#US-Philippine Defense Agreement

[rodspurethoughts]

"The Impact of US-Philippine Defense Agreement on BPO Industry and Economic Growth"

The recently signed Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the United States and the Philippines has brought about unexpected economic growth for the Southeast Asian nation. The agreement, which was signed in 2014, focuses on strengthening the military alliance between the two countries, but it has also had a significant impact on the Philippine economy. One of the key…

[ouiouimochi]

hi I noticed that u were pipino hehe... since it's her months already, can I req how the characters react to f!reader basically celebrating Christmas literally MONTHS early

thankyou for requesting anon! I'm guessing you meant ber months? funny thing is I've gotten started on writing something for that prompt already but you requesting it also urged me to finish lmao… it's kind of rushed? but I do hope you enjoy it!

Never too early to celebrate the holidays!

context: so here in the Philippines, we actually start preparing for Christmas(heck even celebrating it) in September or the start of the ber months. now imagine how the defense force reacts to you practicing this

pairing/s: various kn8 x reader

genre/s: scenario type, slice of life, romance if you squint well, comedy, crack

wc: 2k

warnings: some characters may be ooc, not exactly canon compliant, grammatical errors, no beta we die like cattle, character studies just went out the window in this crackfic, careful for whiplash sweeties! huge mood changes

⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*

It was an unusually relaxed day in the Defense Force, free from the hectic stress of kaiju threats and the like. The day was spent training as usual, but everyone can tell that the atmosphere wasn't heavy with the burden of protecting Japan. They just knew, despite their doubts, that it wasn't the calm before a storm— the worry that their respite would soon be ruined by the stupid beasts that had been haunting them since time immemorial.

There was a distinct chill in the air, signaling the start of the crisp season of autumn. The officers of the Defense Force were already used to the drop in temperature, however some were not completely immune.

You were currently surrounded by your fellow recruits, talking about the sudden cold.

“It feels quite colder than last year,” Kikoru mentions, a small shiver running down her body. She rubs her hands together to gain warmth.

“Yeah, it wasn't this bad then.” Haruichi agreed while burying his hands deep into his parka jacket.

The group continued walking through the streets of the city, their batch having been approved for a day off after training.

“Reno, how in the damned hell are you unaffected?” reno my ice ice baby girl- Iharu hounded the mint haired male as he picked at the other male’s choice of outdoor clothes, the latter responding with a raise of an eyebrow and a shrug.

“We should get warm drinks,” you piped up as everyone expressed their agreement at your suggestion.

“I know just the place.” Haruichi pulled out his phone to show the group a cafe located not too far away. Before long, everyone arrived at the establishment with the ring of the bell above the door.

“Hot chocolate would be perfect,” Kafka sighed out, everyone else thinking of what warm drink to get as their eyes scoured through the menu.

“I'll probably have my usual coffee.”

“Maybe matcha tea?”

“Hot milk tea for me.”

“Macchiato.”

“There's no eggnog?” imsosorryidkwhatchristmasdrinktoputlmao a hum followed as the whole group stared at you with varying emotions.

You had a finger to your lip in thought while scanning the menu. You had your eyebrows slightly scrunched in concentration, debating what to get. A few gazes lingered on your face for a bit too long.

Noticing the silence, you looked at your friends and tilted your head. Realization creeps on your face and you cover your mouth with one palm, bowing apologetically.

“My bad, I didn't mean for everyone to wait for my order… I'll get the same as Reno then,” you sheepishly said.

⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ

“Hold on, I think I have to go get my package.”

“Again? That's like the 6th one this month, (Y/n).” Kikoru stopped walking before turning to you to raise an eyebrow while resting her hands on her waist.

You shrugged your shoulders, seeing no problem in buying stuff with your own money coughcoughnarumicanneverjkcough.

“What's wrong with it? It's not like I'm broke from buying stuff from Yamazon, no? Unlike…” you trailed off, letting your blonde friend finish for you.

She sighs in response, dropping her arms to her sides as you two resume walking.

“As much as I want to say a comeback, you're right about my moronic teacher… I swear, he always asks me for money.”

“Oh, Kikoru…” you pat her back, laughing lightheartedly, “but I do gotta wonder how he does that when his paycheck is more loaded than mine…”

Your younger friend shook her head, already done with the conversation. She waved you goodbye when you two had to separate ways.

You hummed on your way to the office where one receives any delivered goods from outside the base. You waved and smiled at the nice lady at the desk you managed to get acquainted with from your recent visits.

She pulled up a few boxes from under her desk, creating quite the stack. The lady sweat dropped when her eyes trailed from the piled parcels to you— realizing that it'd be quite troublesome for you to carry alone.

Meeting her gaze and knowing what she was thinking, you shook your head and pulled a thumbs up.

“Don't worry, I can handle this. I just have to sign here as usual right?”

She only nodded, still a little worried as you started stacking each box carefully in your arms. Her concern only raised when your head was barely peeking out from the topmost package.

“Thank you again!” and you somehow safely maneuvered yourself out the doorway without hitting anything.

You were doing pretty well despite having most of your eyesight blocked, having to rely on your other senses. You gotta be thankful that all that training paid off, but perhaps you may have overestimated your capabilities.

Although, you could've sworn nobody was in the vicinity as you felt no other presence— heard no other footsteps, rustling of clothes, or even breathing—, you still failed to react fast enough when you collided with someone at the next turn.

Your eyes widened in surprise while some of your packages flew upwards. Everything was in slow motion but you felt a faint warmth wrap around your back and waist to catch you from falling.

