PH share in US’ $95-B war financing package: Zero right now
THE United States’ unprecedented $95-billion supplemental financing package consisting of three bills passed by the US Congress and signed into law last February 24 by President Joe Biden is essentially to fund two existing wars by its proxies, and a third one expected against the superpower in the region, China.
This consists of $61 billion to aid Ukraine fight Russia and $26 billion for Israel to continue its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza.
Some $4 billion was allocated to Taiwan to deter an alleged Chinese plan to take over its rogue state and $3 billion to build its war machine in the Pacific and South China Sea — $2 billion for two nuclear submarines and $1 billion for submarine bases.
Pity the Philippines. Nothing in that package is earmarked for it, which has put itself in the crosshairs of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army missiles by giving the US nine military camps, including two of our international airports to use to wage war against the superpower. (Text of HR 8036 called “Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024” can be accessed at https://ift.tt/63jn752).
However, the US House of Representatives on Tuesday issued a press release: “The extensive lobbying efforts of the Philippine delegation, led by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, paid off as the US House of Representatives approved an $8.1 billion emergency aid package for key allies in the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines.”
Romualdez’s lobbying efforts resulted in a boon for the US military-industrial complex and for Taiwan? Talk about ridiculous credit-grabbing.
Inaccurate
Romualdez’s statement is grossly inaccurate, although an article the next day in his newspaper, the Manila Standard, repeated the lie with the headline “$8.1 billion aid includes $500m to PH.”
The $8.1-billion aid is the third component of the $95-billion war financing package titled “Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill, 2024” (House Resolution 8036). However, the bill doesn’t mention the Philippines at all and consists mainly of $3.3 billion to build up “submarine infrastructure” in the Pacific and $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan.
There was a last-minute attempt by California 48th District Rep. Darrell Issa to include an amendment to the Indo-Pacific Security Bill for the US State Department to allocate $500 million in foreign military financing to the Philippines. Issa’s amendment, however, was not included in the bill the House sent to the Senate which approved it, along with the bills relating to Ukraine and Israel, and transmitted to President Biden for approval.
The Philippines, of course, in all likelihood, will get some share in the US’ war-financing and China-encircling package since it would be in the category of countries termed “major non-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies and the Indo-Pacific region,” eligible under the coming law to receive foreign military assistance as well as foreign military sales.
Why would the US Congress refuse to allocate a specific amount to the Philippines? There could be two reasons.
One, it thinks that the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration is such a puppet state already that it doesn’t need to etch in stone (i.e., in a US law) the amount it would give the Philippines, in exchange for being a pawn in its coming war with China.
Two, the US intends to use it as a carrot to ensure the Philippines continues to be such a vassal. If Marcos tells the US he would reduce the number of military camps the Americans can use or even, by a miracle end the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) that authorized these “EDCA facilities,” it can drastically reduce the military aid to the Philippines that could be drawn out of the supplemental financing package. The EDCA has an initial term of 10 years to end April 28 next week, which, however, is automatically in force unless terminated by either party with a one-year notice.
Troubling
The $95-billion supplemental package, especially the “Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill, 2024” is very troubling for the region and for the world. It’s not too speculative to say that it can trigger war — even a nuclear one — in our part of the world. The aid package means the US as a nation — its Congress after all represents it — has formally announced it will throw its might to prevent China from recovering its rogue province Taiwan. To do this, it will even build submarine bases and two nuclear submarines.
What do you think China’s response to this will be? It will similarly, but probably secretly, move to build its own war machine for a war against the US. The US has triggered an arms race in our part of the world, and in Europe and the Middle East as well.
However, the Indo-Pacific Security financial package is a text-book case of how the US military-industrial complex works in the US, that there is a reason for the Americans’ war madness. An article on the website of the US Foreign Policy Research Institute explained in the case off the Indo-Pacific Security financial package:
“In total, $3.3 billion has been appropriated to support the submarine industrial base. While this investment will certainly bolster deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, it will have a much more immediate impact on American jobs. Some $1.9 billion was designated for the construction of a Columbia-class submarine and $200 million for a Virginia-class submarine.
“The vast majority of this money will be spent in the United States. Groton, Connecticut and Newport News, Virginia are the two largest submarine shipyards and will benefit from this influx of cash. However, Groton and Newport News will not be the only beneficiaries.
“More than 16,000 suppliers across all 50 states contribute to the submarine industrial base and will benefit from this new appropriation. Additionally, $7 million was appropriated for research and development, supporting numerous laboratories and research facilities.
“Nearly half of the Indo-Pacific appropriations directly reinforce the submarine industrial base. While this investment will enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, the immediate impact will be supporting the American economy.”
Damn these Americans.
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PH share in US’ $95-B war financing package: Zero right now
Source: Breaking News PH
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