I find it amusing, and yet not surprising at all, that the cases of the Filipino peacekeepers assigned to the United Nations and of the Gilas Pilipinas Basketball team going to play in the FIBA tournament in Spain are being held up in social media as indicators of Filipino “courage”, and consequently, Filipino pride.
The Filipino peacekeepers in the UN were engaged in a firefight with hostile militants in the Golan Heights. As certain analysts pointed out, the Filipino soldiers could have simply laid down their arms and surrendered, then they probably would have been beheaded by their captors. But the soldiers did not surrender, and they fought the hostiles until help arrived which enabled them to escape. And now, that they didn’t surrender and defended their position is being held up as an example of “Filipino courage as a whole”.
The Gilas Pilipinas Basketball team certainly appears to be outmatched in height and skill by their opponents in the FIBA tournament in Spain. Both the fans and the team members themselves like to argue, however, that they more than make up for it with laban (fighting spirit), and puso (heart). The result of their first game against Croatia, however, was an overtime loss. And once again, Filipinos love to play up the underdog card, the “courage in the face of overwhelming odds” thing, and the “if only the referees didn’t miss a few calls” excuse.
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I guess some things don’t change. Hindi makamove-on sa pagkatalo. But I digress.
We certainly don’t want to take away from the efforts of both the peacekeepers and the Gilas team, but I would have to consider showing courage as part of the job, and to be expected. Leave it to the Filipinos to make a mountain out of a molehill with their kababayans who simply do things properly, and those who simply do the right thing even in the face of very unfavorable – terrifying even – circumstances.
In fact, that is an often used quote about courage: “Courage isn’t just a matter of not being frightened. It’s being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.”
The real point I want to make, however, is this: if Filipinos are so proud of their so-called “courage”, then where’s the display and demonstration of it back home, where it matters the most?
The cases of the peacekeepers and the Gilas team appear to be extraordinary to Filipinos especially since both of them happened on foreign soil. But location does not really matter; Filipinos have a need to be courageous in their own backyard as well. They are currently facing a government that has not delivered on its promises to its people and is much too absorbed with perpetuating its power and position. They are up against a government which does not care about the deteriorating basic needs and services that they have failed to provide. They are up against the old system of patronage and pakitang-tao politics that have characterized the Philippines landscape for decades. They are up against their own inability to adapt to change and to take criticism and critical analysis. Worst of all, they are facing their own cultural dysfunction, apathy, indifference, and their lack of follow-through in fixing the overall sorry state of their society.
Taken from: http://izquotes.com/quote/262164
It has long been said that more than cowardice, conformity is the enemy of courage. Filipinos have long been afraid to speak up because of their fear of ostracism. They have long been unable to handle criticism to their benefit due to their hypersensitive character. They have long been conditioned to conform because of their deference to tradition and “the old-guard” even in the face of overwhelming evidence that the old ways don’t necessarily work anymore.
Filipinos must find in themselves the courage to speak up against what does not work in their society. They must find in themselves the courage to stop treating their public servants as kings and queens who cannot be admonished and are infallible. They need to find the courage to stop being lazy both physically and intellectually. They need to find the courage to promote the right type of thinking and the right type of discussion and debate in their society.
All of these will be a big step forward for Filipinos simply because they cannot find it in themselves to do the unpopular but right thing.
Is it as easy as I make it sound? I thought Filipinos were proud of being courageous. Isn’t it high time that they do show that collective strength of character that they boast of?
А вы, друзья, как ни садитесь, все в музыканты не годитесь. – But you, my friends, however you sit, not all as musicians fit.
It’s nothing but sweet talking the fact that Filipinos are actually cowards. The most courageous act is to think for yourself, which is something that basically does not exist in the Philippines.
Noynoy would be courageous if he did one of two things : 1) campaign on the fact he has no accomplishments that set him apart from his opponents . 2) come out of the closet . But we all know there has never been a brave man anywhere who kept pointing to his mommy,
Sending paid idiots and trolls to protect him from criticisms definitely doesn’t count as being “Courageous”.
Coming up with a blatantly fake clamour for another term for him counts as being desperate.
I don’t know much about Filipinos but we have many in Australia and the more I interact with them, the more I realize it’s a bunch of weak cowards with nothing between their legs. Avoiding confrontation and gossiping are feminine behaviors. It has nothing to do with bravery. I never went to Philippines but don’t want imagine the result of such shitty mentalities in an overpopulated country.
The women in The Philippines usually have a lot between their legs. I mean they have a lot of Dicks between their legs.
Ha Ha, and to think that every time some relatively attractive woman gets within a hundred meters of (a)Noy(ing)every media source immediately tabs that female as his new GF. Everyone who keeps their eyes open knows that the only gays in town are not barbers. Just think how much better of the country would be if Mommy Cory had waited a few months to pass away so her kid would not have been drafted to continue her inept ways.
Is that the worse thing you can say about the president; that he is gay and a mediocre politician? No wonder he remains popular. I am gay and proud of it. I walk down the street arm and arm with my lover. Does that make me brave or foolish? Neither one…actually.
Would we prefer that our leaders be absolutely honest? Especially if they ran on a platform espousing transparency? Of course we would. However, given the conservative nature of this society and the entrenched homophobic sentiment that many of the commentators on GRP continue to express; it is understandable why someone would be reticent to be forthcoming about their personal life.
Noynoy would be courageous if he gave up pork… if he gave Hacienda Lucita to the workers…if he stood up to the corporate robber barons who keep raising prices on basic commodities and keep workers exploited with their anti-labor practices…if he would speak up against the evil of political dynastic rule and vote buying…etc.,etc.,etc.
Courage? What courage? There was no real firefight between the Islamic miltants and the Filipino peacekeepers. In actual firefights;there would be casualties: death or wounded.
To magnify such “pusturahan”, as courage is riduculous. So, they ESCAPED…that means they did not really fight.
It is like the Courage of Aquino, during the Hostage Crissis in Luneta….he jumped into his Hole…and that means courage to him.
Filipinos cannot take defeat…so they rationalize their defeat…we just say: they did not play well…so, they were defeated…
Hasn’t the Filipino language warped ‘bold’ to mean ‘nude?’ It follows that they don’t understand the meaning of courage either.
actually it’s worse: ‘bold’ means xxx-rated porno.
If indeed, we- the Filipinos, are truly courageous, how come we are still chained to our colonial past, and not excelling in all aspects of nation building?
We lack courage in redefining our place in the global arena.
Courage is doing what is sound, brilliant and right, even confronted by fear and the outcome could be tragic,yet carry on just the same.
We are just breathing, going to a direction that we don‘t know.
Proud to be Pinoy? What for?
ANC is now calling it “the great escape” like its some kind of heroic effort in the face of impossible odds while, at the same time, belittling the Fijian Troops for getting captured.People should understand a few things…
1) The UN AFP troops were captured and held captive twice at the same location by Libyan Rebels before this incident.
2) This time, the AFP retreated “undercover of darkness” and with foreign assistance. In short, they abandoned their posts.
