Duterte: Philippines Will "Separate" from U.S

Maritime News
1

this is unconscionable that a military ally of ours slaps us in the face like this! what about all the aid we have provided to the Philippines over the years? the US has a right to go in and repossess our warships and planes we have given to that nation. if we can’t get them back, we need to destroy every damned piece of equipment where it sits. sink the ships at the dock and while we’re in there, ASSASSINATE THAT MISERABLE MONKEY SON OF A BITCH!

FUCK THIS ASSHOLE!

[B]Duterte: Philippines Will “Separate” from U.S.
[/B]

By Reuters 2016-10-20

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his “separation” from the United States on Thursday, declaring he had realigned with China as the two agreed to resolve their South China Sea dispute through talks.

Duterte made his comments in Beijing, where he is visiting with at least 200 business people to pave the way for what he calls a new commercial alliance as relations with longtime ally Washington deteriorate.

“In this venue, your honors, in this venue, I announce my separation from the United States,” Duterte told Chinese and Philippine business people, to applause, at a forum in the Great Hall of the People attended by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.

“Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost.”

Duterte’s efforts to engage China, months after a tribunal in the Hague ruled that Beijing did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous administration in Manila, marks a reversal in foreign policy since the 71-year-old former mayor took office on June 30.

His trade secretary, Ramon Lopez, said $13.5 billion in deals would be signed during the China trip.

“I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow and maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to (President Vladimir) Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world - China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way,” Duterte told his Beijing audience.

Duterte’s remarks will prompt fresh concern in the United States, where the Obama administration has seen Manila as a key ally in its “rebalance” of resources to Asia in the face of a rising China.

The administration agreed a deal with Duterte’s predecessor granting U.S. forces rotational access to bases in the Philippines and further doubts will be raised about the future of this arrangement.

However, a White House spokesman stressed the traditional bonds between Washington and Manila when asked about Duterte’s comments and stuck to a U.S. approach of seeking to play down the Philippine leader’s repeated attacks.

“The U.S.-Philippines alliance is built on a 70-year history, rich people-to-people ties, including a vibrant Filipino-American diaspora, and a long list of shared security interests,” spokesman Ned Price said.

“We also remain one of the Philippines’ strongest economic partners; the current stock of U.S. foreign direct investment stands above $4.7 billion.”

A few hours after Duterte’s speech, his top economic policymakers released a statement saying that, while Asian economic integration was “long overdue”, that did not mean the Philippines was turning its back on the West.

“We will maintain relations with the West but we desire stronger integration with our neighbors,” said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia in a joint statement. “We share the culture and a better understanding with our region.”

RED CARPET WELCOME

China has pulled out all the stops to welcome Duterte, including a marching band complete with baton-twirling band master at his official greeting ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People, which is not extended to most leaders.

President Xi Jinping, meeting Duterte earlier in the day, called the visit a “milestone” in ties.

Xi told Duterte that China and the Philippines were brothers and they could “appropriately handle disputes”, though he did not mention the South China Sea in remarks made in front of reporters.

“I hope we can follow the wishes of the people and use this visit as an opportunity to push China-Philippines relations back on a friendly footing and fully improve things,” Xi said.

Following their meeting, during which Duterte said relations with China had entered a new “springtime”, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said the South China Sea issue was not the sum total of relations.

“The two sides agreed that they will do what they agreed five years ago, that is to pursue bilateral dialogue and consultation in seeking a proper settlement of the South China Sea issue,” Liu said.

China claims most of the energy-rich South China Sea through which about $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. Neighbors Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims.

In 2012, China seized the disputed Scarborough Shoal and denied Philippine fishermen access to its fishing grounds.

Liu said the shoal was not mentioned and he did not answer a question about whether Philippine fishermen would be allowed there. He said both countries had agreed on coastguard and fisheries cooperation, but did not give details.

