Philippine Pride

"WHAT do Australian Prime Minister John Howard and American President George W. Bush have in common? They have criticized the Philippines but their criticism is based on policies increasingly rejected by their own people... The Philippine pullout is not a betrayal of American policy. Rather, it is the bitter fruit of American policy...

In truth, the Philippine government has embraced its own people, something beyond the ken of leaders such as Howard and Bush, and even Blair, who are famously contemptuous of public opinion at home. Blair, Bush and Howard ... suffer from the myopia of dictators while still being subject to being turned out of office by their own people.

The Philippines can at least say that it was willing, as the Spaniards were willing, to pay the price of democracy. Which is: to listen to the people; to obey the injunction that public office requires listening to the public; and living up to the higher considerations that are supposed to motivate democracies.

A country that looks after its own, and which can turn its back on a policy proven to be based on the deception and fraud of allies, is a country much more qualified to engage in an honorable relationship with other nations. "

More here.