History has taught us that every time a huge economy is bellying up there is a tendency to find a foreign shore to export its basic industry. In the case of the United States, its defense establishment, which is the base of its industrial complex, has to look for foreign shores to be dumping ground of its retiring warships, planes, helicopters, etc. Then if dumping ground is not feasible, defense export receipts become the basis of trade. Such is also what is happening to Russia. After the Cold War, rogue states have been the basis of exporting armaments and ordnance of war.

“Agreed locations” is such a value neutral concept when taken on a stand-alone basis. Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA defines “agreed locations” as “facilities and areas that are provided if by the Government of the Philippines through the AFP and that United States forces and United States contractors, and others mutually agreed, shall have the right to access and use.” Interestingly, under Article 1 (4), agreed locations may be listed in an annex to be appended to this Agreement, and may be further described in implementing arrangements. The use of “may” is directory and therefore not obligatory. This would mean agreed locations can be the whole country unlike then, when it was Clark and Subic.

Premium + Digital Edition

Ad-free access


P 80 per month
(billed annually at P 960)
  • Unlimited ad-free access to website articles
  • Limited offer: Subscribe today and get digital edition access for free (accessible with up to 3 devices)

TRY FREE FOR 14 DAYS
See details
See details