Regarding Politics...

As a soldier I have fought against the communist
insurgency. From the experience, I took away with me
the following: First, counterinsurgency must be
development - led rather than AFP-led. The bullet is
not the answer to millions of our countrymen who do
not enjoy the same quality of life that the elites
enjoy. Addressing the root causes of the insurgency
is. Second, when we become like the enemy, we ARE the
enemy. Ultimately, there really are no double
standards. Those who live by the sword perish by the
sword. Third, let us re-think and re-assess who the
real enemies are. Are they the poor farmers trying to
ekk an honest living tilling the soil out in the
scorching heat of the sun in the fields? Or are they
the ruling elites or corrupt bureaucrats, technocrats,
generals, whoever ... who exploit the imperfections of
the socio-politico-economic system for their own ends
and those of their ilk and therefore unwittingly
produce just such an insurgency? Fourth, no one is
above the law -- not even and most especially people
in government! Fifth, Although Clausewitz wrote that
warfighting is merely an extension of politics by
other means, inherent in this belief is the basic
principle that those who wield political power are
either legitimate appointees or representatives of God
or the people. Sixth, moral principles even and
especially in the military are sacred -- because it is
soldiers who are authorized by society to take human
lives; therefore, doing so must be done with honor.
Doing so without honor makes the military man the
co-equal of murderous criminals. Seventh, Peace is
ultimately a better, more effective policy option than
war. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, other insurgencies
worldwide ... consistently paint the ultimate lesson
to be learned that a search and destroy body count
strategy is a failed strategy. It does not advance
anything except the individual careers of ambitious,
unprincipled men and women. Eighth, the way to fight
an insurgency  is yes to fight the armed components
whenever and wherever they are seen hurting innocent
civilians -- but still with duty and honor and
integrity. Despite the harshness of the operating
environment, moral and legal principles must never be
compromised. I have been under superior officers who
come out with the lamest of excuses -- that we could
not beat the environment. I thought we were simply too
weak to follow the dictates of our conscience and
principles taught in the academy. Ninth, being part of
the problem is not being part of the solution. And
finally, that ceasing to be a soldier was the best way
I could help end the insurgency.  I subscribe to Rizal
who advocated that education is the key to the
Filipino's survival as not only a race but a
nation-state. Today, there still appears to be more of
the Bonifacios among us than the Rizals. I am a
teacher now -- my greatest lesson learned from the
Philippine insurgency campaign.

Dennis Acop, PhD
USMA 83