Reexamining national security

Media

Part of Philippine Armed Forces Journal

Title: Reexamining national security
Language: English
Source: Philippine Armed Forces Journal Volume IX (No. 5) March 1956
Year: 1956
Rights
Fulltext: R11 llonorable Numeriano l1 Bahao ( h.w man, CommttlPe on I\atwnal Defense of the Lowet Housr A CITIZEN and congress- tions of our defense forces for reman, especially as chairman of our pelling armed aggression are to be, House of Representatives' national and should of necessity be, free as defense committee, I devote much much as possible from avoidable•misunconceited thought to national se- estimates as well as well-slanted to curity and how it can best be main- the foreseeable menaces that they tained and enhanced. I believe ear- are intended to stave off, if they are nestly that this nation, to be safe, to be effective. must not now or in the immediate National survival demands that or far future feel secure, and that our defense establishment be strong she cannot be secure unless her na- and prepared. That is common sense, tiona\ defense forces are accurate and it is good national policy. To and adequate. I use the word "ac- satisfy the demand of national surcurate" advisedly because prepara- viva!. it is necessary, as our President l\lagsaysay has once said, to maintain well-trained armed forces of such strength that will assure national security, and to provide for their prompt and rapid expansion in case of emergency. It is fundamental in defense that before the onset of war - long before it if possible - there are already forces, both standing and reserve, but more so of the latter, capable of being rapidly mobilized. It is necessary that they have already been well-trained as well as properly informed and educated. It is essential that their provisions and equipment have already been assured. tiona! defense preparation must decidedly be commensurate with the national economy if feasible. In this regard it will seem inadvisable to strain the national" economy for the purpose of making the necessary defense preparations. I wish, however, to point out how much I accord with the opinion of a former defense secretary that it would be worth sacrificing for national security. Any investment is less costly than blood. The nation may be so taxed financially in her process of defense build-up, but the loss incurred would be smaller than the loss of national security. When national security, not only economic securiMan who heads national defense committee in Congress assesses present national defense set-up, sees inadequacy of force for repelling aggression, says any investment is less costly than blood and stresses that when national seeurity, not only economic security, is lost, everljthing is lost . Guidep~st ~~~t isse~~· a:v:ryt~~eg o~~lost. U t I w1sh. to emphas1~e how ~uc~ I SoundguPolfcies am. convmced. that m cons1dermg National security is demanding. :::~~~alw~:~u;~t:ur~t~e f;o~t ei:m~~~~ The nation, which is seemingly far withi~ as w~ll as those out~ide, an_d ~:7o~:d s:;e p;~;e:~w~;; u~~;s c~~; that m ~uttmg our forces. m read!- national defense forces are prepared ;i:~s at:m~~cr:;;~e~~i:nca&:cl~~ctto t~=~ ~ufficiently. To ~repare them,_ there our nati~n 1;~ :-i~it~d b: time _dand ;~ci::e~n~or f~:rr:::v~d~:; ~~:ta~e~~~ :d~ney s ou 1 ewtse e cons1 erwi~m:·;~cho~; ~-:~:~!~~~e~u~ational The capacity ~o repel aggression rmlit.ary 11olicies that I have come is said to depend greatly on i.he pl"o- across, are the maintenance of wellductive capacit~· of the nation. This t1·aine<l armed fo1·ces arul provision cause-and-effect relationship b-etween fm· their 1 ·apid expansion; the mcrgthe national defense and the nation- et·, in case of emergency, of the miltal econom~· is recognized. The na- urry, < ll.ta:li-milit<u-y, and police forces PHII.IPPINES ARMED FORCES JOCRN,1.1. for effeetive prosecution of defense fund problems because of their eff01·ts; the integration of military wealth, are themselves plagued by planning with planning for civil d<> ~:~:rn:;~~l=~:~ms 1~a~: i~e:~::ly t~i~ fense; fo•· fonn»lation of plans to mited only by scientific knowledge, cany out guerrilla warfare, in caso- and international mistrust and misof war, a~ainst any agg1·essor in the understanding are less limited. Defurtherance