America pivots back to Asia

http://www.arabnews.com/news/555806

America pivots back to Asia
Susan V. Ople
Published — Tuesday 15 April 2014
Last update 15 April 2014 12:21 am

The Philippines and the United States are embarking on an “Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation” (AEDC) that would increase the presence of US military troops in the Philippines on a “rotational” basis. US President Barack Obama is expected to witness the signing of said agreement when he visits Manila on April 28.

No one has seen a copy of the draft agreement, which will clearly not be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence. One needs to read between the lines of statements issued by the Philippine negotiating panel after every round of bilateral negotiations to decipher the vague contours of this new security cooperation:

l The enhanced defense cooperation will allow the sharing of defined areas within certain Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) facilities with elements of the US military on a rotational basis within parameters consistent with the Philippine Constitution and laws.

~snip~

What laws would protect Philippine workers employed under this agreement? What happens to wayward, abusive American soldiers? And yes, does the agreement mention anything at all about preventing human trafficking given how US troops and the currency they have serve also as a magnet for all kinds of social ills like prostitution? The devil as they always say, lurks in the details. The Philippine Senate has every right to assert its oversight function as the ratifier of all bilateral agreements. I hope it does, for the sake of national interest.