3) The Fijians did NOT retreat. They stayed at their posts.
The news media and Filipinos in general chastise the Fijians for doing their duty while the AFP gets “praise” for running away? WTF? That’s like saying “Dunkirk” was a huge victory for the British or the US “departure” from Viet Nam was a glorious achievement. NO! Call it a “tactical withdraw” or retreat it all boils down to the same thing. They left their posts instead of standing against the enemy!
Another 2015 MMFF entry: “The Great Escape” :-S
Would you rather have our soldiers share the same fate as the Fijians by handing over their arms and trusting on the magnanimity of ISIS insurgents to let them walk free as they promised, because honor and chivalry and what else?
My knowledge of military matters is as spotty as yours, but at least 1) I admit that, and 2) pending further information, their refusing their superior’s orders to hand over their arms to ISIS is fully justifiable, as was their retreat, while you’d rather have them waste their lives re-enacting Lord Tennyson’s “Charge of the Light Brigade”.
Pallacertus,
Do you realize that ISIS and al-Nusra Front are two different organizations? And that it is actually the latter, al-Nusra, and not ISIS that the UN peacekeepers fought against? Are you too daft to recognize the difference or just plain ignorant?
I’m going to go with “just plain ignorant”, if that sates you — but in my defense, I don’t see why I should’ve doubted what channels 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 trumpeted at the time, that ISIS and only ISIS controlled portions of Syria and Iraq. (I haven’t heard about this al-Nusra Front either before now, but I’ll check on it later.)
I don’t see how my ignorance of which terrorist group (or mujahedin, or Syrian rebel forces, or whatever) attacked UN positions at Golan Heights is supposed to be anything other than splitting hairs, but then I like humoring people.
Pallacertus,
The ISIS controlled portion of Syria (northeast Syria) is far away from the Golan Heights (southwest). Moreover, Al-Nusra Front is an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, and therefore has enmity with the IS and has exchanged fire with them on several occasions (Al-Qaeda and IS are contesting each other for leadership of the global Islamist jihad).
I’d rather trust foreign policy publications and think tanks, articles by foreign policy experts, security analyses, statements by foreign ministries, and the US state department to inform me of the Mideast geopolitical situation than some cheap local news channels in the Philippines. Hell, I’d rather trust what the leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri says when he disavowed ISIS.
If you’re this ignorant of basic facts, why make a fool of yourself by commenting here?
Jetlag,
I don’t know about the previous incidents when the Filipino troops got captured, nor do I find their overall relevance in this discussion.
So the point you’re making is that it was wrong for them to surrender and get captured before, and it is still wrong of them now with this latest incident to fight back and stand their ground against the rebels for 7 hours until they were rescued? To you it seems they simply can do no right can they? They might as well perform hara-kiri while they’re at it since no course of action they can possibly take can be right to you.
I think the important thing to consider here is the whole point FallenAngel is trying to convey in this article all along, and that is that the Philippine news media is overblowing the heroism spin in reporting this and that Filipinos are gladly eating it all up. It’s also wrong of them to give the impression that the Fijians are somehow inferior. We all know that the Philippine media has an ulterior nationalistic and racial agenda going hand in hand with status-quo political agendas, and that most Filipinos are too stupid to recognize that – that much is obvious.
Whether one has served in the military for X number of years or whether one is Thor the God of Thunder is worth jack shit if the point still stands. I for one would’t want al-Qaeda affiliated rebels to gain another leverage in the form of hostages or weapons. So in this specific instance, the Filipino soldiers made the better decision this time.
Libyan rebels in the Golan Heights ??
I beg to disagree…
1. Our military peacekeepers in the Golan heights area held the line for a while. These men are just combat infantry without armor or air support.
2. Military expediency called for a retrograde
operation to keep the unit intact to fight another day. The enemy rebel soldiers would have certainly surrounded them and once captured they would be all ransomed or murdered on the spot.
3. You can call it a tactical withdrawal, retreat or retrograde operation. They left the area for a reason. The orders were not to hold. They were not considered as expendable to hold the line to the last man. Since they held the line for a while I will not judge the unit or its commanders as cowards. Shalom!
It was Irish troops that helped the Filipino infantry withdraw from the area. Are the fighting Irish to be considered cowardly in doing so? No ladies and gentlemen! Orders are orders and both units followed it to the letter!
The Irish Troops, the Regiment they come from, their Government and News Media are NOT celebrating it as a victory… THAT is the point! What part of this don’t you understand?
I’m am not saying that they are “cowards”. Absolutely NOT. My point is the manner in which the Philippine News Media has been glamorizing the incident and, at the same time, demeaning the Fijian Peacekeepers who were captured. In my opinion, the AFP and the local news media should just mention the incident, give statements of “thanks” that their men are safe and at least give some mention of regret or dismay that there are still UN Personnel being held. A situation the AFP should know all to well since it was not that long ago when they were held captive TWICE! True professionals do not celebrate defeat ESPECIALLY when members of the same organization they themselves belong to (UN Golan Heights Peacekeeping Force) are still in grave danger!
They “held the line for a while”? WTF does that mean? I know Contractors that have “held the line” for a lot longer than that and under far worse conditions with even less “kit” than the UN had.
I’m not saying it was a bad idea to retreat but don’t try to pass it off as some overwhelming victory! That would be lifting a 2nd place winner of American Idol to hero status. At least the Fijians hung in there! If anyone should be praised, its THEM!
I researched the news. For their lack of military skill the Fijians got captured. The Filipino Infantry are better warriors. They also follow orders.
OK genius! If the “Filipino Infantry are better warriors”; then how do you explain the 2 (TWO) previous incidents where AFP/UN Peacekeepers were TAKEN HOSTAGE? Better warriors? As for the Fijians lacking in skills; compared to who? The AFP? You’re probably right. But… The Fijians held their post! See, you may have to “research the news” to get points. All I have to do is remember. And I remember when a Fijian PSD Team working in Basra was ambushed. One KIA. The remaining Team Members went back into Basra that very night, raided the building in which the attack originated, found the bad guys and lit them up. If you’re only fallback is to chastise the Fijians, then you’re just proving my point…
@ Thomas Jefferson, OH Horse-shit ! “They are better warrioirs’, what a bunch of shit. The UN peace-keepers, all of them, are in hostile territory facing superior weaponry that was captured when the USA Army just left the weapons there. The Filipino troops were willing to fight and they did for a while and then they were given re-enforcements and that is what enabled their escape. It doesn’t matter that the re-enforcements were Irish (they could have been Martians !) it just doesn’t.
Motars and missiles and bullets do not give a shit what nationality the soldier is. IDK what the Fijians did but they were under direct orders to do as they did with what armaments they had. The fact that they have been captured is sad, not a reflection of their ability to wage war. They are there as peace-keepers…DUH ! Going into hostile territory with less than adequate means to defend a position speaks of courage in and of itself.
So give that yap of yours a rest Jeff, you make an idiot out yourself so often that your beginning to sound like DOMO.
