Comments on: High Stakes in the Philippines: ‘The Village’

By: Out in left field

Out in left field — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:25:58 +0000

With more than a century of 'successful counter-insurgency' in the Phillipines, one would think that some cogent learning would have accrued. Apparently the wheel continues to be reinvented.

As you say Mike, the personal, humane touch seems to work better than the 'gung ho', wipe em all out method. Both have been well tested in the Philippines.

Unfortunately times , and rotations, change. Who's to say the next CA chief won't decide that the retired guerrillas aren't being as supportive, or 'friendly' as they could be? Some 'tuning up' could undo everything. What got to-day's Moros started again anyway? It wasn't that they hated anybodies "freedoms"' was it?

By: dcase

dcase — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:30:07 +0000

thanks for the details. Ultimately, the Moro uprising caused the military to develop the 1911 and the .45 ACP round…

By: wag_a_muffin

wag_a_muffin — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:24:47 +0000

Why only fifteen comments I wonder? Fascinating article. Great photos. Thank you for sharing this.

Side note: My son lived in Bacolod (sp?), Philippines for two years.

By: Bohemond

Bohemond — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:50:58 +0000

Well, I don't know if "came to the rescue" really applies to the then 'obsolescent' Model 1878 SAA. But the reversion to the old .45 Long Colt did indeed lead to the Army spec for a .45 round, which led to St John Browning's M1903 and M1911 in .45 ACP.

By: dcase

dcase — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:44:05 +0000

no doubt; we were using literary 'shorthand'- the opium fired Moros couldn't be stopped by the .38, and Samuel Colt ultimately came to the rescue…

By: beth

beth — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:51:35 +0000

thanks for featuring my city Iligan who is now struggling again by moro…infact bomb just exploded 3 days ago and just 5 minutes from our house..sad to say that we are indeed a character of a horror story again….bless you Mr. Yon, i wish you can change our world here, mindanao!

By: jic

jic — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 01:45:05 +0000

"some might recall that the 1911A1 Colt .45 was invented for the Moro uprising"

It would be more accurate to say that it was *inspired* by the Moro uprising. It caused the Marines to go back to the old single-action .45 revolvers, and that experience predisposed the military towards a .45 as the next service round.

By: FeFe

FeFe — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Was the horse ill? An excellent piece. Bless you and stay low.

By: Kendama

Kendama — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:04:24 +0000

The picture captioned "Lt. Lara Bollinger behind the lens.":

It took me a few seconds to find her. If she were holding a gun instead of a camera, I'd probably be dead!

Camouflage really does work…

By: ReaderRedux

ReaderRedux — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:47:47 +0000

Is "lovely" an appropriate comment? Thanks for this, Mr. Yon. All the best to you in Afghanistan.