of war objectives; the ~i~~=ss~xpenditures bid fair to be liprovision f01· a coordinated intcllig· In tackling our defense job, it is ence system that can furnish adc- sensible, of course, that we do not quate, accurate, and timely intellig· grapple With more than we can grasp, and that it is well to be ence to national seculity agencies; aware that in postwar years the nathe attention to immediate and long tiona! defense budget is bigg'est range research and development in all fields of military endeavor as will best achieve the mission of the armed forces; and the provision of the necessary means fo1· the realization of mutual defense efforts with other na- ._. _ _..," • .,_,...._, tions as will best enhance our na'~~,;~~ tiona\ interests and enable us to ful fill inte•·national commitments. The foregoing are sound recommended national military policies. Reminder If the last war proved anything, it is that unpreparedness is not conducive to victory, much less to national security. Yet history repeats itself. It will for a nation lacking diligence. It is equally well to call attention to the fact that no nation, howe\'er rich, is free from financial burdens in the job of maintaining her national security. The willingness to assume such burdens is the test for n peOJlle. Many nations which to u~ appear far detached from def('nsc among those for the various depart- The present standing force ls a ments of the government. But it little too small, in much the same is equally well to appreciate that the manner that the reserve force is. It national defense job is biggest, and is my belief that s~ould an aggresthat for the agency charged with it sor launch an attacK today, the presto fail will precipitate serious con- ent defense forces unaided would be sequences to the nation. Impractical Desire Everybody wants a strong Anned Forces and simultaneously a little inadequate to repulse him, and would capitulate in a shorter time than that of our forces' in World War II. Yet it is a fact that amidst these expense for it. The desire is natu- stern realities there are those who raJ but impractical. You cannot and do not entertain a thought of abetyou do not have too much for too ting our forces and allowing them litt,le. to take the up-slope ride to thf' dt•Pr•lldenl lrhown addr•uong troopr on Camp M11rphyl hor Jo•d ol •• nu•uory to moon taon welltro•ned armed forceJ of 111ch Jtr•ngtlt that woll ou11re no!Jonof nc11roty and to pro~•d• for th•" prompt and rop•d •xponl!on 1n cor• of another •m•rgency • fense efficiency peak. Contrariwise, accorded to the anti-dissident camthey harbor a desire to witness a paign be funnelled. financial fluctuation for the national !teal neadiness defense establishment. The reason I have in mind not only the exgiven for the desire is that the dis- pansion of the reserve force but alsidents have been contained. I wish so the improvement of every segto point out in this connection that, ment of the defense organization. I desirous though I likewise am of a mean not only the raising up of defense budget slump - call it eco- men for the reserve forces but the nomy if you wish - I do not see necessary effective training for the downfall of the Huk dreamland them to fight in modern war. I mean as a preclusion of the possibility of national defense forces that will not armed attack from outside. I share merely ofCer token resistance and II OJ ne<eue>rr for noi<On reo ~nderlcoh <n ee>rne•l mifolorr rroonong ol T<>lllho cond colher ,.,.,.,.,, In cobo•• pholo cote 20-r•cor-o/d lre>•nu• undergcoing trcoo'ning in Fcotr Mcl(onler the economic desire of many Jleople, delay or stall an invading ene:Tiy as but not their national security con- in the last war, but those that wiH fidence. For the internal foes may effectively repulse if not crush an have been temporarily contained but aggressor attempting for a foothold the external enemy remains active of our shores. and dangerous. To attain this kind of defense For the active enemy must the structure, it is necessary that the nation prepare; and to the job of nation undertake in earnest the mipreparing the nation's defense for- litary training of the necessary ces to ward off such enemy must number of youths as well as the re~ the resources and means heretofore training of inactive