It is not “courage” to fight to avoid death by beheading. Fear did that and to say otherwise is disingenuous at best and more accurately, a lie.
@ Jerry, it is ‘Courageous’ to stand and fight when you are scared (in fear), yes it is. To be in ‘Fear’ (scared) and run away is not ‘Courageous’ nor is it cowardice (when the attacker has overwhelming superiority) but simply intelligent to live to fight/die another day.
There is no courage involved when a person, or group of people defend themselves out fear of death by beheading. Are you high? you must be to make such an inane remark.
I guess, Jerry Lynch, that includes ALL people that work under threat. They ALL have no courage at all.
Thanks for your incisive analysis, Jerry Lynch.
U R ACTING LIKE A FLIP JERRY,read it again, it is what the guy says it is !
@ Jetlag
You must be tired not to get the point. Orders are orders… the Philippine infantry was withdrawn to fight another day. They suffered no defeat and they certainly are not cowards! You have to be in the military to understand that there is victory when a unit lives to fight another day. Yes I was with the military in the 70’s and 80’s. I repeat OUR TROOPS ARE NOT COWARDS!
What part of “I’m am not saying that they are “cowards”” did you not understand? WTF? Can you read English? I “have to be in the military to understand”? Try Former US Navy and worked for three Private Military Contractors in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, etc… Its obvious that your definition of “defeat” is vastly different from those of my Country…
@Jetlag/Jerry
Did you understand the title of the article and its implications of cowardice? How about the honor of the men who fought in the Golan Heights area of operations? So what if you were US Navy? I was a Scout Ranger in the Philippine Army. There is “victory” when a unit survives intact without casualties to fight another day.
It was a defeat by an overwhelming force no matter how you spin it. It is not embarrassing to be defeated by a much larger force, but it is extremely embarrassing to claim a victory when you were rescued and managed to not die.
@TJ
These are your own words:
“You have to be in the military to understand that there is victory when a unit lives to fight another day. Yes I was with the military in the 70′s and 80′s.”
“So what if you were US Navy? I was a Scout Ranger in the Philippine Army.”
I find it hard to believe that you served any time at all in the Military. In fact, I find it hard to believe that you even posses the basic knowledge of Military Engagement/s. Go back to playing Battlefront on your PC. Adults are having a discussion!
As for “cowardice”, YOU are the only one using that word in this thread.
It is no “victory” to survive and be rescued by some other force. Get real why don’t you. The men fought because they were afraid of being killed by having their heads lopped off.
@ Jerry, if you read what this guy Thomas Jefferson,writes here in this blog for a few days you will no doubt see that the guy is a FLIPin IDIOT ! get it? F-L-I-P ,as in flip the story ! He thinks he is good at it but is really just a FLIPin idiot. He really is ! OMG !
Okay…we just call it: “tactical withdrawal with the help of the Irish Forces”. Not to drum it up as: “courage”, “heroism”, “victory”…etc…as
as reported by the YellowTard Propaganda Machine…
We thank the Filipino U.N. Peacekeepers for their sacrifices, to keep the peace…
STOOPID DOG !
SNIPPETS FROM THE PHILIPPINE STAR
You are all wrong read the Philippine Star today Sept. 2, 2014 page 8 headlines. “Pinoys defied UN commander’s order to surrender.” Pahiya kayo ano?
“By defying orders from their Indian commander, the 40 Filipino peacekeepers belonging to the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF)managed to hold their ground and avoid being overpowered by attacking al-Qaeda-linked Syrian rebels last Saturday.” Our troops did not surrender their weapons.
“Catapang said the Filipino troops’ decision to hold their ground AND FIGHT THE REBELS FOR MORE THAN SEVEN HOURS LAST SATURDAY was well within the self-security protection mandate of the UN. PAHIYA KAYO ANO?
Ours troops were supposed to have surrendered their weapons to the rebels but they did not. You better believe that this old Scout Ranger operated and trained people before in the 70’s and 80’s. BASHING YOUR OWN TROOPS SHOWS WHAT YOU ARE. THEY NEVER SURRENDERED AND THEY RELOCATED TO FIGHT AGAIN ANOTHER DAY! ANO PAHIYANG PAHIYA KAYO! VICTORY WITH WEAPONS INTACT AND NO CASUALTIES! YOU GUYS REEK WITH DEFEATISM! MABUHAY ANG SUNDALONG FILIPINO! MATAPANG AT TUNAY NA KAWAL!
Seven hours of battle and no casualties? Dead or wounded…
What a waste of bullets…and it defies the imagination…Philippine Star is a YellowTard Propaganda Machine…
So, they not only RETREATED but they DISOBEYED ORDERS in the process… You may want to find sources of information OUTSIDE the Philippines to get an alternate point of view… The Philippine news media is just repeating what they were told from the AFP as per usual.
“Relocated”? Dude! How many different terms are you going to use. Just call it what it was. The RETREATED (period). That’s like GMA referring to the removal of AFP Troops from Iraq as “standing up to the USA.” No! It was not standing up to the USA, it was BOWING DOWN TO TERRORISTS! I suppose you think Paquiao didn’t get knocked out… He was just taking a nap, right?
Oh! Just for your information; the AFP are not my troops and the Philippines is not my country… What part of U.S. Navy did you miss?
@Jetlag
If you were US Navy before you should know that when a ship takes evasive action it does so for a reason. If the ship successfully survives a surface action and runs for it… This does not mean that the second in command disobeyed orders since they have the command option to resume or break off a surface engagement. When and if the ship survives without losses there is no defeat just a victory of sorts at having survived immense odds. In the same manner a Filipino infantry unit commander under the UN can countermand an order from a foreign commander and not surrender their weapons or wave the white flag when there are other options to take. You see our weapons and ammo cost money and no true red blooded commander will surrender them and our honor. Again there is a victory of sorts when the unit fully armed and geared up survives. By the way, the foreign commander is being investigated by the UN.
You want us to surrender and bow to the terrorists? No way!
You’re a special kind of “stupid” aren’t you.
@ Jetlag, he sure is !!! him and his buddy Jon Saint !!! The Dynamic Dunces!!
Oh…maybe both sides do not know how to shoot…you can shoot easily with automatic weapons…it still defies imagination..
“We certainly don’t want to take away from the efforts of both the peacekeepers and the Gilas team,”
You just did. By saying that what they did should not be noteworthy at all.
Cite the part where I used those exact words “what they did should not be noteworthy at all”, plez.
You didn’t say those exact words, of course. But you said this:
“but I would have to consider showing courage as part of the job, and to be expected. Leave it to the Filipinos to make a mountain out of a molehill with their kababayans who simply do things properly, and those who simply do the right thing even in the face of very unfavorable – terrifying even – circumstances.”
The problem with you and this site is that you expect these achievements to not be celebrated at all. You cringe at the idea that Filipinos are proud about it. They are just “part of the job” and Filipinos are just making “a mountain out of a molehill” by being happy and proud about it.
Your words: “so-called “courage”.” My, my, FallenAngel. How brave you think you are.
