Two Systems one Justice
This is my comment to a post by Philippines Phil. I want to share it with you. If you have been in the military station or visiting the Philippines, you should thing before you act. If you want to read more about this case read Philippines Phil blog.
I did follow the case and the verdict, however, not from your vantage point. This Smith's kid is guilty of rape by the facts, the evidence, and the law, however, if not “rape” for stupidity. Un-consensual sex by any mean is rape. Smith is a victim of circumstance. Since you are very knowledgeable on these kinds of incidence, there were a similar incidence in Okinawa, whereas, the Japan government wanted to expel the entire U.S. military. In fact, it is still considering it in a diplomatic way. I grant that one incidence is not the cause but it is the affect because these incidences built upon each other.
Back to the Smith case: he will not serve 40 years in a Philippine jail, trust me. This case is all about the Filipino maintaining their dignity and sovereignty. That is the real issue. Are you knowledgeable on the Status of Force Agreement that the U.S. have in most country with a U.S. present? This agreement stripe a sovereign country of any jurisdiction regarding military personnel. Is it fair? In a Muslin country Smith would have receive the death penalty and a likely chance of being carry out depending upon it relationship with the U.S. Smith will be pardon and release to U.S. custom in a few years. In the mean time, some kind of compensation to the victim is likely
Something about me: I am retired AF too, my first visit there was 1965. I have live there for a long, long, time in Angeles. My wife is also Filipina. My kids were born there, and I have close in-laws relationship there with business dealing. I feel a great personal relationship with Filipino people; how they are respected in their own country. Remember, we are always a guest in other country never forget that. This may or may not apply to the Philippines but you know the phase “Ugly-American.” Incidence what we are discussing generate that sentiment. Most foreigners like us as individuals but as a whole, we are still the “Ugly-American.”
I did follow the case and the verdict, however, not from your vantage point. This Smith's kid is guilty of rape by the facts, the evidence, and the law, however, if not “rape” for stupidity. Un-consensual sex by any mean is rape. Smith is a victim of circumstance. Since you are very knowledgeable on these kinds of incidence, there were a similar incidence in Okinawa, whereas, the Japan government wanted to expel the entire U.S. military. In fact, it is still considering it in a diplomatic way. I grant that one incidence is not the cause but it is the affect because these incidences built upon each other.
Back to the Smith case: he will not serve 40 years in a Philippine jail, trust me. This case is all about the Filipino maintaining their dignity and sovereignty. That is the real issue. Are you knowledgeable on the Status of Force Agreement that the U.S. have in most country with a U.S. present? This agreement stripe a sovereign country of any jurisdiction regarding military personnel. Is it fair? In a Muslin country Smith would have receive the death penalty and a likely chance of being carry out depending upon it relationship with the U.S. Smith will be pardon and release to U.S. custom in a few years. In the mean time, some kind of compensation to the victim is likely
Something about me: I am retired AF too, my first visit there was 1965. I have live there for a long, long, time in Angeles. My wife is also Filipina. My kids were born there, and I have close in-laws relationship there with business dealing. I feel a great personal relationship with Filipino people; how they are respected in their own country. Remember, we are always a guest in other country never forget that. This may or may not apply to the Philippines but you know the phase “Ugly-American.” Incidence what we are discussing generate that sentiment. Most foreigners like us as individuals but as a whole, we are still the “Ugly-American.”
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