SEA ROW TAKES “BACK SEAT”

Duterte’s tone toward Beijing is in stark contrast to the language he has used against the United States, after being infuriated by U.S. criticism of his bloody war on drugs.

He has called U.S. President Barack Obama a “son of a bitch” and told his to “go to hell”, while alluding to severing ties with the old colonial power.

On Wednesday, to the cheers of hundreds of Filipinos in Beijing, Duterte said Philippine foreign policy was veering toward China.

“I will not go to America anymore. We will just be insulted there,” Duterte said. “So time to say goodbye my friend.”

The same day, about 1,000 anti-U.S. protesters gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Manila calling for the removal of U.S. troops from the southern island of Mindanao.

Duterte’s abrupt pivot from Washington to Beijing is unlikely to be universally popular at home, however. On Tuesday an opinion poll showed Filipinos still trust the United States far more than China.

Duterte on Wednesday said the South China Sea arbitration case would “take the back seat” during talks, and that he would wait for the Chinese to bring up the issue rather than doing so himself.

Xi said issues that could not be immediately be resolved should be set aside, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

China has welcomed the Philippines approaches, even as Duterte has vowed not to surrender any sovereignty to Beijing, which views the South China Sea Hague ruling as null and void.

China has also expressed support for his drug war, which has raised concern in Western capitals about extrajudicial killing.

2

He has no respect for your president, I’m sure he’s not the only world leader. He gave the Iranians everything they wanted in that “deal”. Now they shit talk him while building nukes.

3

[QUOTE=c.captain;191733]the US has a right to go in and repossess our warships and planes we have given to that nation.[/QUOTE]

Too late. Hillary signed all that stuff over to them in exchange for a 12 million dollar speaking fee at Mr. Duterte’s birthday party.

5

well here we go with the start of that hot conflict in the South China Sea which has been predicted for so long, I just would hope that Japan, Korea and Taiwan start building warships fast because they have the most to lose when China blocks the shipping lanes there. I know the US has a duty to guarantee the freedom of navigation in those waters but I want to see the countries who are the most effected to step up to help militarily and financially. I think it is time to allow Japan to have a real military and be able to fight for its sovereign rights.

Also, you might want to watch some of your wording as that last sentence might be misinterpreted. Unless you want the Ref to put you in the “box”.

sometimes one’s words simply cannot be moderated…this one really has got me pissed off this morning and we better extract some blood from Duterte (aka Digong) for his utter disrespect to us after the Philippines accepting US military aid for so many decades. there is something called payback and he’d better be made to suffer if we don’t get our due! I mean the FUCKER looks like Manuel Noriega and we all remember what the US did to him when he turned on us!

6

I think you should fly right over there and grab him by the P@#$Y…

8

Wow, that is a stunning rebuke from one of our most important allies. We are being soundly defeated on the world power stage these last few years.

9

History of the U.S. and the Philippines, Past and Future

Until 1899 the Philippines were a restive colony of Spain. In 1899 the U.S. decided we wanted an empire of our own, so we began the Spanish-American war, which was a hot war, with shooting and everything. We captured the Philippines, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and some other islands from Spain. Boom—empire.

Puerto Rico and Guam fell into line. Cuba turned a hot potato politically. We didn’t want to deal with all the rebellions . So we quickly granted it independence, as long as the Cubans made constitutional provisions saying they would side with no foreign power, and they gave us the right to keep American military bases on their soil. Cuba was close enough for us to keep other countries’ hands of it—until 60 years later.

The Philippines turned out to be even more of a hot potato. The Filipinos revolted against Spain when the Spanish American war began, thinking the U.S. would turn their country over to them when it was over. We didn’t. We made it into a territory. The Filipinos, or a lot of them at least, wanted independence. So a nasty war called the Philippine-American war broke out. Jungle fighting. Atrocities on both sides. A real mess. The US. won, but we knew the hand writing was on the wall. In 1935 we turned the Philippines into a “commonwealth”: an independent country that acknowledged the suzerainty of the U.S. They could be “all theirs” as long as they knew they we really ours.

