OSAMA Bin Laden is dead. For the Americans and its allies he was as ‘terrorist’ a cold-blooded assassin. To the oppressed Muslims around the world Bin Laden was a hero , a martyr for their cause.

Now that Bin Laden is ‘terminated’ will the American soldiers leave Afghanistan at once?

To those who followed Bin Laden he was the symbol of al Qaeda. The United States can claim a great victory. Al Qaeda can proclaim his martyrdom.

According to STRATFOR an American Think Tank, “it is difficult to understand what this means at this moment, but it permits the Obama administration to claim victory, at least partially, over al Qaeda. It also opens the door for the beginning of a withdrawal from Afghanistan, regardless of the practical impact of bin Laden’s death. 

The mission in Afghanistan was to defeat al Qaeda, and with his death, a plausible claim can be made that the mission is complete. Again speculatively, it will be interesting to see how this affects U.S. strategy there.” ‘At this early hour, the only thing possible is speculation on the consequences of bin Laden’s death, and that speculation is inherently flawed. Still, the importance of his death has its consequences. Certainly one consequence will be a sense of triumph in the United States. For others it will be a call to war. “

In my interview with Prof. Rommel Banloi, Executive Director, Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, the possibility of symphaty attack is always there considering that the local terror group the Abu Sayyaf is recipient of funding from Bin Laden thru local Al Qaeda group.

However, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia, downplayed the possibility.

So be it.

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Before the whole nation went for the Lenten break the Inquirer in its headline said  that the American soldiers are back in Subic. Main reason because of the Tsunami that hit Japan. Washington is rethinking now  to review its security plan and is considering the Philippines again.

If we care to remember it was nature’s wrath- Mount Pinatubo eruption- that drove away the Americans from Subic,  now it’s nature’s wrath  – Japan quake and Tsunami that will make the American soldiers be back again in the Philippines not necessarily in Subic, may maybe in General Santos or Sulu.

A Manifest Destiny!

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The Philippines never run out  of shortages or crisis. Name it you have it. Fuel crisis. Rice crisis. Sugar Crisis. Water crisis to name a few.

Another crisis that caught my attention is the looming ‘Pilot crisis’ in the aviation industry. According to Capt Benhur Gomez of the OMNI flying school if the situation is not reversed, the local aviation industry will be affected adversely.

Right now, the number of Pilot Captains flying locally is dwindling, this the reason why some flights are cancelled, not because of labor problems .A number of Filipino pilots have been pirated by international airlines because of higher or good pay.

 

Capt Gomez, a veteran commercial pilot, appealed to the government to look into the local aviation industry before the ‘looming crisis’ becomes full blown.