You focused more on the packages that were about to fall— afraid that some of the items would break— and caught them… except for one that soared a bit too far from your reach.

Thankfully, the person who you collided with managed to grab ahold of the last box. You closed your eyes and sighed in relief.

A deep playful chuckle reverberated in the air. Your eyes opened to be met with the cheeky grin of Vice Captain Hoshina. implayingfavoritesperhaps

You blinked at him before standing up straight and off his arm.

“Vice Captain Hoshina, sir! I apologize for the disrespect, but I am unable to currently salute you, sir…”

The man only laughs and waves it off with a friendly smile, a hint of one of his canines poking out.

“At ease,” he scanned you from head to toe, “quite a hazard to walk around with ‘ya vision blocked, no?” still in his hand was the package he caught for you.

“I was holding up quite well due to your training…” you stared up at him before narrowing your eyes jokingly, “But your movements had no sound at all, not even a rustle of your clothes.”

He hummed before taking half the pile of boxes in your arms.

“Where to?”

You tilted your head curiously at his gesture. Alhough it was not unusual for the vice captain to be kind, he usually didn’t show it in such a straightforward way. Nonetheless, you appreciated how he still left some for you to carry on your own.

You smiled and answered him, both of you falling in step towards your destination.

“So what're these for? Noticed you've had deliveries the past month as well.” The purple haired man queried.

You had a slight skip in your step, quite excited to open up the packages that you received. In response to his inquiry, you smiled up at him with a glint in your eyes, “Just some early gift buying for the holidays, sir.” before turning your head away to hum a tune in your head.

‘Christmas shopping in September?’

Hoshina’s eyes remain trained on your form, processing what you just said, before he shook his head and just let you be. Everyone else had learned to not to question you much no matter how… eccentric you were at times. Your eccentricity was one of your charms anyways.

“Careful with what you buy, don't want ‘ya ending up like a certain captain of the First Division…” He advised, finding the opportunity to poke fun at said person despite their current absence.

You rolled your eyes, finding it funny that this is the nth time today Captain Narumi was slandered. “I'm more responsible with my money than you all think, sir.”

Far away in the Ariake Maritime Base of the JAKDF, a certain two-toned haired male let out a sneeze while he was busy playing on his gaming console.

Hasegawa shook his head, “that's what gaming all night gets you,” the older man chided his captain as the said person only covered his ears, unwilling to listen to another lecture.

⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ

Another yoju drops dead on the concrete ground, everyone’s comms crackling to life.

“Immeasurable amount of yoju bounding to Zone Beta, honju’s whereabouts are unknown,” the familiar voice of Operations Manager Okonogi made itself through the earpiece.

“There's just no end to this!” an officer grumbled as everyone else started bounding to the designated zone.

“Kaiju horde spotted, permission to engage?” You announced into your device while readying your gun, being the first in position. The horde had an average of only 3.6 fortitude level— however, their numbers were what made them problematic. The operations room gave you the signal, indicating that it was something you could handle with your capabilities despite only being a recruit.

You wasted not another moment, immediately pulling the trigger of your pre-aimed gun. A yoju drops as its fellow species trampled over its fallen corpse.

The ground was rumbling with the beasts’ stampede through the open road. Yet again, another shot, another corpse. They were still far from your position, so you continued to efficiently gun down kaiju after kaiju.

You get into a steady beat, unconsciously following a certain rhythm from the back of your mind. You remain locked in, completely washing out most of your surroundings— well of course you are still aware of what's going on around you, just more hyperaware than ever.

“First Division backup has arrived at Zone Beta”

You continued firing away, by now the horde was noticeably dwindling away already. A pair of red glaring lenses watched on, having the pleasure of watching your work first hand as the owner was fastest to arrive.

Captain Narumi only wanted to quickly clear the largest wave of kaiju emergence of the year by far— cursing already how his division had to do a joint operation with the Third. Color him impressed as he just observed how you could clear the horde pretty much on your own. He was mesmerized by the timing and pattern of which you fired your gun—

He narrows his eyes when he realizes something, noticing that it was like you were casually playing a rhythm game with the monsters. Well, that wasn't exactly what made him pause…

‘She isn't shooting them down in the beat of a Christmas song, is she?'

⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ

“Do any of you think that maybe—just maybee—(Y/n) is actually insane?” Iharu randomly blurted out as the usual group of recruits gathered around. You weren't present at the moment since you were called to the captain's office for something.

“You’re the madman here for being brave enough to even question it.” Kikoru stated matter-of-factly.

“We're literally surrounded by unique people, why are you only pointing fingers at her?” Reno raised an eyebrow, ready to defend you anytime.

“I mean… it's only September… and she's already making holiday preparations!” The pink-haired male tried to explain.

“...He does make quite the point.” Kafka nodded along.

“Eh, how are you all sure she's been doing so?” Reno challenged.

The eldest of the group mentioned what he noticed, “Hasn’t (Y/n) been craving and looking for Christmas season food—”

“You've no right to judge a woman's sudden urge to eat something.” Hakua interjected, the tall female always so passionate when it comes to cuisine.

“Come to think of it… Her part of the room’s been unusually cramped with some packages...” Akari’s mellow voice echoed out.

“It's not really our business to pry into how she uses her paychecks though…”

and so the group bickered back and forth— one half providing ‘evidence’ of your weird behavior, the second half making up possible reasons behind them.

“She’s been humming ‘All I want for Christmas is You‘ by Mariah Carey the past 2 weeks for fuck's sake!”

⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*⁠･⁠｡⁠ᴥ⁠༚˳•⁠⁠°. ☆ﾟ⁠˖⁠*

notes: CRYING SCREAMING HOW DO I WRITE HOSHINA TALKING I FORGOT HOW TO WRITE HIM HHHHHHH (too lazy to edit his parts, this has been in the drafts since the start of september… kinda wanna get it over and done with-)

this was hella rushed, isn't it obvious I made different parts at different days? its a mess just like me :P

[catdotjpeg]

LOOK: Multisectoral groups marched along Commonwealth Avenue earlier today as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa to assail his failed promise of a Bagong Pilipinas [trans. New Philippines]. For the groups, Marcos’s Bagong Pilipinas is a grand sham. Amid promises of better living conditions, 46 percent of Filipinos rated their families as food poor—the highest since 2008—according to the latest survey of Social Weather Stations. “[H]inaharap [ng ating mga kababayan] ang realidad na mataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin, lalo na ng pagkain—lalo’t higit, ng bigas,” said Marcos in his speech earlier, affirming bleak realities on the ground. On top of a cost of living crisis are poverty wages that fail to meet the family living wage of P1,190, as estimated by economic think tank IBON Foundation, the P35 wage hike in the National Capital Region (NCR) enacted last week was dismissed as an “insult to minimum wage workers” by Leticia Castillo of human rights alliance Defend NCR. Such wage hike is far from the P150 raise being lobbied in Congress by labor groups under the National Wage Coalition. Castillo also decried the persistence of red-tagging and vilification of activists perpetrated by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. From July 2022 to June 2024, 3,419,044 cases of threat, harassment, and intimidation were recorded by human rights group Karapatan. The number of political prisoners also climbed to 755 as of last month. These human rights violations run contrary to Marcos’s establishment of a Special Committee on Human Rights, which was labeled “toothless” by Human Rights Watch. Marcos’s claim of a bloodless drug war is also inconsistent with the 359 drug-related killings—34.3 percent of which were committed by state agents—recorded during his second year in office by research project Dahas. Moreover, despite claims of an independent foreign policy, the Philippines under Marcos remains dependent on the US and its unequal treaties, said Liza Maza of MAKABAYAN. Last year, Marcos announced the creation of four new US military bases in the country under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US. Such treaties with the US have been criticized for intensifying tensions with China and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Clarice Palce of Gabriela and Ronnel Arambulo of Pamalakaya raised their worries of the Philippines being dragged into a stand off between two global superpowers which will only worsen the poor living conditions of Filipinos. The program ended with a symbolic destruction of the effigies of Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte. The broken UniTeam will be challenged by the Makabayan Coalition which will field a complete senatorial slate including ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro and Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas in the 2025 midterm elections. Photos by AJ Dela Cruz, Marcus Azcarraga, Audrey Sanchez, and Sarah Gates

-- Philippine Collegian, 22 Jul 2024 9:45pm PHT

[milkboydotnet]

Marcos Jr. sells out PH sovereignty for US war preparations vs China

NDF-International | National Democratic Front of the Philippines

April 10, 2024

Marcos Jr.’s trip to the United States for a trilateral summit with US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is an utter and complete sell-out of Philippine sovereignty to US war designs in Asia. The so-called “trilateral summit” is set to discuss “maritime security cooperation” between the three countries.

Marcos Jr. is willingly offering the Philippine archipelago to serve as a ‘theater of war’ by allowing the US to position its military arsenal on land, sea, and air. The Philippines is a crucial piece in the “US Island Chain strategy” to contain China. The Philippines’ strategic location allows the US to constrict regional waterways and position readily deployable military air power in close proximity to China. In order to achieve its objectives, the US is escalating war preparations in the region by encouraging Japan and other imperialist allies to join the geopolitical chess game.

In the said trilateral meeting, Marcos Jr. seeks to further increase US military footprint in Philippine soil while talks are underway with Japan for a reciprocal access agreement that will allow Japanese military presence in the country. In fact, preparations are already ongoing for the biggest Balikatan Exercises in history which is expected to draw at least 16,000 troops to participate. The Balikatan war games this year aims to test the so-called ‘Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CDAC)’ patterned after US imperialist war plans in the region. These actions form part of the US strategy to provoke China into “firing the first shot” demonstrating the US government’s bloodthirst.

On the other hand, Marcos Jr.’s actions prove his outright subservience to US imperialist war preparations and his readiness to drag the Filipino people in the middle of a brewing inter-imperialist conflict. Marcos Jr. must be held accountable for his reprehensible sell-out of Philippine sovereignty and his blatant disregard for the lives of the Filipino masses. More importantly, the Biden administration must be denounced for its continued exportation of wars of aggression from Ukraine to Palestine and now using the Philippines as a pawn in its attempt to stifle China’s growing influence.

[pannaginip]

AlterMidya on Twitter @altermidya:

'Blinken, go home. Stop US military intervention and genocide'

Filipino progressives held a lightning rally at Mendiola in Manila City today, March 19, as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to hold a meeting with PH Pres. Marcos Jr.

This is the second state visit of US Sec. Blinken to the Philippines since August 2022.

Amirah Lidasan of Sandugo said that every time US politicians visit the country, disaster and plunder is sure to follow.

Right after US Sec. Blinken's 2022 visit, the PH government approved the entry of US military troops into the country's military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Elle Buntag from the League of Filipino Students (@/LFSPhilippines) ended the protest saying that it must be clear to all Filipinos that the US is not here to save us from China, but are visiting for their own economic benefits to plunder more of our rich natural resources in the countryside.