The only thing to be “celebrated” is that the men did not die. They were afraid for their lives and fought from fear, not courage or bravery. It is typical Pinoy blather to hype the actions as “brave” or “courageous” or some similar thing. Celebrate their survival but stop trumpeting bogus “Filipino Pride” crap please. The real world knows what happened and nothing heroic about it. The world is laughing at all the hype.
What do you care, Jerry Lynch, if we were happy that they survived and escaped without shitting their pants? Would it have satisfied you that they died in a firefight? Or would you have been happy if they surrendered? I think the only thing that will satisfy you is if they killed every last one of the terrorists like Rambo. Hahahahahaha!
That’s the thing that bugs me with this site and the contributing writers here: they are ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED if the Filipinos are happy about something THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT. I mean being happy and celebratory about the survival of your countrymen in adverse circumstances is not something to split hairs about: you commend them for BEING BRAVE and feel happy about it. But nooooooooo, we don’t even have that right because the soldiers there were “just doing their job” and “fought from fear, not courage or bravery.” Because that’s the issue here: you don’t like it when we celebrate things that don’t meet your high and mighty approval.
I assume you are not Filipino. What nationality are you? I have to ask.
In response to the pasted portion below:
“That’s the thing that bugs me with this site and the contributing writers here: they are ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED if the Filipinos are happy about something THEY ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT. I mean being happy and celebratory about the survival of your countrymen in adverse circumstances is not something to split hairs about: you commend them for BEING BRAVE and feel happy about it. But nooooooooo, we don’t even have that right because the soldiers there were “just doing their job” and “fought from fear, not courage or bravery.”
Nobody wants Filipinos to not feel happy when something good happens. What intelligent, reasoning people are criticizing is the xenophobic chest thumping and self-aggrandizing being spewed as if the accident of birth that made you Filipino somehow made you superhuman and extra brave because you managed not to die or that you blamed the officials in a basketball game for not allowing your team to win. (To win at basketball you have to play as a team and learn to PASS the ball!!!)
Filipinos have little to be proud of other than the exploits of 2 or 3 boxers and on occasion, some beauty contestant or singer. By the way, The last several singing contestants have been only HALF Filipino but no thrift is given to the Mexican or other heritage of those individuals. You treat the other heritage as if it is a defect that needs to be overcome. All the beauty contestants from this country seem to be chosen for those traits that make them look the most European and the least Filipino. Damn, the natural Filipino woman should be mostly dark skinned and should not look like a clone of some Scandinavian girl with black hair.
When this country develops its own space vehicle and sends Filipinos into space THEN the person who gets in that device and puts his faith in “Filipino ingenuity and quality craftsmanship will be a TRULY COURAGEOUS PERSON! You are an island nation with some of the largest gold reserves on earth yet the “flagship of your canoe navy is a 70 year old retired US Coast Guard cutter? This blog is called “Get Real Philippines” and while I sometimes think the writer is a bit harsh, he is mostly accurate and the most virulent attacks against him come from those small-minded people who feel CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM is an insult. If you feel insulted by such criticism, you are the problem and you need to look in the mirror to see what is wrong with this backward country.
This site is what I call “self-righteousness porn.” Under the guise of wanting to help their countrymen, you people are just giddy in criticizing the faults of your countrymen, of which there are many. I enjoy doing that too from time to time, you see, so I don’t think what you’re doing is necessarily douchey. But when you shoot down Filipinos for FEELING HAPPY about feel-good stories, it betrays what REALLY gets you people off: telling Filipinos that they suck.
Don’t deny it. It feels good, right?
@domo Why do you automatically accuse me as a noytard? You don’t know me and you definitely do not know who I voted for. So I posted a dissenting opinion, I am automatically a noytard. It’s as if only noytards have dissenting opinions in Get Your Head Out Of Your Ass Philippines. Bwahahahahaha!
But I guess that’s another Filipino weakness: JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS. Maybe benign0 and FallenAngel can discuss that next time and use your post as an example. Bwahahahahahahaha!
superlucky 20: I think what the bloggers at GRP are attacking is not people feeling good about themselves; but the lazy thinking and herd mentality that usually accompanies this type of chauvinistic flag waving.
Feeling good about one’s self is more about the acceptance of one’s own limitations, than the bravado of proclaiming, “look how wonderful I am!” That is a hollow boast and smacks of being compensatory .
@Superlucky I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the comments here.
@Seabee, this site does the following modus operandi: tear down the Filipino and, basically that’s it. They figure this tough love, bad cop approach will get results. This will just alienate the casual reader and will only get self-important Filipino bashers as sympathizers.
This write-up sums it up completely. In his desire to dish out tough love FallenAngel belittled the courage of Filipinos and afterwards directing that belittling towards his own agenda: Noynoy hate. I find it odd that anyone needs to downsize the efforts of the peacekeepers and Gilas as something less than courageous. But I guess he had an agenda: “real” courage involves doing what FallenAngel feels is important. The point I want to say is that he didn’t need to qualify the efforts of the peacekeepers and Gilas as “so-called courage” just to push his agenda.
And I also find it odd that thinking that the peackeepers and Gilas as courageous as “chauvinistic flag waving.” Do you even enjoy hearing feel-good stories? Do you even enjoy watching sports? Can’t you enjoy these without thinking that noytards and jologs will use these events as trophies? 🙂 Maybe you don’t enjoy these stories at all and prefer to find other bad news to hold a pity party around. You know, just in keeping with the theme that Filipinos suck?
Superlucky20: You do not have to look hard to find examples of courage by filipino people. My friend’s destitute mother who lived on the side of the railroad tracks for 20 years and raised eight children after her husband deserted her, is one such example. Her three oldest sons have graduated from college. This an example of human courage; not specifically filipino. Pinoy Pride is a phony form of ethnic chest thumping which is a distraction from the dialogue of change and reform that should be taking place.
You people are so paranoid about Pinoy Pride or even the threat of Pinoy Pride it’s ridiculous. Even trivial events that have no ulterior motives are cause for suspicion. It’s almost as if you are ashamed of being Filipino and urge others to do the same.
@Jerry Lynch, it seems that the happiness of others for the achievements of their countrymen is spoiling your appreciation of those same achievements. The problem is that your obsession with Pinoy Pride or even the threat of it makes you people look like paranoid androids. These events are examples. There is no apparent Pinoy Pride instances on the events themselves but you are ANTICIPATING that other Pinoys will proclaim Pinoy Pride in these cases. But you criticize the events themselves in the process while you are ANTICIPATING the UNWANTED REACTION to happen. The worse part is that you push personal agendas while thrashing these events. Belittling the courage of the peacekeepers and Gilas just because you are anticipating a Pinoy Pride reaction is distasteful to me.
@ superlucky20 I would recommend that you read what Jetlag807 wrote. He simply spent more time in analysis than I did. I have lived in this country and contributed positively to the economy for 11 years and every single word that Jetlag wrote is 100% accurate. I will however tell you why I don’t watch Filipino basketball even though I love basketball. The entire concept that basketball is a TEAM sport seems alien to Filipinos. More often than not the first person to touch the ball is the one who shoots the ball regardless of who might have an open shot.
