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I think your history leaves a lot to be desired. The Marcos as a family are still in power, the sons and daughters of Imelda are running for politics and winning in some cases, we are talking Congress and Senator positions.

It is not as simple as right vs. left as you portray it - Commies are bad, dictators are bad.

There is still endemic corruption at all levels of politics and to a lesser extent in business... everyone skims, no one reports their real income on their income taxes, and the Customs folks are probably the most corrupt of all. Some of this corruption should be blamed on Marcos' corrupt influence.

And further, the VFA (visiting forces agreement) came apart under Erap, a Clinton clone, not under Aquino.

Aside: my wife, from the Philippines, was able to make friends with Jesi Mendez, the top hairstylist in the Phils. When she got married, he came to her hotel room and made her up personally. When Aimee Marcos travels, she pays his day rate and all expenses and takes him with her, along with her entourage of 20+ .

"I think your history leaves a lot to be desired."

I think your reading of my comments leaves a lot to be desired as well.

I did not say that the Marcos were not influential. Imelda is in the comfortable situation she is in (and not in jail) because of money and friendly political influence.

I did not say that it is a starkly right-left choice. What I said is that corruption is endemic, but on top of those kind of ills unchecked communist agitation is a powder keg. Nepal is a good example at this time.

I did not say that US forces pulled out under Aquino. Clark was winding down under her, but anti-Americanism was on the rise. Again, weak kneed politics begets its own rewards.

What I am saying is that all is not wine and roses since the Marcos left power. In some ways, things are worse. In any event, Marxism is bad at any time and I would suspect that the Marcos pressure on the NPA was the real source of ire for the lickspittles in the Western press. Of course, they had nothing but unbroken praises for Marxist strong men in Latin America.