Before dispersing, the protesters ripped apart a US flag as a symbol of their condemnation for the ongoing meeting between the US and Philippine government.

2024 Mar. 19

[methed-up-marxist]

How have these global dynamics affected politics in the Philippines? 

We are in the middle of a looming theatre of war between the US and China, in which the policy adopted by the previous Rodrigo Duterte regime of favouring the Chinese government’s interests and taking a “soft” stance on the West Philippine issue has been replaced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s shameless subservience to US imperialist interests. 

Under Marcos Jr, patronage to US imperialist interests has been duly restored, with Marcos Jr increasing the number of US military bases in the Philippines from five to nine under the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). In contrast, Duterte claims that increasing the number of US military bases directed towards China and the South China Sea pose an “imminent threat of war”, one that would inevitably involve the Philippines. 

Aside from its military bases in the Pacific, the US also has many nuclear submarines, hundreds of warships, almost a thousand combat aircraft and more than 300,000 soldiers and personnel patrolling the Pacific and Indian Oceans, including the South China Sea. On the other hand, China has deployed four nuclear submarines to guard the oceans, 350 warships (China is the largest naval power in the world today), thousands of ground-launched missiles capable of retaliating against US bombs (and that can reach the west coast of the US) and air-defence systems scattered across China and its occupied islands and atolls in the South China Sea.

The left and progressive movements in the Philippines oppose these preparations for war by both the US and China. PLM is campaigning for the dismantling of US bases established under the Visiting Forces and EDCA agreements, and for the withdrawal of all troops belonging to the US and its imperialist allies in the Asia-Pacific region. PLM also calls on China to halt its militarisation of the region and its bullying of countries that maintain sovereign rights over specific zones of the South China Sea. We call for the implementation of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Treaty in order to urgently demilitarise the region, and advocate for a broader Asia-Pacific-wide nuclear-weapon-free zone treaty and regime. 

[zvaigzdelasas]

[From Reuters]

A proposal for the permanent deployment of US Patriot missile defence batteries in Palau in response to China's expanding reach in the Pacific has come under fire as the nation's politicians debate the move ahead of elections in 2024.

The United States has begun work on an over-the-horizon radar system in Palau and the island nation's president, Mr Surangel Whipps, says he has asked Washington to install the missile shield given fears that hosting the radar could endanger the archipelago's 18,000 residents.

However, in late November, the Senate in Palau, where the population is sensitive to the islands' history as a bloody battleground in World War II, passed a resolution rejecting the deployment. The lower house of parliament has yet to consider the issue.

The Senate vote came after Mr Whipps announced in September that the US and Palau were discussing the permanent deployment of Patriots, as hosting the radar system made his nation of 340 islands halfway between the Philippines and Guam a potential target in any conflict.

Patriots will also help protect the new radar system, which is expected to be operational in 2026 to boost US capabilities as China expands its military operations in the Pacific. The US has already temporarily deployed Patriot systems in Palau and test-fired them during exercises.

A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.[...]

Under the terms of long-standing agreements, the United States is responsible for the defence of Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands and provides economic assistance, while gaining exclusive military access to strategic swathes of the Pacific.

In October, BenarNews, an affiliate of [US Congress-Funded Media Outlet] Radio Free Asia, quoted Mr Hokkons Baules, the president of Palau's Senate, as saying that US interests rather than Palau's were served by a military build-up in the country.

In a statement to Reuters, Mr Baules said that Palau should not be asking for the permanent basing of weapons.

"Permanent basing of purely military weapons in the Republic of Palau is not consistent with our nation’s history as an independent country, and not consistent with any current threats to Palau’s sovereignty or security," Mr Baules said.

Such opposition [sic] has brought suggestions of Chinese interference.

21 Dec 23

[mariacallous]

Strategic energy technologies often start small but can scale quickly with judicious front-end policy support if they possess competitive thermodynamic and technological advantages. Since World War II, the U.S. Defense Department and other agencies have played key roles in helping nuclear power, grid-size batteries, and other new energy concepts achieve commercial scale. Geothermal energy development now presents the next such development opportunity. As the U.S. Energy Information Administration explains, “[t]he slow decay of radioactive particles in the Earth’s core” creates hot rock and subsurface water that can be tapped for direct heat and to create steam energy that spins turbines and generates electricity.

The Pacific Rim is one of the world’s most promising prospective places for expanding geothermal power development, with advantages for both local energy security, emissions reduction, and U.S. geoeconomic position. Alaska can anchor this new geoeconomic energy vector. America’s largest and westernmost state features strategically located ports, cities, and current (and likely future) military facilities that often sit atop or near areas of high geothermal potential.

To realize this potential requires financing “first of a kind” demonstration projects that, if successful, can de-risk the resource and catalyze broader regional scale-up. Achieving eventual multi-gigawatt scale would both enhance U.S. strategic resilience and, critically, the strategic resilience of allies such as Taiwan who face coercion, especially over energy, by China. Key government agencies’ substantial facility footprints, need for resilience, and ability to underwrite power purchase agreements can make them transformative early adopters.

There appears to be the political will to get this done, with Ravi Chaudhary, the U.S. Air Force assistant secretary for energy, installations, and the environment, saying in September 2023, “Geothermal sources strengthen our energy grids and give us the ability to isolate threats before they impact our operations. This type of capability will translate into victory in a high-end fight.”