Could the Philippines have dumped us and gone it alone as a fully independent nation? Japan’s imperial ambitions were well known, in 1937 when they began gobbling China. So the Filipinos kept aligned with the U.S. for self-protection.

Then WW2 broke out. Japan seized the Philippines, along with the U.S. bases on it. The U.S. and the Filipinos kicked the Japanese out in 1945. So the Filipinos backed the right horse, after all. After the war, the U.S. gave full independence to the Philippines. The Philippines had the same problem they had before: go it alone, or align themselves with a powerful ally. China and Russia were godless commies, brutal and backwards. The Philippines were afraid of them. So they stuck with us and welcomed our military bases, and the money those bases pumped into their economy, through the Cold War. Vietnam War to US=quagmire. Vietnam War to Philippines’ = ka-ching, baby…

Filipinos love American culture. They are likely the most pro-U.S. of all nations But they do have national pride, so when the Cold War was over they told us no more American bases in the Philippines. We said OK, and fell back to Okinawa and Guam. What were you going to do? We have bases in Germany, too, but that’s a NATO nation. We don’t have a similar treaty with the Philippines. Besides it saved us money, after the Cold War was over.

When the Cold War was over China went from godless “commies” to greedy ”cappies” overnight. The fear for the Philippines wasn’t that China would invade them and turn them into a vassal state. The fear was that China would snapup valuable Philippine sea territory, and then use their vastly superior trade-might to undercut Philippine industry on the world market. What can the U.S. do? Bluff and bluster? What does the Philippines “fear” about us? Outright military destruction if they cross us? Is that what the U.S. is? A symbol of Fear in the world? We want relations with them for our own pragmatic reasons.

The Philippines “fear us” in regards only to trade and trade agreements. If they piss us off it could disrupt their trade. China has probably told them whatever trade they lose with us they’ll make up with China. We, on the other hand, don’t have much trade in a global sense with the Philippines:

From government figures:
The Philippines is currently our 37th largest goods trading partner with $17.7 billion in total (two ways) goods trade during 2013. Goods exports totaled $8.4 billion; Goods imports totaled $9.3 billion. The U.S. goods trade deficit with the Philippines was $862 million in 2013.

37th largest trading partner is pretty far down there. As some have pointed out, it costs us money to maintain that trade. Really, is it worth it?

The Chinese know the exact limits of U.S. power. It’s no mystery to the Chinese. They remember. When Japan invaded China in 1937 did the U.S. go to war with Japan over the matter? Hell, we even had American gunboats in Chinese waters when the invasion began, and had for two generations! Did Uncle Sam roll up his sleeves and knock old Tojo right over the Rising Sun over the invasion of China? No we didn’t. We only got involved when our own territory was attacked in 1941 Not in 1937. Why not? Because it would have profited us not a dime, it would have depleted our purse, and because there was a chance it could have led to a Pacific War—which occurred anyway, but only after we had a number of years to prepare for it

We’re not going to war today with China over Philippine energy and fish, because it will profit us not a dime, it will deplete our purse, and because there is always a chance a hot war with China could turn into nuclear war.

We do have a military treaty with the Philippines a few generations ago. As far as I know it ended in the ‘70’s.

So Duterte is playing a pragmatic game, with short term outlook. China is threatening to gobble up Philippine sea territory. Duterte knows the U.S. won’t go to war over the subject. And we won’t send cruise missiles into Manila as punishment. We don’t do that. So who is the bigger problem, in the SHORT TERM, for Duterte,China or Uncle Sam?

