RedBlueThoughts

It seems that the Palace and the AFP are not seeing eye to eye. Malacanang said there will be no Basilan offensives. While Palace trumpeters say there’s no war, on Fort Aguinaldo, AFP Chief of Staff Esperon is giving a pep talk on thousands of soldiers who are going to be sent to war. Ulamas in Mindanao already issued a warning to the administration that war will definitely set back peace efforts in the already war-torn place.

The US and the EU have issued separate statements with one singular message–don’t go to war in Mindanao. If you do, then we’ll slash our defense donations. I heard other donor countries will likewise do a similar act. These are signs Madame President that Western countries don’t want a war in Mindanao. If you pursue this course, there’s a BIG Possibility that you’ll not last another year in the Palace.

DON’T GO TO WAR. People are already thinking that this is deja vu. They’re thinking its 2000 all over again. And you know what happened in 2000–when Erap went to war then, it further weakened his hold in the military.

THIS MIGHT HAPPEN TO ARROYO. A costly war will deplete the public coffers. And this war in Mindanao will definitely be an expensive one.

THIS WAR IS A BIG BLUNDER. Moro rebels, I heard, are well prepared. Your military’s morale is at the lowest ebbs. If you send these soldiers to war, they will suffer defeat. If they do, you are courting disaster. A disaster that will lead to your eventual ouster.

WAR weakens states. The country has barely recovered from a long slump. A war will debilitate efforts in Mindanao. It will further breed fundamentalism. It will definitely bolster the ranks of the Moro rebels, bringing your administration to its knees.

A war in the North and another in the South are very costly, Madame President. Don’t listen to your advisers. They are out to get you.

Should you go this course of action, you court widespread withdrawal of support.

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I told you so. This administration will never allow Trillianes to sit as senator. The Makati RTC issued a decision disallowing Trillianes to attend Senate sessions.

For as long as Esperon holds power, Trillianes will never assume power as Senator of this Republic.

The question now looms—que est?