U.S. Troops Back in the Philippines

Over 600 U.S. troops arrived in the Philippines last week, amid public protest and debate, as part of the U.S. "War on Terrorism". The American troops are in the country through an executive agreement, which allows them to provide training and support to Filipino forces and defend themselves if they are attacked, but not to engage in any actual combat. The executive agreement was necessary because the Filipino constitution expressly forbids the presence of foreign soldiers fighting on the Philippines' sovereign soil.

The provision is part of the constitution for obvious reasons: the country was occupied by the U.S. military for over half a century, with tens of thousands of American troops remaining stationed there throughout the period of the Cold War. While the two countries are officially allies, the appeal of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to American troops to assist in the fight against the Muslim Abu Sayyaf organization in the south has been met with outrage by many in the Philippines. There is growing concern that the U.S. may try to use their "War on Terrorism" as a pretext for re-establishing military bases in the Philippines.

This concern was heightened when U.S. Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) said the Philippines was going to be the "next Afghanistan". As well, rumours have been circulating in the media that American troops also plan to provide training and support to Filipino army and police forces in their attempts to crush the country's growing leftist guerilla movements.

With the American troops greeted by protesters marching under the banner "U.S. terrorist troops Go Home!", Arroyo, who faced similar protests in her visit to Canada last week, has called a meeting of the National Security Council to discuss the situation. Arroyo has repeatedly tried to defend the American troops, but calls for her impeachment over the question are growing.