Commissioned!

By Rolo B. Cena
The Gulf Files
Dumaguete Star Informer
12 September 2010


Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - US President Barrack Obama announced that he is firmly and finally ending Iraq war and will move to win peace in the Middle East. He has convened series of peace talks with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders highlighting the positive but shaky US role as a negotiator.

Should Obama do this?

The answer is yes.

President Obama should do this for political, economic and humanitarian reasons. Political because the moment Obama fails, he may lose the second seat which is far more pressing than ousting the presence of the US in the Mid-East and the Gulf region. Economic because ousting the presence of the US in the area is as pressing and demanding as being dethroned as the world’s economic superpower. Humanitarian because thousands of young and innocent lives have been offered to end this long-running wars, how many more precious lives can be killed due to this highly commercialized and business-propelled, stupid war?

President Noynoy Aquino in his early days in office vowed to end the war against the Abu Sayyaf. Underscoring his hopeful but precarious move, his administration may, according to the press release, resort to charter change just to address objectively the long-running rebellion in the south. Noynoy will employ his own version of peace negotiation process, the same strategy his mother, former President Corazon Aquino introduced during her coup-decorated administration.

Should Noynoy do this?

The answer is yes.

President Noynoy should do ending the armed conflict in the south for political, economic and humanitarian reasons. Political because the ideology of these rebels to separate Mindanao from the Imperial Manila is as absurd as freeing former President Arroyo from graft and corruption charges that never have been decided during her tenure. Economic because insurgencies have slowed down economic activities, shied away foreign investments and drastically aborted the influx of tourists into the country. Humanitarian because thousands of lives have been sacrificed with the aim of ending this long-running cannibalistic and grotesque expression of ideology, and how many more lives, innocent or not, can be fueled to this damaging exercise?

Will the two presidents ever succeed in their respective and individual mission?

I will hold my breath on this!

Former President George Bush’ belief on Iraq as the potential “beacon of liberty in the Middle East” does not seem to make sense anymore. The Iraq war will never be punctuated with full stop, in the same manner as the Israeli-Palestine conflict can’t. Debatably though, President Obama’s belief that he can do more as an emissary of peace than a leader of war in the Middle East cannot be discounted and underscored, he is himself an Islam by genes. Pragmatically, this conflict between and among Arabs is rooted by their own selfish interests and malicious application of their Islamic Laws and beliefs.

Lately, several suicide bombings in Iraq have been reported; scores died while attending to job applications and interviews. Called an “ambassador of death” dedicated to its archenemy Israel, Iran announced its un-manned, 620 kph missile bomber that can instantly wreak eternal havoc. Israel still maintains its position to its nuclear power program. Afghanistan is still unstable.

While President Obama believes that his move is brilliant and prudent in dotting the Middle East conflict, this can only be resolved the Arabs themselves. It would make sense if Arab leaders convene and talk among themselves than solicit support from other countries whose interests are always hidden.

Arguably, war has become a strategic business partner of the First World.

The threatening rebellion of Abu Sayyaf in southern Philippines does not only exist; it lives in and among us Filipinos. It has become a system, a culture. It was created during the Marcos regime. President Cory negotiated for peace and somehow slowed down their pace; President Ramos did the same. The intensity of the conflict grew worse. President Erap negotiated for peace and waged offensive war against them. President Arroyo negotiated for peace, but due to series of insurgencies and kidnappings, consequently waged war.

Did any administration win any battle against the Abus?

The answer is no.

For as long as greed rules the historic and the hotly envied Palace by the dirt-stricken Pasig River, war like the Abu’s will never be culminated. Greed breeds discontent; discontent wages war.

Commissioned! Two presidents using the same strategy: Will anyone of them ever succeed in disarming the most hostile breed of separatists and terrorists and win peace over the long-running, stupid war in their respective area of responsibility and ultimately preserve human lives ever after?

In Islam, to kill a non-Islam in the name of Allah and Prophet Mohammad is worth gratitude in heaven.