twitter about David Beckham advertising underwear..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/cnn-afghans-underwear-martin-931/

NATO airstrike kills Afghan children - Karzai

NATO airstrike kills Afghan children - Karzai


Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has accused NATO of killing eight children in an air strike on the country's territory. The incident adds to the already strained relationship between Afghanistan and its Western allies.

President Hamid Karzai strongly condemns the aerial bombing by foreign troops that killed a number of children in Nejrab district,” his office said in a statement on Thursday.

The Afghan leader has assigned a delegation to launch an all-out probe into the NATO bombing, which took place in the province of Kapisa on Wednesday..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/news/nato-kills-afghan-children-945/

Internet pirates winning the war on SOPA with "Tribler"

Internet pirates winning the war on SOPA with "Tribler"

The never-ending war between copyright holders and online pirates just entered a new phase. However, this time hackers are armed with the ultimate weapon that may grant them victory.

The new software called “Tribler” is the new weapon in the battle for Internet liberty and does not need a website to track users sharing torrent files.

According to The Raw Story, it is a “peer-to-peer network protocol that enables computers to share files with thousands of others.”.... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/internet-war-new-tribler-941/

On to week 5 NO HOLDS BARRED Armida Siguion-Reyna 02/10/2012

On to week 5

NO HOLDS BARRED
Armida Siguion-Reyna
02/10/2012
Just as people were saying the whole thing was getting boring, it all of a sudden wasn’t.
Day 14 of the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona at the Philippine Senate, and money in the millions were Facebooked and Twitted, announced on online newspapers and television network Web sites updated every hour on the hour.

To clarify, I’m not saying the stated amounts are correct and verified. Philippine Savings Bank president Pascual Garcia is steadfast and stubbornly sticking to his belief that he cannot reveal more than what the law allows him to. Told by senator-judges that the questions that are propounded are covered by the subpoenas, he seems not to care, it’s like wringing blood from a stone..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20120210com4.html

RP, US discuss increased defense alliance By Michaela P. del Callar 02/10/2012

RP, US discuss increased defense alliance

By Michaela P. del Callar 02/10/2012

Amid heightened terri-torial disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea, a senior US State Department official is currently in the country to meet with Philippine defense officials and discuss ways to further enhance military cooperation between Manila and Washington.

Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew Shapiro, the US Embassy said, “will consult with senior civilian and military officials on further enhancing broad defense and security cooperation for the mutual benefit of the United States and the Philippines.”

The visit, it added, is aimed at building on consultations from the recent US-Philippines bilateral security dialog in Washington..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120210hed5.html

PSBank’s Tiongson leaked CJ’s peso, dollar accounts—source By Ninez Cacho-Olivares Editor in-Chief 02/10/2012

‘NO SMALL LADY’ SEEN HANDING ENVELOPE TO PROSECUTOR IN SENATE CCTV

PSBank’s Tiongson leaked CJ’s peso, dollar accounts—source

By Ninez Cacho-Olivares Editor in-Chief 02/10/2012

The claimed “small lady” who supplied the prosecution with the the envelope that had copies of the Phililppine Savings Bank (PSBank) documents was none other than the Katipunan branch manager, Annabelle Tiongson, who had leaked this to a second “leak,” one Gigi Sawit who, in turn, gave the copies to blogger and stringer of the South China Morning Post, Raissa Robles, who then passed it on to the prosecutors, a impeachable source told the Tribune yesterday.

Lead Prosecutor Niel Tupas Jr. and prosecutor-congressman Rey Umali have been caught lying to the Senate impeachment court on their “small lady” story. He said it was an anonymous source who had handed him an envelope in the Senate premises containing the bank accounts of Chief Justice Renato Corona, as CCTV cameras of the Senate, which investigated the claim of Umali, showed no footage at all of anybody approaching the congressman..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120210hed1.html

VP Binay sends K9 unit to aid retrieval efforts in Negros 02/10/2012

VP Binay sends K9 unit to aid retrieval efforts in Negros

02/10/2012
The Office of the Vice President and Makati city government have dispatched a K9 and rescue team to assist in the retrieval efforts in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.

“We hope the K9 unit going to Negros can aid greatly in the retrieval operations, especially among the victims of the landslide,” Vice President Jejomar Binay said.

“We again appeal to our countrymen not to panic as these are normal after shocks after an earthquake. The government is ready to help you following the trgedy,” he added..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120210nat5.html

BSP advises public against proliferation of fake P150 bills 02/10/2012

BSP advises public against proliferation of fake P150 bills

02/10/2012
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) advised the public against the possible proliferation of fake P150 bills.

According to a statement from the Central Bank, there is no truth to reports circulating on the internet about the circulation of a P150 paper bill.

“The BSP has never issued nor is planning to issue such type of banknote. Therefore, any 150-piso commemorative note or similar banknote is fictitious,” the Central Bank said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120210nat4.html

More bodies from quake recovered By Mario J. Mallari 02/10/2012

More bodies from quake recovered

By Mario J. Mallari 02/10/2012

Four more bodies were recovered by disaster responders in Negros Oriental province, bringing to at least 30 people the death toll from the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Visayas region last Monday as ongoing massive search and retrieval operations are hampered by rains and aftershocks now being experience in the area.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director Undersecretary Benito Ramos said the four latest fatalities were recovered from a landslide in a remote village in Jimalalud town yesterday.

“Four more bodies were recovered…these were not among those reported missing earlier…they were buried in a landslide in Jimalalud town,” said Ramos..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20120210nat2.html

Ombudsman dared to act on 15 graft cases against gov By Arlie O. Calalo 02/10/2012

Ombudsman dared to act on 15 graft cases against gov

By Arlie O. Calalo 02/10/2012

Some Nueva Ecija farmers have trooped to the anti-graft office in Quezon City as they dared Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales to act on at least 15 graft cases filed against Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali.

Led by one Nestor Ordoa, the farmers group expressed disappointment over the long-delayed actions on the numerous cases, including the P15-million fertilizer scam that were filed against the governor.

We would not think that Ombudsman Carpio-Morales will give in to the wishes of those close to the governor and pressures because she was totally different from her predecessors, Ordoa said in Filipino..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120210met1.html

VP Binay bares cancer center for children 02/10/2012

VP Binay bares cancer center for children

02/10/2012
Vice President Jejomar Binay yesterday said the new Pediatric Cancer and Hematology Center of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) would help address the lack of specialized cancer centers in the country.

Binay, who was the guest of honor during the groundbreaking of the new P16-million cancer center, said construction of the 20-bed facility would end the need for patients and their families to “scour the land for referrals and cures.”

“Beneath a single roof, timely treatments and bona-fide specialists can be found,” he said..... MORE

SourceThe Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/metro/20120210met5.html

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