Ambassadors Roundtable
October 6, 2009
Moderated by:
Frank Cilluffo
Director, HSPI
Summary
HSPI welcomed Philippine Ambassador Willy Gaa and retired Brigadier General Victor Corpus as part of HSPI’s ongoing Ambassadors Roundtable Series. The discussion highlighted the important lessons learned by the Philippine government in its decades-long struggles against both communist and Islamist insurgencies, including the National People’s Army (NPA), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); and against international terror groups such as Jemaah Islamiyah and the Abu Sayyaf Group. Frank Cilluffo, HSPI’s Director, moderated the roundtable.
Ambassador Gaa began by observing that the United States and the Philippines have much to learn from one another. Gaa reviewed the diverse threats his nation faces, emphasizing history as well—including the fight against communist insurgents since the 1960s; and the targeting of the Philippines in the Bojinka plot, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed’s first attempt to use planes as terrorist weapons, which served as model for al Qaeda’s 9/11 attacks. The Ambassador argued that despite the apparent diversity of these threats, common conditions—namely poverty and social disenfranchisement—give rise to and sustain insurgents and terrorist alike. These factors, Gaa suggested, have implications for how to wield both “hard” and “soft” power effectively; and also raise concerns about a growing convergence between terrorism and transnational crime. “A key feature we have noticed in this development,” Gaa said, “are efforts by criminal groups to use or adopt ideology or Islamist beliefs as a cover for criminal activities.”
Against this complex background, Mr. Cilluffo asked what lessons the Philippines had learned about “when to look to the soft means . . . and when to look to kinetic and hard power” responses. To this, Ambassador Gaa stated that each situation is unique; however, a combination of hard and soft power is crucial. When asked further by University of Maryland Professor Arie Kruglanski how, specifically, each type of power was exercised against insurgent groups like the NPA or MILF, Gaa stated that hard power was used to defeat militant organizations, while soft power was employed to address the economic and social grievances that help give rise to such groups.
Participants, including Ronald Buikema of Johns Hopkins University, queried how past attempts to address underlying social issues had reduced the support, size, and efficacy of anti-government forces. Brigadier General Corpus brought to bear his own insights on this matter, framed by his experience as both a former communist insurgent and, later, as head of Philippine military intelligence. Corpus argued that structural reforms and economic development are vital—for they bring the disenfranchised back into society. “I know why people rebel, because that was my own experience,” said Corpus. When asked by Cilluffo about what role the U.S. ought to play, Corpus responded that “the best role the United States can play in the Philippines is helping achieve success for our soft power, not hard power."
Resources
"Storm Surge"
Foreign Policy
October 5, 2009
HSPI Director Frank Cilluffo and Associate Director Sharon Cardash write in their op-ed: "As the Philippines struggles to address the damage wreaked by Tropical Storm Ketsana, a political storm is also brewing. Filipino senators are currently calling on the government to renegotiate the country's Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States." More
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HSPI recommends the following sources related to the roundtable:
Background:
Philippines Backgrounder. Center for Defense Information
(2009) The Republic of the Philippines: Background and U.S. Relations. Congressional Research Service
Bhattacharji, Preeti. (2009) “Terrorism Havens: Philippines.” Council on Foreign Relations.
BBC. (2007) “Guide to the Philippines Conflict.”
Abu Sayyaf Group:
(2009) Hunt on for JI, Abu Sayyaf in Mindanao. The Manila Times
(2004) Multiple Insurgent Groups Complicate Philippine Security. Special Warfare: The Professional Bulletin of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center
(2002) Abu Sayyaf: Target of Philippine-U.S. Anti-Terrorism Cooperation. Congressional Research Service
Jemaah Islamiyah:
(2006) From Counter-Society to Counter-State: Jemaah Islamiyah According to PUPJI. Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies.
(2003) Funding Terrorism in Southeast Asia: The Financial Network of Al Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah. The National Bureau of Asian Research
(2005) The changing nature of Jemaah Islamiyah. Australian Journal of International Affairs.
Coping with the Threat of Jemaah Islamiyah – The Signapore Experience. International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research
Current Events and U.S. Assistance:
(2005) U.S. Military Operations in the Global War on Terrorism: Afghanistan, Africa, the Philippines, and Colombia.Congressional Research Service
(2005) “Philippines Terrorism: The Role of Militant Islamic Converts." International Crisis Group.
Shanker, Thom. (2009) “U.S. Military to Stay in Philippines." New York Times.
Conde, Carlos H. (2009) “Philippines: Rebel Camp Overrun." New York Times.
(2009) “Abu Sayyaf Still Philippines Most Brutal Terrorist Group." International News Safety Institute.
BBC. (2009) “Philippines "captures top rebel".”
Adams, Jonathan. (2008) “In Basilan, Philippines, a U.S. counterterrorism model frays." Christian Science Monitor.
(2009) “Philippine island braces for extremist revenge." Asia One News.
Ambassador Willy C. Gaa
Current Philippine Ambassador to the U.S.A. H.E. Willy C. Gaa was initially assigned to the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. as Charge d’Affaires effective July 25, 2006. After his appointment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and confirmation by the Commission on Appointment as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the U.S.A., he presented his credentials to President George Bush on December 8, 2006.
Prior to his current position, he was Consul General of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles. He served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (AEP) of the Republic of the Philippines to the People's Republic of China (2003-January 2006). He also served as Ambassador to Australia and non-resident Ambassador to Nauru, Tuvalu and Vanuatu (2002-2003).
He was formerly Philippine Ambassador to Tripoli, Libya and non-resident Ambassador to Tunisia, Malta and Niger (1992-1997). He was Consul General in New York (1997-1999); Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles (1987-1990); Consul in New York (1981-1985) and Vice Consul, subsequently Consul, in San Francisco (1975-1970).
His career as a diplomat began when he was appointed as Foreign Service Officer in December 1974 after passing the FSO examination and taking the oath of office in 1975.
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The Ambassadors Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policy makers, and practitioners.
