Upon assuming the US presidency, Joe Biden asserted in his first major foreign policy address, “America is back!” For Latin America and the Caribbean, this has meant an “aggressive expansion” of the US military in the region.
US Military Projection in Latin America and the Caribbean Intensifies
When Do We Say Enough is Enough?: PH’s Tipping Point in Upholding Sovereign Integrity
Moreover, the involvement of Subic Bay, a location not officially listed as a site/base under the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) as the alleged destination of US military fuel from Pearl Harbor, prompts a critical inquiry about its role and whether it might be serving as an unofficial or de-facto EDCA site. Hence, it begs to inquire if Subic Bay is now effectively functioning as a de-facto EDCA site. And if so, could there be other undeclared de-facto EDCA sites serving similar purposes other than the nine declared ones?
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Could it be posited that the current Philippine administration appears to prioritize the demands and interests of the United States over its own national interests, sovereignty, and independence, suggesting a level of deference that could be interpreted as reminiscent of a vassal state? This perspective raises questions about the autonomy of the Philippine political leadership and the extent to which it serves the interests of its citizens first and foremost. The lack of public discussion, accountability, and transparency on matters that potentially impinge on national sovereignty could be seen as indicative of a disproportionate influence by the U.S. on Philippine domestic affairs and foreign policy, prompting a reevaluation of the true nature of the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
Related:
Why Are CNN, ABC, and NBC Reporters Embedding With the Israeli Military?
Helen Benedict, author of The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq and a professor at the Columbia Journalism School, noted in an interview that “the original purpose of embedding was to control journalists.” She and Christenson both referenced Phillip Knightley’s classic 1975 book The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero, Propagandist, and Myth Maker From the Crimea to Vietnam, which describes how the government invented embedded journalism in response to critical coverage of the Vietnam War. In a chapter added in 2004, Knightley wrote that as civilian casualties in Afghanistan passed 5,000, “the Pentagon sought a media strategy that would turn attention back to the military’s role in the war, especially the part played by ordinary American service men and women. This would require getting war correspondents ‘on side.’”
H/T: Council Estate Media
Previously:
President Joe Biden was not aware for days that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan ultimately informed Biden late Thursday afternoon, soon after Sullivan himself learned Austin had been hospitalized, the source said. Austin was admitted to the hospital on New Year’s Day due to complications from an elective surgery.
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Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks periodically assumed the duties of the defense secretary while she was on vacation in Puerto Rico during the time Austin was hospitalized, two US officials said. Hicks had arrived in Puerto Rico prior to Austin’s hospitalization.
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The congressional oversight committees were not notified of Austin’s hospitalization until Friday night, according to three congressional aides familiar with the matter.
Biden wasn’t aware for days that Defense Secretary Austin was hospitalized
How’s that promise to be transparent going, Biden?! /s
The vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, has made reports of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana’s continued violations of international law and the Geneva Agreement in favor of the transnational oil company ExxonMobil in regards to the Essequibo territorial dispute, stating that new irregularities are being unveiled on the submissive nature of the Guyanese government towards the US oil corporation.
Scandal Unveiled: Guyana’s Government Finances ExxonMobil’s Taxes
For decades, the government has used the Third Party Doctrine to obtain massive amounts of phone records without a warrant.
Even prior to the creation of the Third Party Doctrine by the Supreme Court in 1979, government agencies were obtaining phone records using pen register requests that provided them with info on numbers called and the length of the calls. This method, however, required the government to supply some information of its own: specifically, a targeted source phone number phone companies could use to search for call metadata.
Ron Wyden Wants To Know Why The DEA Still Has On-Demand Access To Trillions Of Phone Records
Activists from Jewish Voice for Peace group unfurl banners reading ‘Palestinians should be free’ at the base of New York landmark.
Jewish New Yorkers occupy Statue of Liberty to demand Gaza ceasefire
Related:
Protesters block US military ship allegedly carrying weapons for Israel
Amid the barrage of airstrikes killing Palestinians, Israeli authorities are pushing to shape public discourse on the Israel-Gaza escalations.
Targeted ads: millions spent on Israel’s bid for Western influence
H/T: The Most Revolutionary Act
Previously:
Meta’s issues handling pro-Palestine content are systemic, expert says.
Instagram sorry for translation error that put “terrorist” in Palestinian bios
Related:
Social Media Users Accuse Facebook and Instagram of Suppressing Pro-Palestinian Posts
Pro-Palestinian creators use secret spellings, code words to evade social media algorithms
Ms. Cat’s Chronicles 
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