Wednesday, May 8, 2024

CPP/Ang Bayan: Ang mga “makasaysayang aktibidad” ng Balikatan 39-24

Propaganda article from the Tagalog language edition of Ang Bayan posted to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Philippine Revolution Web Central (PRWC) Website (May 7, 2024): Ang mga “makasaysayang aktibidad” ng Balikatan 39-24 (The “historical activities” of Balikatan 39-24)
 




May 07, 2024

Sinasabi ng US na ang kasalukuyang Balikatan 39-24 ay “makasaysayan” at marami sa mga aktibidad dito ay isasagawa sa “unang pagkakataon.” Kasabay nito, inianunsyo ng Armed Forces of the Philippines ang kunwa’y “pagpihit” nito sa eksternal na depensa alinsunod sa estratehiyang Comprehensive Archipelagic Coastal Defense (CACD) bilang “direktang tugon” sa “agresyon” ng China sa karagatan ng Pilipinas. Nagbigay-daan ito sa pagpwesto ng US ng opensibong mga armas, pagtambak ng dagdag pang pwersa sa bansa, at pagsagawa ng mga mapandigmang mga maniobra sa South China Sea, lahat sa tabing ng “pagdepensa” sa Pilipinas.

Sa unang pagkakataon, dinala ng US ang Balikatan labas sa teritoryong dagat ng Pilipinas, kasama ang pwersang nabal ng France. Bago nito, isinagawa ng US ang “makasaysayang” maniobrang pandagat kasama ang Pilipinas, Australia at Japan.

“Makasaysayan” din nitong idineploy sa bansa at sa Asia ang bagong Typhon Missile System (TMS), na binubuo ng apat na missile launcher na may kapasidad na magpalipad ng misayl sa layong 1,600 kilometro. Ang mga missile launcher na ito ay sinimulang imanupaktura matapos lamang ibasura ng US noong 2019 ang Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, isang kasunduan sa pagitan nito at ng Russia. Tinatawag ng US na “susing bahagi” ang TMS sa binubuo nitong mga Multi-Domain Task Force o mga espesyal na yunit militar para higitan ang kapabilidad-militar ng China at Russia. Katambal ng TMS ang HIMARS na una nang idineploy sa Pilipinas noong Balikatan 2023.

Nagpasok ang US ng gawang-Israel na missile defense system at kaakibat nitong mga misayl na Patriot para gamiting pandepensa sa upisyal at di upisyal na mga “EDCA site.” Sa unang pagkakataon, bahagi ng kasalukuyang Balikatan ang pagsasanay ng US sa mga pwersa ng AFP sa pagpapalipad ng mga surface-to-air missile na gagamitin sa naturang sistemang pandepensa.

Sa taong ito, buo nang pinakikinabangan ng US ang mga “EDCA site” na minadaling kumpunihin at itayo ng mga pwersa ng AFP simula maupo si Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Isa sa pinakagamit ang sibilyang paliparan sa Lallo, Cagayan, gayundin ang daungan sa dating Subic US Military Base at ang mga inilatag ng AFP na pasilidad sa Balabac Island sa Palawan at sa isla ng Mavulis sa Batanes.
Reaksyon ng China

Hindi alintana ng China ang opensibong katangian ng pinakahuling mga hakbang ng US sa Pilipinas at South China Sea. Inakusahan nito ang US ng paghahabol ng “unilateral na bentaheng militar” mismo sa tarangkahan nito. Tinawag nitong mapanganib ang pagpupwesto ng mga opensibong armas sa Pilipinas dahil nagpapataas ito ng posibilidad ng “maling pagtaya at miskalkulasyon.” Anito, “banta sa istablidad at kapayapaan” ng rehiyon ang gayong mga hakbang.

Pinayuhan din ng China ang Pilipinas na “maging mapagbantay sa tunay na layunin ng US” at iwasang magpagamit nang hindi nito namamalayan. Anito, dapat pag-isipan ng gubyerno ni Marcos ang pagiging sunud-sunuran nito sa US sa kapinsalaan ng sarili nitong seguridad.

Mula nang isagawa ng US ang “pihit” nito sa Asia noong huling bahagi ng 2011, tuluy-tuloy na nitong pinalakas at pinatatag ang dominasyon nito sa rehiyon. Pinalaki nito ang bilang ng mga tropang nakadeploy sa mga base militar nito sa Australia, Japan at Korea. Binalikan ang luma at nagpatayo ito ng mga bagong base sa Pilipinas.

