’A Failed Project?’ The only VALID reason I could think of for all these “secrecy” or lack of transparency is that the program itself was NOT successful, and there are a number of ways that it could have failed. For one, the FAILURE or SUCCESS RATE of the launches were never published, and it’s possible that there were just too many launch failures, like the rockets exploding or veering off course at their launch pad or after launch, or even rockets not taking off at all. And even if the launches were successful, there is the issue of how accurate the rocket was in terms of hitting its target. If it ends up several hundreds or thousands of meters from its intended target, then it’s not very useful. And just like the Launch Rate, the Accuracy of the rockets were also never published.
MANILA — China’s hostile actions near Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal on June 17 were “clearly not an accident and misunderstanding,” an American maritime security expert on Sunday said as he urged the Philippine government to be careful in its efforts to de-escalate the situation in the West Philippine Sea.
Former United States Air Force officer Ray Powell said China may see the de-escalation as an opportunity to reposition in its favor, just as it did after the 2012 standoff when it seized Scarborough Shoal, locally called Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc.
Psychologically traumatized victims trapped in abusive relationships will often blame themselves for their abusers’ violence. This was hauntingly expressed in the 1987 Suzanne Vega hit single, “Luka“–sung in the voice of one such domestic violence victim:
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I have advocated for Manila to consider requesting formal consultations with the U.S. under Article III of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty: The Parties, through their Foreign Ministers or their deputies, will consult together from time to time regarding the implementation of this Treaty and whenever in the opinion of either of them the territorial integrity, political independence or security of either of the Parties is threatened by external armed attack in the Pacific.
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It also pulls the rug out from under President Marcos’ eloquent Shangri-La speech, which he gave before a global audience just three weeks ago in Singapore: “In our solid legal footing and through our clear moral ascendancy, we find strength to do whatever it takes to protect our sovereign home to the last square inch, to the last square millimeter … As President, I have sworn this solemn commitment from the very first day that I took office. I do not intend to yield. Filipinos do not yield.”
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