Duterte, to the extent that he has reasoning capability, is betting that sucking up to China will prevent them from gobbling up Philippine territory and undercutting their economy. It is APPEASEMENT. Once you read the word “appeasement” you understand what is likely going to happen. Once you get in bed with the Chinese you’re not going to get them out. The U.S. is the Good Father, who lends you money without interest or payment plan, and demands only that you visit on Thanksgiving and Xmas. China is the Bad Uncle who loans you money—and demands that you return it with exorbitant interest-and that you mow his lawn , wash his windows, clean his gutters, and lend him your truck for a little midnight run he has to make…

Duterte is a populist demagogue, like Castro in Cuba. Remember Cuba was the Philippines mirror image. Cuba turned communist in 1959, and forgot its promise to stick by us. It got in bed with the Soviet Union. I’ll leave it up to the reader to decide how that turned out for Cuba.

Duterte also reminds me of the late, unlamented Hugo Chavez, president of Velenzuela. Chavez, like Duterte, was always talking down the U.S. and its president. He got in bed with China and Russia. How did that work out? Velenzuela is now, figuratively, a hole in the ground, and so, literally, is Hugo Chavez. Not from our doing, but from short term mindset.

Meanwhile in Seattle, at least, unemployment is essentially negative and business is booming. And in the other Washington, POTUS is getting ready for a little retirement of about three years, before he takes over his supreme court justice gig. Behind his office will be an alley, and in that alley will be a chair and an ashtray, where he sneaks his cigarettes. The ashtray will bear a picture of the late Chavez, and, not improbably, a late Duterte. POTUS SCOTUS will smoke two cigs and grind the butts out in the ash tray contentedly but without drama, lives lost, or treasure wasted.

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[QUOTE=Slick Cam;191744]Wow, that is a stunning rebuke from one of our most important allies. We are being soundly defeated on the world power stage these last few years.[/QUOTE]

Most important Allies: NATO countries, Japan, South Korea. The Philippines? Neither an economic power or a military power. Not a cultural mecca, or source of strategic resources. Nice place, if you overlook the corruption. A lot of hardworking people there, but, my opinion, NOT an important ally. The Philippines are like a former girlfriend. She was yours once, and when you needed her she was great. But you haven’t been in bed with her for years, and she does kind of borrow money and cigs from you a lot. Now she says she’s going with Jody, just to see if it makes you jealous, and to see if you’re going to fight over her. But Uncle Sam has moved on…

11

At this point, in relative terms none of our allies are military powers. When considered as a bulwark against Chinese influence and an anchor for our own, yes I consider the Philippines to be a most important (former) ally. Especially in light of our current “pacific pivot” which appears to be sputtering. Holing up in Guam and Okinawa and floating broken LCS’s around will not be enough.

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[QUOTE=Slick Cam;191748]At this point, in relative terms none of our allies are military powers. When considered as a bulwark against Chinese influence and an anchor for our own, yes I consider the Philippines to be a most important (former) ally. Especially in light of our current “pacific pivot” which appears to be sputtering. Holing up in Guam and Okinawa and floating broken LCS’s around will not be enough.[/QUOTE]
In the Old Days of the Cold War we had a time-worn way of keeping dodgy world leaders in line: we had them assassinated (Mossadegh in Iran, Ngo Dinh Diem in Vietnam). It worked, but down the line the results weren’t always worth it. Absent assassinating them, the question is how do we force world leaders to act the way WE want them to? Carrot and stick are the only ways, and both cost money.
World leaders are always going to go their own way because they know better, and very often their nation has to pay the price later. Even brilliant leaders can make mistakes (Churchill/Singapore), and I don’t think Duterte is overly bright. His people will pay the cost.

Also: “Holing up in Guam and Okinawa and floating broken LCS’s around will not be enough.” Enough for what?
I’m not being argumentative. You sound like someone that follows current affairs, and probably with more military knowledge than I have.

13

[QUOTE=freighterman;191745]
Duterte, to the extent that he has reasoning capability, [/QUOTE]

There’s your problem right there. I suspect he has none.

Right now every Filipino seamen I come into contact with (about 30 in our crew) is as embarrassed by this guy as they are proud of Pacquiao. But just because I work with these guys doesn’t mean I know a whole lot about their domestic affairs. From the outside the whole Duarte thing has the smell of a guy who watches too much American cable news TV and sees how that style is working out for a certain individual. I suspect he is of the same mold i.e. a petulant, supercilious twat. Perhaps we are witnessing an experimental field trial of what happens when a egomaniacal, tribalist comes to actually practice power.