This is an immature country full of uneducated, immature lazy, xenophobic people and if you had any sense at all you would remove every single government official from office and replace them with people with no government experience at all. get rid of dynasties, get rid of corruption, the pork barrel by any name and get someone to teach you how to build and manage infrastructure.
The Philippines is said to have the second largest gold reserves on earth so why are you abjectly poor as a nation? Why do you all have to cum in your jeans when some HALF Filipino wins a beauty contest or talent show or when some boxer wins a fight? You have ample sun and wind and also the ability to harness the tides for electric production so why do you have constant blackouts, especially in Mindanao, the best farming country in the nation?
You need to get off your collective asses and DO something that you can actually be proud of instead of losing a battle & then 3 straight basketball games in which you blame the refs instead of just accepting your lumps like men.
Develop a car industry, mine some minerals properly, win some gold medals in the Olympics (never will happen in basketball or boxing but there are lots of sports for small people). Wrestling, taekwando, diving, gymnastics, canoeing, sailing, weightlifting, badminton and on and on, yet you always put all your eggs in the boxing basket. No Filipino will ever win an Olympic gold in boxing because anyone any good turns pro.
The article doesn‘t belittle or mock the courage shown by AFP Troops in Golan Heights and by that of Gilas.
What is being questioned is the kind (or lack) of courage the Filipinos have here back home.
Just look at our way of life here, are we demonstrating courage to make things better for country?
Looks like you posted this comment twice due to a correction. I removed the first one. Thanks.
The truth from the Daily Tribune…
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/pinoy-peacekeepers-defied-undof-chief-want-singh-probed-for-order
The truth “Thomas Jefferson”, is that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about and even less of an idea of what me and others are trying to point out to you… One more thing regarding your surface action scenario. There are times when it is prudent to break contact and withdraw but, and this is the point you keep missing, we DON’T glorify it or try to pass it off as a freaking victory!
We’re done here!
@Jetlag
Thank you for validating the kind of persons you are. I am entitled to freedom of speech, expression and my own opinion. You called me names. That just makes me laugh! LOL! I was with the best of the best.I still say it is a victory of sorts when our infantry withdrew to fight another day intact, with firearms and gear… without casualties. The Daily Tribune link was truthful and it is an opposition newspaper. I am betting you will call me names again.
Honestly? I think if those Fijians got away unscathed, the Fiji news media and the country would have made a big thing out of it too.
Same with the FIBA tournament, remember USA during the FIFA?
Its human nature to empathize to something even remotely connected to one’s race or country. That is just the way how things work.
These people want us to analyze every aspect about it and THEN decide if we should be happy or not. Hahahahahahahaha!
Escapist much positive pushing pinoy praydist?
Kemeo: That is not how things work. That is stupidity. One’s race and country are accidents of birth. Why feel proud of the coincidence that you share some of the same features with a person or group of people who accomplished something due to their own hard work and diligence.
That is like a fan in a football stadium screaming, “We won!” An example of heroism to me are the Doctors Without Borders and other health workers who are tending to the sick in ebola infested Africa. Now that takes guts!
See my comment above. Sea Bee is a fine example.
@Sea Bee
Then are those US fans stupid then, or any other sports fan for that matter? Should the country not be glad that the soldiers came home unscathed? I mean we did send them into a war after all.
As much as you hate or call them stupid, that is how human nature work, cry all you want it won’t change a thing. That is how having a country works. (I know it sucks) If you want to change it go create a revolution.
If we think about it, I wonder how would all those people who were cheered upon feel if all their “fans” didn’t bother to cheer them and no one thinks what they are doing is special and is just to be excepted?
For the soldiers sure maybe that is a given, but for the Gilas team? Sporting as an institution would perish. (No fans no sports)
At any point the crux of the article is why are the Filipinos not courageous enough (hence the title) on the stuff that matters. Its quite hard to fathom why the people here are debating whether or not its right to cheer on one’s own country, when the article ‘s main point lies elsewhere. XD
Kemeo: I love to watch sports and I am continually amazed at the incredible performances of these special people. However, to claim that filipinos are a courageous people because of Manny Pacquiao’s championship, is ridiculous.
It takes courage to think for yourself and not follow the herd.
superlucky 20: Our reason is what elevates us above the Animal Kingdom. Being ruled exclusively by our emotions makes us susceptible to priests and politicians who use the “us against them” fiction to gain personal power; at our expense.
See: definitions of: “critical thinking” and “demagoguery”
Yeah sure, being happy that the peacekeepers survived and Gilas did what they did (lose in style haha) makes me an uncritical thinker and a political pawn! I’m so stupid! I should have predicted the implications of being happy that Filipinos survived and not be tambak in a basketball game! Help me, o Enlightened One! 🙂
superlucky 20: You don’t seem to understand what I have written. Let me see if I can express it in a way that you can comprehend. FILIPINOS ARE NO BETTER AND NO WORSE THAN ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. THEY ARE SIMPLY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN.
To say that filipinos have special qualities that other people do not have, like courage and dignity smacks of being a nazi.
Be happy and proud of your individual achievements. If you must identify with a group; try HUMANITY.
Proud lang sa nagawa ng bansa (o sa nagawa ng ilan sa atin, if that clicks with you), Nazi agad?
Yes, a lot of the nationalistic sentiment is hype and emotion, but some of it is sentiment over achievements molded by and/or wedded to our national identity. While it’s true that we don’t have much that we as a nation could be proud of, that’s not to say we can’t use it for good.
Of course not, Filipinos are not superior. But why do you have to imply that to every event? The peacekeepers and Gilas DO NOT IMPLY that we are superior to anyone. Remember, GILAS LOST. You people are so paranoid that SOMEONE will proclaim that Filipinos are superior, which is wrong, that EVERY event that happens to Pinoys anywhere is something to be suspicious about. That’s nuts.
Why are you complaining of dissenting opinions? You have a grand time bashing all things Filipino like it was going out of style and then complain that someone is bashing you and your ilk? Stop making me laugh with your onion skin. Benign0 should have a word with you. You are not practicing what you preach.
As this site says: I BEG TO DIFFER. 🙂
So you prefer to live in mediocrity while this country is becoming a shithole? And cite specifics about this site being anti-Filipino plez because obviously you’re just another emotard bitching GRP that you always jump to conclusions. Ang pinoy nga naman oo ginagamit palagi ang puso hindi ang utak.
And btw, you’re just another example of what benign0 wrote in his article: a palamunin.
You people are so self-important and self-righteous, it’s laughable. It’s kind of fun to poke you and see how you’ll react. I find it hypocritical how thin-skinned and paranoid you people are; exactly the type of people you are supposedly superior to. But that’s to be expected because you’re still a Filipino no matter how much you try to believe you’re Scandinavian. 🙂 So emotional. Benign0 will not be pleased.
“You people are so self-important and self-righteous, it’s laughable.”
