Posted on 02/11/2020 7:09:27 AM PST by hapnHal
President disapproves of alliance and made decision after ally’s visa was rescinded
Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has given formal notice to the US of his decision to scrap a bilateral agreement covering visiting American troops, following through on repeated threats to downgrade the defence alliance.
The visiting forces agreement (VFA), signed in 1998, accords legal status to thousands of American troops rotated in the country for humanitarian assistance and military exercises, dozens of which take place annually.
Duterte, who has made no secret of his grudge with the US and his disdain for his country’s close military relationship, believed it was time to be more militarily independent, his spokesman said.
“It’s about time we rely on ourselves. We will strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country,” Salvador Panelo told a regular briefing, quoting Duterte.
Defence ties between the Philippines and its former colonial ruler go back to the early 1950s and are governed by a mutual defence treaty (MTD), which remains intact, along with an enhanced defence cooperation agreement made under the Obama administration.
Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.
It is the first time Duterte has scrapped an agreement with the US, having throughout his more than three years in office denounced Washington for hypocrisy and for treating the Philippines “like a dog on a leash”.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
Sounds like the chicoms already have.
Wonder what they have on him. or how much is in his swiss accounts now. maybe they’ve promised him leniency or ‘his own little fiefdom’ when they take the south china sea as their own.
You can be my editor. ;)
Let’s see.. The visit by the USS Ronald Reagan brought nearly 100 million to the local economy last fall. Sounds good, I’m sure other ports of call are available. C’ya.
Intensely foolish. The Philippines derive nothing but benefit from the US presence. Duterte thinks he’ll be better off as a Chinese province. The Philippines will be 500x harder to defend should this occur.
It’s a common thing these s**thole countries do: They flirt with our enemies, playing upon the US desire to maintain good relations and understanding how much strategic value their piece of dirt provides.
He is probably a bit dirty himself, as is nature for all humans since the fall, and which can only be curbed by a relationship with Christ.
But who would want to?
That volcano isn’t going anywhere and it has entered a more active phase. Let Subic and Olongapo be buried again in the next eruption and if we ever go back build farther away.
Cool.
Let him protect his own national waters, then.
Let’s see how long the Philippine Sea remains Philippino...
I’m tired of always getting Judy anyway
I am sympathetic to Duterte’s domestic situation, as the Muslim nutjobs and drug lords had been running rampant. Understandably, he has decided to discard Queensbury rules. In a better time, the Catholic could have been an important ally, but not today, which gives him room to be irreverent. Without knowing what kind of pressure the Chicoms and the US are applying, I cannot make a judgment on his decision here.
Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.
Heh, that fits his pattern. Does anyone think not spending our hard-earned on a base in the Phillippines is going to hurt us really, really bad?
Philippines will be a colony of China. And then they will have to shoot their way out of it. Oh well
He's way ahead of you. From the story: "Duterte favours warmer ties with China and Russia than the US and has praised those countries and increased their military contributions and donations..."
Sure thing.
With China rising.
Smart.
Trump should immediately withdraw them to the nearest post, and then tell them they will have to PAY if they want them back.
The benefit to the local economy is enormous.
Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.
Nothing in this posting covers the background on this decision: Senator’s name and from which country US or Philippine? Bared action by who which offer insight for Duterte’s decision.
Ho Chi Minh offered Cam Ranh Bay to Truman. He wanted Truman to keep FDRs promise to keep European powers from taking their colonies back after WW2. He also wanted the US there as a curb against China. Truman, of course, ignored him. Thus 30 years of unnecessary fighting.
Who knows? Maybe relations with Vietnam will improve and we reacquire basing rights in Da Nang and Cam Ranh Bay. Stranger things have happened. It’s not like Vietnam and China are besties.
Good out of the box thinking.
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