Alaska’s geographic importance coincides with emerging U.S. technical excellence. Geothermal power, like high tech and aerospace, is a sector of American competitive advantage that can be leveraged as part of a broader energy abundance agenda in a region that is leading global energy transitions. In the geothermal space, firms such as Eavor, Fervo Energy, GreenFire Energy, Sage Geosystems, Teverra, and Zanskar Geothermal and Minerals are developing cutting edge approaches that leverage the massive subsurface expertise and experience U.S. companies have built through drilling and fracking tens of thousands of shale oil and gas wells over the past 20 years.

The new generation of enhanced geothermal wells use cutting-edge oil and gas techniques including horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and distributed fiber optic sensing to monitor reservoir conditions. They also dramatically expand the number of locations suitable for geothermal power development and, because well pairs can be added modularly, help manage project developers’ financial risk.

U.S. firms enjoy unique competitive advantages here, ones that if harnessed through smart policy can help advance energy security interests on our own soil in Alaska and the Aleutians, as well as in Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Geothermal energy offers the 24/7/365 baseload electricity supplies that countries need for building out and operating competitive industrial bases. Because it can continually run regardless of weather or sunlight, every megawatt of geothermal power that comes online can displace coal, gas, or oil-based dispatchable generation. Climate benefits follow. Furthermore, unlike hydropower and many other thermal power plant types, geothermal is substantially decoupled from drought risk. It is also potentially capable of load-following to fill gaps in wind and solar generation, a capability that Sage Geosystems has recently demonstrated at megawatt-scale.

Geothermal generation’s engagement of physical heat also opens possibilities for supporting food cultivation in greenhouses and distillation of seawater. Where warranted by remoteness (Aleutian Islands) or by strategic circumstances (Taiwan), geothermal power can also potentially support green hydrogen production and liquid fuel synthesis.

Geothermal power also brings security benefits. Policymakers are recognizing in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that during industrial warfare, energy assets can and will be targeted. Fossil fuel generation facilities on islands are the most vulnerable because an adversary can trigger blackouts through interdicting seaborne fuel imports and does not even need to strike on land to create potentially strategic effects. This is true for vital U.S. territories, including the Aleutian islands of Unalaska and Adak; Shemya Island; Guam; and Hawaii.

For Taiwan, which faces the real risk of a blockade by China, each gigawatt of geothermal power brought online could, potentially displace about 1.25 million tons per year of liquified natural gas imports, or roughly 6 percent of the island’s total import volume in 2023. That estimate assumes that the geothermal facilities run at a 90 percent utilization rate and that the LNG would have been used to generate electricity in modern combined cycle power plants with a 50 percent thermal efficiency.

Geothermal projects could be sized to power all, or at least a major part, of some of these key islands’ electricity needs in way that helps resist potential blockades. Geothermal also has the advantage of being less politically controversial than nuclear power and, unlike contemporary nuclear generators, can be deployed in increments more modularly sized to the local market.

Accelerated geothermal energy developments in the Indo-Pacific, perhaps backed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. or Office of Strategic Capital as part of a low-carbon energy abundance package, would also offer a template for U.S. firms to play leading roles in Latin America and East Africa, two other priority regions that are—pun fully intended—geothermal power hotspots. The potential global addressable market in key regions of interest encompasses tens of gigawatts of generation capacity at the outset—a major commercial and strategic opportunity. If the first advanced geothermal projects pan out commercially, the market space would likely expand substantially.

Present energy security concerns, geopolitical conditions, and the apparent readiness of new geothermal approaches suggest the timing is propitious for a test case that puts U.S. policy muscle behind emerging domestic geothermal technological excellence. Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, in particular, offer an excellent starting point.

All modern energy systems need baseload power—resources that deliver when it is dark, subzero, stormy, etc. In the highly volcanic Aleutians’ case, this would ideally be geothermal power. The idea of geothermal in the Aleutians is not new; in the 1970s, the Navy studied using geothermal power to replace about half of Adak’s requirements which, at the time, totaled nearly 9 million gallons of imported JP-5 jet fuel per year The geological potential is real, with temperature gradients of 80 degrees Celsius per kilometer of depth on the north end of Adak Island that exceed those found in Utah where Fervo is now developing a utility-scale enhanced geothermal project with a 400 MW capacity.

The backdrop features both strategic and commercial drivers. Enter Dutch Harbor, the main settlement on Unalaska and the United States’ largest fisheries port by volume. Unalaska offers a combination of major volcanism and corresponding geothermal power potential, strategic position, and local desire to find energy sources better than expensive and polluting diesel power generation. Unalaska’s annual diesel fuel needs for power generation can run as high as 3.6 million gallons per year, which at a diesel cost of $4 a gallon means more than $14 million annually. In addition to high costs, diesel generators release substantial air emissions and bring with them the risk of fuel spills, which threaten sensitive local ecosystems and are challenging to remediate in the harsh Aleutian environment.

The area has long been recognized as a potential geothermal hotspot, with the Ounalashka Corp. saying that 11 previous development attempts having failed for various reasons to bring a project to fruition. In the latest incarnation, Ounalashka Corp. has partnered with Chena Power to try to commercially develop a 30 MW geothermal power project utilizing subsurface hydrothermal resources associated with the Makushin Volcano on Unalaska Island. Adding next-generation projects on Unalaska and its neighbor Akutan could allow the area to potentially become a major geothermal hub, creating sufficient energy abundance to go beyond just displacing local diesel generation.