Implying that being a critical thinker is a sin. Are you watching too much sensationalized shows you drama queen?
“I find it hypocritical how thin-skinned and paranoid you people are”
You may call it paranoid. We call it progressive thinking. Just admit the fact that you hate progress because you love mediocrity and very proud of it since you’re a sperm cell.
“But that’s to be expected because you’re still a Filipino no matter how much you try to believe you’re Scandinavian.”
Yeah we are Filipinos indeed while you are a pinoy, a ghetto version of Filipino which is also called Failipino.
For future reference, since it seems that important to you all, I am not a paid hack by Noynoy or anyone related to Noynoy. I am not a paid anything is what I’m saying. I’m just a part-time naysayer.
This essay is just mean-spirited and the patrons here are as paranoid as hell.
Ah too emo to handle the truth for you emotard? pinoy nga naman oo ginagamit palagi ang puso hindi ang utak. Btw you’re just making pnoy very proud thanks to your dysfunctional mindset.
Hello, fellow poster. Nice seeing a contrairy voice here, although one more articulate than I am.
This essay is mean-spirited and pedantic in its efforts to clamp down on even reasonable and universal expressions of joy and relief, and the usual suspects here have a lot of issues, but then this is GRP for you: the line between the criticism of sociocultural norms and sheer exultant negativity can and will be blurred. A society as fractured as ours, a nation-in-spurts if you will, will tend to do wonders to those who are too impressed by that fact.
(Yes, wonders. Think of all the efforts to raise the collective into something approaching self-respect if not self-identity from Rizal’s time onwards, and see how quickly they are shot down. How wondrous indeed.)
Don’t be so harsh on them.
So lies, exaggerations, and sensationalism are acceptable to you as long as they raise collective spirits (or warp them into something racist, ignorant and xenophobic as Pinoy Pride) and that any attempt calling people on their BS is mean-spirited and pedantic?
Nationalism is not only a bunch of lies, exaggerations, and sensationalism, though there is a bit of all in there, or else silver-tongued politicians through the ages wouldn’t have used it for whatever purposes they had in mind.
To be honest, I don’t know what else there is to see with nationalism (a lifetime soaked in negativity, for lack of a better word, will do that to you), but I do know that it can be used for good as well as bad, as Jose Rizal has shown.
(At the very least, no one will claim that his brains are his to treasure alone.)
If Rizal were living today, his views would probably be too negative for you too. I believe GRP and like-minded folks are realists, who have far sharper critical thinking faculties than most Filipinos. We just sort of like to call a spade, a spade, and it would do Filipinos a whole lot of service if they’d avoid sugarcoating things for some warped sense of positivity and feel-good vibes, and become mature enough to admit their faults and limitations and do something real to surpass those limitations, just like what they have people do in rehabilitation seminars for alcoholics or drug addicts – by letting them admit their faults, take full personal responsibility for them, and overcome them.
If admitting to a problem and taking full personal responsibility to it is to you just wallowing in negativity, and if everyone followed your line of thinking, then the Philippines will never ever be a great nation.
I think I’ll stay a while and teach Pinoys like you to respect other opinions. You’re such a typical Pinoy, Hyden. So intolerant. Benign0 should lecture you on that.
Let me be clear. I am very happy that the United Nations Philippine Troops did not suffer any casualties and all men are accounted for after the so-called “7 hour engagement” at the Gaza Strip. This is something everyone should feel good about but, considering the circumstances of the incident and the fact that another UN Peacekeeping Team involved in the same attack is still being held by the Syrian Rebels, discretion and propriety should be the order of the day especially where the AFP Command is concerned. It was not my intention to re-direct the theme of the article. Actually, I don’t follow Philippine Basketball (for reasons I won’t go into) so the fact that they lost or the reason (excuses) as to why they lost means nothing to me. My intention was merely to point out what I viewed as a sad attempt by the AFP and Philippine News Media to instill pride in Filipinos for something that “normal people” would find embarrassing.
Contrary to what a few people on this Thread believe, there is a strict definition for the terms “Victory” or “Success” when speaking in terms of Military Engagement or Conflict. Whether the engagement occurs on sea, land or in the air, “victory” is claimed ONLY when the objective of the mission is achieved to a reasonable standard. Forgive me but I will use an example which was made famous in a movie in hopes of those lacking “operational knowledge” (and there’s nothing wrong with that) will be able to automatically relate to. Operation Red Wings, Afghanistan 2005, was popularized in a novel by Marc Luttrell and later adapted to the screen entitled “Lone Survivor”. Without delving to deeply into the plot; the mission was (in a nutshell) to initiate surveillance and reconnaissance of high-level enemy locations and then capture or kill enemy leadership. Needless to say, the Operation failed on multiple levels. The Recon Team was ambushed, the QRF Team suffered heavy losses and when the smoke cleared, Luttrell (the “Lone Survivor”) was rescued with the help of Afghani Tribesmen. Operation Red Wings was, for all intents and purposes, a failure. The fact that a US Navy SEAL Team was involved notwithstanding, there was no overt celebration at Dept. of Defense. There was no “victory dance” from the news media or US Citizens for the rescue of Marc Luttrell. If anything, there was a subdued feeling of relief that at least one guy made it out alive. Because no matter how good one might feel about the safe return of Luttrell, that feeling is immediately replaced by the realization of how many lives were lost during the operation.
In the Philippines, however, the exact opposite occurs. I won’t go into the “why” and “what for” again. I’ve already clearly stated that in previous posts. I will say this… It sickens me to see the AFP leadership and the Philippine news media go to such great lengths to pass the incident in Gaza as a victory especially when there are still members of the same (UN) Team currently being held in captivity! You don’t do the “victory dance” until all of your people are home and, since they where the patch of the United Nations, they are YOUR PEOPLE! So, if you want to celebrate the great achievement of “escaping undercover of darkness” then, by all means, go ahead! It just shows how immature your are insofar as the world stage is concerned. It shows you’re not ready for the world stage let alone the United Nations… Or don’t you know the meaning of the word “propriety”?
@Jetlag807
Thanks for clarifying the issue…they ESCAPED unharmed with the aid of the Irish Forces…not seven (7) hours of firefight, without casualties on both sides…
The incident was on Golan Heights, in
Syria; now occupied by Israel. It borders Syria and Israel…a mountainous area…
I stand corrected… Please replace “Gaza” with “Golan Heights”… Thanks Hyden.
If I may paraphrase Obama’s speech in Vilnius today:
NATIONALISM IS WHAT LEADERS GIVE THEIR CITIZENS WHEN THEY CANNOT DELIVER THE ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY NEED…Pinoy Pride is no substitute for real achievements; it is just a distraction…feel good drivel…
@Sea Bee
ISIS just beheaded another American last Tuesday…I see no good action on Obama on ISIS…you cannot defeat an Enemy by Air Strikes alone…it may degrade its capability only…
Anyone who knows that the Japanese surrendered after a Nuclear bomb was dropped out of an Airplane MIGHT disagree with you.
So, you want to Nuke the ISIS?
