Happy to be going home following his countries decision to withdraw from Iraq, Philippine soldier Alfonso de Asis began packing his bags for his journey home as the Philippine contingent to the Iraqi war.
Manila's decision to withdraw its solitary Iraq troop, Alfonso, draws tremendous support at home.
Residents of Alfonso's hometown in the Philippines are already preparing for his homecoming even though there is no sign yet that he has finished packing up his suitcase. "I have many souvenirs," says Alfonso.
Alfonso's friends cannot help but view the concession as a good thing.
"We need him home for our weekend football team, he's our best halfback," said a neighbor.
The country's partners in the coalition, on the other hand, particularly the US, have called the decision disappointing.
"It will encourage terrorists to move their base to Manila because they know that the government is weak," said a Bush administration spokesman. "We don't care about their problems gaining support at home for fighting Iraq and we don't care what happens to their people. We need them in Iraq to cover our political asses at home, watching people abandon us right before the election will ensure a swift retaliation for Manila from Bush, you can bet on that."
"I think the decision of the government to withdraw the troops is a question of domestic policy rather than foreign policy," said another political analyst. "When you have 95% against a decision you made as their leader, the midnight mobs are not far behind."
"We have to try to get a feel of what will really happen and a person's life is surely more important than George Bush's standing in his re-election polls. They don't need our troop presence there, all he did was guard the Coke machines anyway."
Happy to be going home following his countries decision to withdraw from Iraq, Philippine soldier Alfonso de Asis began packing his bags for his journey home as the Philippine contingent to the Iraqi war.