My friend Mike, who sent me the guest list to the Gloria and George dinner, weighs in on the subject. As he writes:
For all its glitter and buzz, Monday's White House state dinner in honor of Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo could not conceal the tired, misconceived nature of America's approach to Southeast Asia. Now, just as for most of the past half-century, Washington views the region's problems merely as local variations on its own global preoccupations. Its distorted understanding has led to a long series of bad choices -- bad both for Southeast Asia and for the United States.(My previous take on the proceedings was that it very much lacking in glitter, and simply seemed like an elaborate sop thrown to the Philippines for supporting Bush's "war on terror.") Posted by the wily filipino at May 30, 2003 02:12 AM