*********CORRECTION*********
LOGIC.
@ Toro Hyden 3
There goes that idiotic Filipino ;ogic again. Really, I’ve never heard or read anything quite like it. Completely idiotic, and I’ll bet you think your quick witted, don’t you?
Nationalism can also be a banner to which people can rally to in an effort to reach greater heights, as well as to stunt and pacify. Just look around you: the great nations of the world could hardly have achieved anything of importance without a sense of nation with which to guide them through the forest of conflicting interests and other nations seeking to exploit them. Take your pick — Japan, China, USA, UK, Germany, South Korea, the Scandinavian countries, Botswana, South Africa. That love of country could be taken to extremes of triumphalism and xenophobia or be subverted for nefarious ends does not mean it could not be used for good.
Any people desperate for achievement and self-affirmation will cling to any sort of tiny triumph, that when examined and looked at against the bigger picture, will seem small and inconsequential to most, but to these desperate people it will look like a giant leap, like an enormous accomplishment, and they will describe it as such.
Think “World’s Most Mentos and Coke Fountains”, “Most Breastfeeding Simultaneously”, “Largest Flaming Image”, “Most People Walking on a Catwalk”, “Longest Basketball Game”, and the list goes on. Reported all over the national news. Small, trivial and pathetic to most, but to Filipinos these may as well seem like the first walk on the moon.
What is the bigger picture re: the rebel attack on Golan Heights? I’d like to know that, if only because it’s in my interest to know what drove our peacekeepers to defy their commander.
The latest on the issue; UN body backs Indian officer in stand-off with Philippines…
Good looking out! I can’t wait to see the responses to this one! 🙂
Interesting development. From what I’ve heard, I would guess that the UNDOF commander ordering our peacekeepers to hand over their arms to the insurgents in a ploy to free the Fijians (without the assurance that the rebels would be true to their word, thus placing them in what I would call unreasonable harm) would be damning enough to break with military discipline — but apparently there is still much to be revealed about the conduct of the parties involved. So I’ll do the prudent thing and wait.
According the UNDOF Commander on the ground and the UNDOF overall Director, there was NO order to turn over weapons. In response to your previous question “what drove our peacekeepers to defy their commander”, in my opinion, the answer is simple. They were fearful of being captured AGAIN. However, in doing so, it appears that their “retreat” may have caused the capture of the Fijian Team.
Of course you would believe ANYTHING that would make the Filipino side look bad. Right now, it’s he said, she said. The Fijian side concurs with our side of the story while the UN sides with the Indian commander. It’s not beyond these people to CYA (cover your ass) because ordering troops to surrender their weapons with the possibility of being taken hostage WITH NO ASSURANCES is a definite boo-boo, whichever way you look at it. There have been instances in Rwanda where UN forces that surrendered were massacred and I do not think these Al-Qaeda affiliated Islamists would be any different and must be considered as people of right mind and civility.
I find it predictable that you do not give the Filipino side the benefit of the doubt and side with the UN wholeheartedly. I won’t appeal to you that you are Filipino, blah, blah. You won’t have it, I know. You hate Filipinos, I understand.
You said that “However, in doing so, it appears that their “retreat” may have caused the capture of the Fijian Team.” Can you give me your sources for this development?
I almost think the reason you believe EVERYTHING the UN side says is because they are NOT Filipino! 🙂 Funny, right?
From the link of this essay it says this:
“Separately, 44 UNDOF peacekeepers from Fiji were detained by militants eight kilometres away from the Philippine troops on Thursday and remain missing.”
It seems that the Fijian and Filipino outposts are separate and Al Nusra captured the Fijians first and after that surrounded the Filipino outposts. How then did you come to this conclusion: “However, in doing so, it appears that their “retreat” may have caused the capture of the Fijian Team.”
Can you give your sources for this?
@superlucky20… As I mentioned below, “Folks here (in the Philippines) can’t see past their own false sense of pride.” I, however, can look at this situation without any favor towards either side and my Military background allows me to examine the incident from a purely tactical point of view. If your (and others) standards are so low that you have to turn this into a heroic victory even though by every military standard (outside the Philippines) it would be ruled a complete failure then go right ahead. I have higher standards and the way I see it, the Philippine Unit 1) undermined the chain of command, 2) failed to obey orders (No! There was not an order to “turn over their weapons”), 3) deserted their posts, 4) failed to comply with procedural rules, 5) showed misbehavior before the enemy, 6) made false official statements and 7) could very well be ruled guilty of conduct unbecoming. The facts so far show that, under any circumstances, the AFP Command in the Golan Heights violated the codes mentioned. It should be stated that my standards are within the US Uniform Code of Military Justice. Furthermore, I operate (both in the Military and as as Contractor) under a Creed which, of the utmost, is to NEVER leave a man behind whether that man is in my Team, Unit, Military, Country or Task Force. And, even if I did decide to desert my post, I certainly wouldn’t try to glorify it especially when members of my Task Force were still being held captive.
As for my “sources”, I suggest you search news outside of the Philippines and include a little information from the UNDOF Director and the United Nations in general. By the way, this entire blog site is based on NOT giving people, politicians and institutions the benefit of the doubt. GRP questions, challenges and exposes these while, at the same time, encouraging healthy debate online.
Just for your information, I am not Filipino and I do NOT hate Filipinos.
I also do not consider this a victory, believe it or not. But I consider this a good thing; this is not something to be ashamed of. I’m not a military person and I do not think the way you do. Given that, ordering soldiers under your command to surrender their weapons / not fire (whichever may be) while the Islamists are literally breaking down your gates in order to be at their mercy WITHOUT ANY ASSURANCES, is dicey. The Filipino soldiers were faced with a ticking time bomb and they had to make a quick decision. And they made the right decision, from a non-military opinion. What exactly should UNDOF do in that situation in the first place? Why were they given weapons in the first place? As peacekeepers, who were they exactly supposed to shoot at? Can you enlighten me?
I read many sources about this and EXPLICITLY tried to avoid articles by Philippine media. The best I came up was this:
“They have defied orders at a time when we had negotiated a ceasefire with the rebels to ensure that all troops in the conflict area could exit,” he (Singha) added.”
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/un-force-indian-officer-syria-unrest-un-peacekeeping-israel-syria/1/380704.html
But I also found this:
“The commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, or UNDOF, which supervises the peacekeeping mission in Golan Heights, was overseeing talks with the Syrian rebels to secure the freedom of the Fijians. However, Catapang said he would not agree to any resolution of the hostage crisis that would put Filipino troops in grave danger.
When the besieged Filipino troops sought his advice after they were ordered to lay down their arms as part of an arrangement with the rebels to secure the Fijians’ release, Catapang said he asked them to defy the order.
“I told them not to follow the order because that is a violation of our regulation, that we do not surrender our firearms; and, at the same time, there is no assurance that you will be safe after you give your firearms,” Catapang said.
“Our stand is, we will not allow our soldiers to become sacrificial pawns in order to save the Fijians,” Catapang told The Associated Press. “They should look for other ways and means to save the Fijians.””
