THE US military presence in our country has been sold to us as a shield against external threats to our security. During the Cold War, US military presence in our country was meant to prevent us from falling into the sphere of communist influence. Yet as I pointed out in my column on February 27 (“Is EDCA really a deterrent”), EDCA is not really a deterrent. More than being a deterrent, US military presence in our country turns us more into a target. The US doesn’t take sides in the sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea.

Source: Manila Times March 07, 2018 16:07 UTC