Pinalaki at pinalawak ang inilunsad nitong mga war games. Noong 2021-2023, may naitalang 525 malaking pagsasanay militar sa South Asia, Southeast Asia at Australia. Ang 60% ng mga ito ay pinangunahan o nilahukan ng US kasama ang mga alyado nito. Nasa 87% ng malalaking pagsasanay militar sa Pilipinas ay isinagawa ng US. Susun-suson ang mga aktibidad militar ng US sa mga bansang nasa “first-island chain” o mga islang pinakamalapit sa palibot ng China.

Naging hudyat sa China ang “pagpihit” ng US sa Asia noong 2011 na patapos na ang pakikipagsabwatan ng US dito at papasok na ito sa panahon ng papaigting na kumprontasyon. Noon pa man, malinaw sa China ang estratehikong layunin ng karibal nitong imperyalista na pagharian ang Asia. Bilang kontra-hakbang, sinimulan nitong magpalawak ng presensyang militar sa South China Sea, kabilang sa malaon nang pinag-aawayang mga islang malapit sa Japan (Senseku Islands), Vietnam (Paracelis) at Pilipinas (Spratlys).

ENGLISH TRANSLATION: The “historical activities” of Balikatan 39-24

The US says the current Balikatan 39-24 is "historic" and many of the activities here will be conducted "for the first time." At the same time, the Armed Forces of the Philippines announced its supposed "turn" in external defense in accordance with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Coastal Defense (CACD) strategy as a "direct response" to China's "aggression" in Philippine waters. This allowed the US to station offensive weapons, pile more forces in the country, and conduct military maneuvers in the South China Sea, all under the guise of "defending" the Philippines.

For the first time, the US took the Balikatan out of Philippine territorial waters, along with French naval forces. Before this, the US conducted the "historic" naval maneuver with the Philippines, Australia and Japan.

It also "historically" deployed in the country and in Asia the new Typhon Missile System (TMS), which consists of four missile launchers with the capacity to fly a missile at a distance of 1,600 kilometers. These missile launchers began to be manufactured only after the US in 2019 scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, an agreement between it and Russia. The US calls the TMS a "key part" of its Multi-Domain Task Forces or special military units to surpass the military capabilities of China and Russia. TMS is partnered with HIMARS, which was first deployed in the Philippines during Balikatan 2023.

The US has introduced an Israeli-made missile defense system and its associated Patriot missiles for defensive use at official and unofficial “EDCA sites.” For the first time, part of the current Balikatan is the US training of AFP forces in flying surface-to-air missiles that will be used in such a defense system.

This year, the US is taking full advantage of the "EDCA sites" that were hastily repaired and built by the AFP forces since Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office. One of the most used is the civilian airport in Lallo, Cagayan, as well as the port at the former Subic US Military Base and the AFP facilities on Balabac Island in Palawan and Mavulis island in Batanes.

China's reaction

China does not mind the offensive nature of the US's latest moves in the Philippines and the South China Sea. It accused the US of claiming "unilateral military advantage" right at its gate. It called the deployment of offensive weapons in the Philippines dangerous because it increases the possibility of "miscalculations and miscalculations." According to him, such measures are a "threat to the stability and peace" of the region.

China also advised the Philippines to "be alert to the true intentions of the US" and avoid using it without its knowledge. This said, the Marcos government should think about its subservience to the US at the expense of its own security.

Since the US carried out its "pivot" in Asia in late 2011, it has steadily strengthened and consolidated its dominance in the region. It has increased the number of troops deployed at its military bases in Australia, Japan and Korea. It returned the old one and built new bases in the Philippines.

Enlarged and expanded its launched war games. In 2021-2023, there were recorded 525 major military exercises in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia. 60% of these were led or participated by the US along with its allies. About 87% of the major military exercises in the Philippines were conducted by the US. US military activities will be phased in the countries in the "first-island chain" or islands closest to China.

The US's "pivot" to Asia in 2011 signaled to China that the US's cooperation with it was coming to an end and that it was about to enter a period of intensifying confrontation. Since then, China has been clear about the strategic goal of its imperialist rival to dominate Asia. As a countermeasure, it has begun to expand its military presence in the South China Sea, including the long-disputed islands near Japan (Senseku Islands), Vietnam (Paracelis) and the Philippines (Spratlys).

[Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines and is issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and views on current issues. Ang Bayan comes out fortnightly and is published in Pilipino, Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.]
https://philippinerevolution.nu/2024/05/07/ang-mga-makasaysayang-aktibidad-ng-balikatan-39-24/

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