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/09/01/phlippines_want_un_commander_investigated_over_order_to_refuse_surrender.html
So that’s basically it. The Filipino peacekeepers defied the orders to be used as an exchange for the Fijians or as extra hostages. I think that’s reasonable; not appeasing a hostage situation by adding MORE hostages. I don’t know if that’s still reasonable in a military standpoint.
BUT you should reconsider what you said: “However, in doing so, it appears that their “retreat” may have caused the capture of the Fijian Team.” I don’t know if you are intentionally misinforming or this was just a slip of the pen. The Fijians were already captured before the negotiations began and the retreat came even later than that.
Brig Gen Mosese Tikoitoga of Fiji said there was an order to surrender from UNDOF commander.
The Fijians were captured BEFORE the rebels sieged Position 68.
My additional thoughts. Al Nusra is in current competition with ISIS, who in recent days, have gained a lot of ground in Syria and Iraq. ISIS are also apparent winners in the propaganda department, where putting videos of beheadings and other depravity counts as “success” in their twisted minds. It would not be farfetched that Al Nusra is planning similar “press releases”. Taking hostages and doing something with them bodes well for their modus operandi.
Whatever the case may really be, I guess we can all agree that the way politicians, the AFP command and the Philippine media have portrayed this is nothing short of appalling propaganda. Why go through all that extent to sensationalize something? I guess for a land of little meaningful achievement, anything could do. Proud to be Pinoy!
I sense sarcasm.
REALLY? You sensed sarcasm in my comment? Why, I didn’t know! I am utterly, unconsciously oblivious to the blatantly OBVIOUS fact that I was being sarcastic. The force is strong with this one!
I also sense OA.
Too bad you can’t sense that your wit is only as short as your corny one liners.
I sense butthurt.
Yours?
Obviously not. 🙂
After reading the comments on the FB post (GRP Shorts) in response to my comments, I have come to the following conclusion:
Folks here (in the Philippines) can’t see past their own false sense of pride. They will see ONLY what they want to see… So the tragic comedy of what is now being called “The Greatest Escape” continues. Sorry. I can’t help but laugh!
In your case, I see that same thing, you see only what you want to see. But opposite. 🙂
Let’s move on shall we?
Nah YOU’RE the one who should move on because your mindset is still stuck in the middle ages.
How classy of you.
And what mindset is that?
@Jetlag
“So the tragic comedy of what is now being called ‘the greatest escape’continues. Sorry I cant help but laugh.”
Whether you like it or not… there is no tragedy or comedy in the “greatest escape”. I see your writing as bashing our troops who had the sense to obey direct orders from General Catapang. Everyone knows that the AFP has the most experienced (40+ years) in fighting the enemies of the Philippine State. Unlike the Light Brigade in Balaclava… the AFP will not follow unlawful or illegal orders from the UNDOF. As the opposition news stated, the soldiers of the AFP did not surrender their weapons, ammo or gear or wave the white flag of surrender in the face of the terms of reference, rules of engagement and propriety. Orders can be disobeyed when a unit might be captured or placed in harms way without a chance to survive. Look what happened to the Fijians… The rest is history… The AFP units concerned gave a good account of themselves and did retrograde to survive without casualties and fight another day. As I said before… there is a victory of sorts when a unit survives intact with its weapons, ammo and gear. I am the one laughing at you. Tactical movements are dictated by military expediency… You should know that. Huzzah for the AFP! They had the courage to defy a liar and stand their ground for seven hours.
“then they probably would have been beheaded by their captors” simply not true. The militants were not ISIS militants.
Now the Filipino peacekeepers are running scared out of Liberia. If all the peacekeepers were to leave, Liberia would collapse to its state pre-2003, complete chaos with no chance of containing Ebola. I’m not sure most people appreciate how truly dire the situation is there at the moment.
The peacekeepers from other nations will remain in place. Thousands of US troops will be on the ground helping. They aren’t running scared.
Update. Ang UNDOF commander ay nagbago ng opionion. Sabi nya atapang dw ang Fijians at Filipinos.
Opinion ko dito sa GRP, is mixed. It is a good thing to do constructive criticism on the Pinoy culture, on the other hand make it civil, tender kindness and calm. No amount of cruel bashing can change a person. And calling the president noytard is a sign of immaturity and desrespect to his fellow human being. Criticize only the part that needs criticism. If the person accept criticism its a win, fine.
Bashing the AFP is another thing. I know the AFP is one of the most corrpt institutions in the Philippines. Feel free to update me on the progress.
The Philippine military’s UN mission historically have a good record and of course bravery.
try searching PEFTOK in google and read their achivements there. Lastly, the Filipino UN troops involved in the stand off were the elite Scout Rangers,(search for it im using mobile phone to type this)
Anyone willing to know how hard it is to be one of these Scout Rangers can find it easily on youtube. Calling the cowards is acting in ignorance. Their training: 6 months in the camp, another months in test mission, in a real war, with real bullets and real terrorists. You cannot graduate without experience on killing enemies on a real firefight in thick jungles. So calling them retreated in fear and cowards is highly insulting.
Al-Nusra Front is affiliated with Al-Qaeda. both of them are Extremist. do you know what it means? YOU Convert or YOU DIE! Once captured by them, consider yourself already dead. When was the last time they negotiate? Filipino Soldiers encountered that kind of attitude in fighting extremist in the Philippines. So, Filipino Soldier knows everything about them. That’s why Filipino soldiers tried to breakout. So, i dont understand, why some people dont understand what the filipino soldier did. First, they were on the ground, in that situation, The commander of that Positions 68, and 69 have the authority to decide whether to surrender or not, whatever the UN Commander commands them. They know what is the real situation. Not the other bastard sitting in a desk from far away. In, my opinion, it is unbecoming of an officer that General to order to surrender when he knows that extremist dont negotiate, and what will happen to his men when the extremist dont treat others as POWs but a hostage and when there is another viable solutions to that situation? Tell me, then, what you are going to do when you are in a situation like that? would you break the chain of command, follow your US Uniform Code of Military Justice. Haven’t you learned from the past hostages and executions? The Hell with your Military Justice when your enemy doesn’t recognize it? Dont get it to your head that you know everything, alright? everybody have different approach in any situation. did they send reinforcements to the trapped UN soldiers? Why leave them there?
No order to turn over their weapons but the rebels demands it? what if they will turn over their weapons and becomes a hostage? then look again above what i mentioned before. YOU ARE ALREADY DEAD!!! so, enough of you-know-everything attitude. Those Filipino soldiers have mothers and fathers, wives and sons and daughters. They deserve to be alive than dead. That’s why SURRENDERING is out of the question. I consider them heroes, fighting not for our motherland, The Philippines, but for upholding UN Peacekeeping Code. if you dont agree, then why dont you go there, uphold your Intelligent Head just to be beheaded later.
First, i think you should know the whole story first. you commented without the prior knowledge of what really happened. What happened is that the fijians surrendered first before the Filipino troops decided breakout.