The commercial case includes avoidance of steep fuel costs, cost-effective and ecologically-friendlier support for additional seafood processing plant expansions, desalination of seawater, local cultivation of fresh vegetables in greenhouses, and potentially, even producing liquid fuels based on green hydrogen. Current geothermal power development attempts on Unalaska now have a higher probability for success because the stakes in local energy security in the Aleutians, and more broadly for the United States and its allies and partners around the Pacific Rim, are higher than they have been for decades.

The Aleutian Arc offers incredibly strategic real estate—with at least three militarily relevant operational airfields on Unalaska, Adak, and Shemya that are within seven flight hours of all key flashpoints in East Asia. Nome, which sits north of the islands, is now in the early stages of a $600 million upgrade to create a deepwater port capable of handling any U.S. Navy vessel other than aircraft carriers. And to the south, the U.S. Coast Guard recently announced that it will homeport its new Arctic icebreaker in Juneau, a vessel that will steam near or between various Aleutian Islands each time it heads into the high north. Russia and China have in their own way highlighted the Aleutians’ importance with periodic joint warship cruises and recently, a flight into the region by Chinese and Russian bomber aircraft.

There is also potential for re-opening the Navy base on Adak that was closed in 1997 and for expanding facilities in Shemya, which already hosts key early warning radars. Other islands in the chain—including Attu and Kiska (which Japan seized in 1942), Amchitka, Atka, and Tanaga—hosted facilities in World War II; in Attu’s case, as recently as 2010, when Casco Cove Coast Guard Station closed. These footprints could be re-provisioned. The islands also offer a barrier to keep Chinese submarines from accessing the Bering Sea (just like the NATO focus on the Greenland-Iceland-U.K. Gap in the Cold War), and in the future, could offer bases for long range land-based strike systems. All these concepts require abundant energy to achieve the resilience needed to weather the unfolding United States-China cold war and, if necessary, actual kinetic conflict.

Aleutian geothermal resources, through both the legacy project at Makushin Volcano and future projects using next generation approaches, would turn the Dutch Harbor area into an Aleutian energy hub. If it succeeds, similar approaches can likely be used further west at Adak and Shemya. Successful Aleutian geothermal projects can also provide templates usable around the Indo-Pacific (especially in Taiwan, Japan, and Indonesia) and potentially in other regions of interest with rich geothermal resources, such as Central America and East Africa.

The intense competition unfolding in the region means time is of the essence. A U.S. Energy Department analysis notes that to achieve commercial scale in the next generation geothermal space, early-stage developments will likely require “unique developer classes with strategic motivations” who “will likely fund projects entirely with equity.”

The Energy Department estimates that at present, a 30 MW next-generation geothermal project of the type needed in an Aleutian context likely costs about $450 million to complete all surface and subsurface work. Such a project could be built with a combination of a grant and a low-interest federal loan, on the condition that development emphasizes next generation geothermal technologies of U.S. origin. Abundant geothermal energy could revolutionize Aleutian energy supplies and set the stage for a broader geoeconomic push to scale new geothermal opportunities in Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, and elsewhere across the Indo-Pacific to the benefit of partner and U.S. interests alike.

[usafphantom2]

Saab delivers the first serial-produced Gripen E fighter to Sweden's Defense Material Administration

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/20/2023 - 09:08am Military, Saab

On Friday, October 6, an important milestone was surpassed when Saab delivered the first serially produced Gripen E aircraft to the FMV (Sweden Defense Material Administration), which will now operate the aircraft before delivering it to the Swedish Armed Forces.

In the past, two JAS39 Gripen E were delivered to FMV for use in flight test operations, but under the Saab operating license.

"I am very happy and pleased that we have reached this important milestone towards the implementation of the hunt. It is an important milestone and more deliveries will take place soon," says Lars Tossman, head of Saab's aeronautical business area.

Lars Helmrich accompanied the development of the Gripen system for almost 30 years, first as a fighter pilot and then as commander of the Skaraborg F7 air flotilla. As the current head of FMV's aviation and space equipment business area, he is impressed with the aircraft that are now being delivered.

"The delivery means that FMV has now received all parts of the weapon system to operate the Gripen E independently," said Mattias Fridh, Head of Delivery Management for the Gripen Program. "Its technicians have received training on the Gripen E and have initial capabilities for flight line operations and maintenance. The support and training systems have already been delivered, and parts of the support systems delivered in 2022 were updated in August to match the new configuration."

So far, three aircraft have been delivered to the Swedish state, used in testing operations. From 2025, the plan is for FMV to deliver the JAS 39E to the Swedish Air Force. However, Air Force personnel are already, and have been since 2012, involved in development activities with both pilots and other personnel. It is an important part of the Swedish model to ensure that what the user receives is really necessary.

“This is a very important step for deployment in the Swedish Armed Forces in 2025 at F7 Satenäs, and FMV has now applied for its own flight test authorization from the Swedish Military Aviation Safety Inspection. This is the culmination of intensive work in both development and production, where many employees have done a fantastic job."

In addition to Sweden and Brazil, which have already placed orders for JAS 39 E/F, several countries show interest in the system. Today, Gripen is operated by Hungary, the Czech Republic and Thailand through agreements with the Swedish government and FMV. Brazil and South Africa have business directly with Saab.

