Philippine Volcano

In response to “Pinatubo Blows a Mandate,” Commentary, June 21:

It is indeed a “mandate of heaven” that Mt. Pinatubo lies within the radius of the U.S. bases in the Philippines. And as an added ominous mandate, it erupted after six centuries when negotiations over the use of these bases are under way.

In his article, Col. Harry G. Summers Jr. talked about negative things like extortion, corruption, misrule and economic misery. This is as if his country never has had some taint of these things, somehow, sometime or another. The subject of the bases is one thing and the Pinatubo natural calamity is another. Instead of exercising at least a modicum of sensitivity about the plight of those adversely affected, Summers capitalized on this disaster to chide the Filipinos. Extortion? That is simply why there are negotiations in order to come to an agreement, to have a meeting of the minds. Neither party has the leeway to lynch one another.

Citing instances, Summers went on to prove that America did the Philippines a favor when President McKinley chose to keep the islands. Bad business or not, had he decided to give the Philippines to France or Germany, there would have been a sharply different turn of events. One thing is sure: no linking of volcanic eruptions to extortion, corruption, misrule and/or misery.

GERRY M. EDEJER, Los Angeles