reservists to enNot•on·s tesoutcu ote Hm•ted, but because to lose nolionol secutity is to lo•e e¥ety· thing, it is wott~ lot n~tlion to •ocrific• in •nter.,t of lutute notion1tl de/ens• able them to grasp the new tech- dier must not only be well-fortified niques and skills in warfare. It is with knowledge of the coordinated necessary to construct a standing operation of arms and trained in force that may be small but hard- teamwork but also saturated with hitting because it is well-trained, patriotic determination, information well-equipped, well-educated and and education as befit his position high in morale. There is a need in a citizen army. for raising up the level of military For all these things it is necestrai ning, of military planning, of sary to revitalize the responsible military discipline and everything agencies and to mobilize the means military as though the enemy would of accomplishing their missions. The attack tomorrow. The individual sol- art and quality of leadership and of A standon9 fore" thor mar be smoll but hord-l,lt<ng becouut ol u well lratned, equopped, well-educated ond high in morale ;, neceuory for the nolion Photo Jhows filopino troop• poroding in Korea where they fought gallantly agoinJI Chinen commun••" leading troops, the production of lo- interests must be given extensiv(' calized and applicable service rna- and intensive impetus. nuals, the publication of information In the final analysis, I can say and education journals and other that the nation must be concerned materials for troop consumption with preparations not merely for a~d the_ attention to all me~ia th~~ ;:~!:"~~a~e~~~~f~~~t{:;lyn~~i::~l ~~~ wrll assrst the armed forces m therr security of t he nation in a shooting missions and enhance the national war. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Hon Nvmeriono U 8oboo is o nolin of lobo, 8otongO<. He obtained "" Auociote '" Art< /tom the Noroonol Uno~e11ity ond grodvoted from the Philippine to .. School •n 1929, and pouad the 801 hominolion the oome yeo! He /i,.l repteoented the uocond di>lriCI of 8otong01 in /he Second Congreu. Wos teelecred ,, 1953 H• io al pre>ent the Chootmon ol lhe Commillee on Notoonol Oelen•e ond o •<>nking membet of the CommJIIee "" Apptop•ioloon. , I PMA Codt'l Mess Hall is housed in dilopidolt'd, smo~y. poorly venlrloled quon<el hul ,.f>ich leob during roin.Y season Reft'Oit' of much needed app•oprioled fund< by Congreu will hO<Ien liYe·ye(Jr deoe!(Jpmenl plan p/ Philipp1nes' 'We<l Poinf a.nd stem amebiasis for which Ba- years - these were the men who guio is noted, to the absence of came from this great institution, good training guides. All these na- uur nation's Military Academy. We turally hamper the Academy from invite the tax ]layers to assess the fulfilling its noble mission of help- dividends with impartiality and tng keep inviolate the security and courage in terms• of sacrifice and freedom of the nation. s"'l"vice tu their people and to their Some badly misinformed quarters cuuntry - service and sacrifice believe that th.e PMA is unneces· whole-heartedly rendered to the sary and expensive to the tax-pay- nation in return for their small iners. To these, Col. Marcos G. So- vestment." liman, present PMA Superintendent, On the other hand, President says, "As we look back to the growth Magsaysay, speaking in the same of this Academy, we take pride in vein said: "The Academy today remembering that it has produced proudly rests on a fine military tramen who ungrudgingly contributed dition. I am for its maintenance their share in our nation building. if it is to continue making men of Men who led the punitive expeditiolt fine character and resolve." against outlawry in the early days; This show-window of the Armed men who did their share ungrudg- ForC('!< of the Philippines, this naingly in fighting the batl]eg f>f tiona] institution, the cradle of our World War II; men who command- military leaders, must be fully suped units of our PhilipJline contin- ported to enable it to fulfill its asgents in the Kol"ean War; and men signed tasks creditably, for pennywho led many of our Battalion Com· pinching will only stunt its growth bat Teams in the campaign against to the prejudice of the liberty lovtli~sidents and communists of recent ing people of this country.