Tags: Military AviationFlygvapnet - Swedish Air ForceFMVGripen EJAS39 Gripensaab

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[libertariantaoist]

News Roundup 11/9/2023 | The Libertarian Institute

Here is your daily roundup of today's news:

News Roundup 11/9/2023

by Kyle Anzalone

Russia

Ukraine’s CIA-backed military intelligence has taken credit for a car bombing that killed a politician in Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine on Wednesday. AWC

Officials from the State Department and USAID pressed Congress to pass a $105 billion spending package that will provide weapons to Ukraine and Israel. One Biden administration official said it was crucial to provide aid to Kiev because “The besieged people of Ukraine are …fighting for basic needs, such as food, water, medicine, and electricity.” The Institute 

Russian official says Moscow will continue to abide by Nuclear test ban agreement. TASSX

Senator Rand Paul slams the State Department over Ukraine policy. RSX

China

The Philippine government has said it’s working on a pact to strengthen military ties with Japan amid rising tensions in the region, Defense Post reported on Wednesday. AWC

Israel

Blinken says the US supports a Palestinian-led government in Gaza after military operation. FTAWC

Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder expalined Washington’s four objective in the Middle East. The Institute

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says there is clearly something wrong with Israeli military tactics. Politico

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said late Tuesday that Israeli forces were fighting in the “heart” of Gaza City as Hamas is claiming its fighters are inflicting heavy losses on the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). AWC

Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, tells Congress the death toll in Gaza is likely higher than reported. The HillXAWC

Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded Tel Aviv impose security zones around illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank on Monday. The Institute 

Middle East

The Pentagon said on Wednesday night that the US launched more airstrikes in eastern Syria that targeted a facility used by “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated groups.” AWC

Yemen’s Houthis said Wednesday that their military successfully downed a US MQ-9 Reaper drone that was flying off the coast of Yemen. AWC

[Read More](https://libertarianinstitute.org/news-roundup/news-roundup-11-9-2023/

[rhk111sblog]

A Scenario which I think will happen if President Bong Bong Marcos (PBBM) doesn't change his current Foreign Policy towards the South China Sea (SCS) is the Philippines will eventually lose Ayungin Shoal in 2024, and the Philippines could retaliate by trying to cut off Economic Ties with China which will result in Hardships especially for the ordinary Filipino on the Street

[steelyourhearts]

The US needs to keep its hand off the Philippines; they are opening 4 new military bases (in addition to the 5 that were already established following the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement). The letter above is working to HALT this expansion. The US imperialist bring nothing but terror! Read about Jennifer Laude! This terror cannot be allowed to continue.

Read more about this expansion here;

Links about the Jennifer Laude case (tw transphobia, racism , violence)

[catdotjpeg]

FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE! Human rights organizations from different sectors marched to US Embassy in line with the 125th anniversary of the Philippine-American War. The peaceful protest was barred by state forces from the PNP in Kalaw Ave., proving further that the Marcos-Duterte regime has no tolerance for dissent, violating our demoratic rights to assemble. As we assert our calls for today, Kabataan para sa Tribung Pilipino (KATRIBU) vehemently condemns the US for its warmongering practices that continuously back Israel in committing grave offenses and human rights violations against the Palestinians, amounting the death toll to 27,000 in the past 121 days. The US-backed aggression in Palestine is no different from the mercenary traditions in the Philippines that still persist until today through various forms—the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Act (EDCA), the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), and more. With this, we reiterate our call—from Palestine to the Philippines, stop the US war machine!

-- Katribu Youth, 4 Feb 2024

[milkboydotnet]

A collection of activists and researchers from Filipino and Filipino-American organizations released the findings of a peace mission that concluded last month. The Philippines hosts the United States military in nine joint military facilities across the country through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The groups claim that the American forces are both violating the terms of their stay and operating without transparency to local communities and even to Philippine authorities.

After a three-week fact-finding mission, the Peace Mission International Delegation finds that “the heightening of US militarism and ramping up of EDCA sites is a threat to Philippine independence and sovereignty and the dignity and safety of Filipino communities,” said Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) USA. Meanwhile, Renato Reyes Jr, of BAYAN Philippines explained that the “increased deployment of American weapons and soldiers to the Philippines is meant to provoke a heightened military confrontation with China.”

Secret War

The mission went to two EDCA sites and to one province where American military operations had recently taken place.

In Basa Air Base of Pampanga province, even the Philippine military was barred from certain perimeters.

Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan province is one EDCA site and researchers found that even the provincial government was only made aware of its use by foreigners when it was announced in the news.

None of the locals know what kind of armaments are now stored at the site. Moreover, US personnel are tapping the wider community to store military items and supplies. The mission pointed out that it goes beyond the bounds of EDCA as it does not fall under any of the “Agreed Locations.”

Last month, the Balikatan (shoulder to shoulder) joint military exercises between the US and the Philippines concluded. The war games drew in over 16,000 soldiers and for the first time made armed excursions outside Philippine territories, around a hundred kilometers from Taiwan.

The town of Santa Ana in Cagayan, northeast of the Philippines is just 400 kilometers from Taiwan.

The mission alleges that the residents of Santa Ana, were kept in the dark about using their town as a site for military exercises throughout Balikatan.

The mission also documented US marines visiting local high schools in civic-military operations. Additionally “We documented reports of locals saying that the loud noise from US military jets scares them and their children. Not only did this directly disturb the fish supply that these people survive on, but it is aimed at normalizing foreign military occupation in their country,” said *Alex of the mission, using a pseudonym for security.

Not unlike in Cagayan, residents of Ilocos Norte province to the northwest of the country, only learned of Balikatan coming to their neighborhoods through news on Facebook. Live fire drills were carried out and some allege that explosions were heard just 30 kilometers from their homes.

The mission also criticized the five-day “no sail policy” enforced by the military, dealing a large blow to the livelihood of local fisherfolk.

Around 1,000 fishing families were affected by the fishing ban, with estimated losses at Php10,000 per family, a staggering amount that will take them months to recover from. Local government allotted aid worth Php1500 to just over a hundred families.

“The people of Ilocos deserve much more than to be treated as pawns in a US war game,” said *Glaiza of the group Gabriela.

Invitation for war

Balikatan is just one of over 500 planned exercises slated for this year alone. It comes alongside moves in Washington to significantly boost military aid to the Philippines to contain China and pursue its strategic interests in the Pacific region.

Last April, at the Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., both countries held talks to expand the number of EDCA sites, investing US$128 million for infrastructure around these areas and stockpiling a greater volume of supplies.

This year, Marcos announced intentions to upgrade the country’s defense with a US$35 billion boost over the next 10 years.

His plans dovetail with a proposal in the US Senate dubbed the Philippine Enhanced Resilience Act, or PERA bill, which would allot US$2.5 billion over the next five years to Philippine military advancement.

Reyes criticized Marcos Jr’s inclination to plunge the Philippines into war at the behest of America. On June 12, Philippine Independence Day, Filipinos rallied at the US Embassy in Manila against using the country as a stooge in their agenda.

On the same day, Marcos delivered a speech with much bravado saying “We see it in the tenacity of our soldiers as they protect every inch of our territory, adamant as they are in the certainty that Filipinos do not, and shall never, succumb to oppression.”

However, after seeing how the American interests with the complicity of the Marcos regime is fuelling the escalation of the conflict with China, the mission asks “is the Philippines truly free? And what of the Filipino people who are sure to be caught in the crossfire if war were to break out?”

[pannaginip]

Philippine Star (Opinion): 'Not war with China; don’t rely only on US’ – Marcos Jr.

Reacting to recent reports on China’s pugnacious maneuvers and verbal statements, Marcos Jr. said, “We must do a more robust defense of our territorial rights as recognized by the international community and international law.”

But he quickly added that war with China is “precisely what we want to avoid.”

Regarding the United States’ repeated assurance of defense support, Marcos Jr. claimed that the US was” very supportive” of the Philippines and was “very seriously” taking the Mutual Defense Treaty.

Note that the treaty has never been invoked in any instance, or threat, of armed conflict by either party since its signing in 1951. Essentially it provides that in the event of an armed attack against one of the parties, the other party is obligated to come to its defense.

Marcos Jr. said that he was doing everything to avoid invoking the MDT over the increasing number of incidents involving dangerous maneuvers by Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels within Philippine waters. They have been harassing small boats delivering food supplies and other necessities to Philippine Marines manning an old naval ship, purposely grounded in the Ayungin Shoal to serve as maritime post in our territory.

Most significant to note was that he seemed wary about relying exclusively on America’s support.

Marcos Jr. also responded to warnings by critics of dangerous implications of his having added, in April 2023, four more of the country’s military bases as sites for the US to install military “facilities” and stockpile war materiel exclusively for their use, as allowed by the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement or EDCA.

He assured the public that these bases, along with the first five bases strategically located across the country previously approved by his predecessor, would not be used to launch offensive actions against China.

The EDCA is not a treaty. It is an executive agreement, initiated by the US, between the Philippine and US governments, signed in 2014 under the Benigno Aquino III administration. The US military facilities installed within the selected Philippine bases are absolutely controlled by the American military and are off-limits to Filipinos, military or civilian. (Top Philippine defense and military leaders, however, may be allowed inside.)

Because the EDCA sites are practically US military bases within Philippine bases, they could indeed be targets of attacks by enemies of the US – especially now that missile warfare is increasingly being utilized by belligerent parties.

2024 Mar. 23

[zvaigzdelasas]

Barely a month after granting the Pentagon extensive access to key Philippine bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), Manila kicked off major wargames with its sole treaty ally that promise to raise China’s ire.

Earlier this week, the Philippines and the United States conducted their largest army exercises ever, with a special focus on fending off a potential full-scale invasion of the Southeast Asian island nation by a hostile power. [...] For the first time, Tokyo has also sent observers to the high-profile exercises amid ongoing plans to establish a new tripartite Japan-Philippine-US (JAPHUS) alliance. [...] According to one senior Philippine military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the massive drills have an even more immediate crisis in mind. “It has a lot to do with Taiwan,” the AFP official said [...] Both Japan and Australia are also expected to participate in the exercises. Last month, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced that his country would be sending its largest contingent yet to the Balikatan wargames. Both US allies would play key roles in any Taiwan contingency. [...]

Last week, US State Department Undersecretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland visited Manila to coordinate the implementation of EDCA, which faces growing opposition in the Philippines including from governors of frontier provinces close to Taiwan where military bases are situated.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson has publicly argued that the expanded American presence in the country won’t provoke tensions with or retaliation from China. [...] The policy pivot and scale and emphasis of the joint exercises, however, has triggered a hot debate at the highest levels in Manila, with former president Rodrigo Duterte and presidential sister Senator Maria Imelda “Imee” Marcos warning of unwanted escalation in regional tensions vis-à-vis China. In a television interview last week, Duterte said “we are being made a platform for [American weapons]” and this would “make the Philippines vulnerable” to Chinese retaliation in the event of a conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea.

16 Mar 23