By the way your summary left out the whole Mindanao and communist thing. Though there is some peace there at the moment guess who has military advisors there right now? Yup, Uncle Sam. I hope pulling them out was the first thing that happened after Duarte started bad mouthing the USA. But maybe he plans on stirring up that whole mess just as it is settling down for his own glorification of course. Maybe he can drag China into that mess. They might be too smart for that though. I think we get more from these operations than “taking people out”. Believe me the whole LCS thing is a disaster but that one program does not fairly represent the state of the USN in the western Pacific.

I do agree with your basic premise though. Are we really going to meddle in the internal affairs of an independent nation? Hope we learned the lesson of what that brings from all the examples you cited. Is there an immediate need to protect “national security” of the USA? I mean so vital military action is required? I think not at this stage. I feel bad my friends are being subjected to this experiment but that’s who won [I]their[/I] election.

More to that last point, former SCOTUS justice Souter provides a good warning about/to us all fellow citizens. Just skip to about 3:28 (you can do without the Maddow intro I promise, just couldn’t find the clip anywhere else) and especially what he says starting at about 5:00. This was from 2012 and NOT specifically about this campaign.

//youtu.be/VslCHyJlOlc

      • Updated - - -

[QUOTE=freighterman;191753]I don’t think Duterte is overly bright. His people will pay the cost.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, that was what I was meaning to say. Should have read all the posts before replying!

14

I guess the real question to ask is what is the strategic implications to the US if Duterte follows through and ends all cooperation between the US and the Philippines? Obviously, who controls navigation and resources in the South China Sea is the top issue. We know China plans to be highly aggressive in taking that control with their building islands on top of submerged reefs and calling it their sovereign territory. Something the UN has roundly condemned but which China has no intention to reverse. With the Philippines in China’s pocket, how is that control of the SCS further consolidated more than it is at present? This really is not about the Philippines as it is about China and their overt powerplays to control some of the most important international waters for global trade (ie. wealth).

If we have in fact lost the Philippines, how do we now counter Chinese aggression in the region? I certainly say that there needs to be a powerful coalition of Nations to stand up to a hegemonous China. We need to be the leader of such a coalition and to now encourage our allies in such a coalition to build their forces. The US cannot and should not be the sole protector of all the effected nations in the region. Time for Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to build warships including aircraft carriers to protect their vital interests. The only way to stop Chinese strongarming in the region is to pump some iron and muscle up to build arms as strong as China’s.

and I still want all of our shit back from that girlfriend who kicked us in the balls! if somehow a stray bullet ends up lodging in the head of the SUNNUVABITCH Duterte in the process, I for one would not shed a tear.

15

while any show of force by us is worthwhile, I doubt this will change a damned thing in the region

[B]U.S. Carries Out Freedom-of-Navigation Operation in South China Sea[/B]

October 21, 2016 by Idrees Ali and Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) – A U.S. navy destroyer sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Friday, drawing a warning from Chinese warships to leave the area.

The U.S. action was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing’s efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, U.S. officials said.

The Chinese Defense Ministry called the move “illegal” and “provocative,” saying that two Chinese warships had warned the U.S. destroyer to leave.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur challenged “excessive maritime claims” near the Paracel Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals over which China has territorial disputes with its neighbors, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The latest U.S. patrol, first reported by Reuters, is expected to anger Beijing and could further escalate tensions over the South China Sea. The destroyer sailed within waters claimed by China, close to but not within the 12-nautical-mile territorial limits of the islands, the officials said.

The Pentagon said the Decatur “conducted this transit in a routine, lawful manner without ship escorts and without incident.” One official said the ship, which sailed near Triton and Woody Islands, was shadowed by three Chinese vessels and that all interactions were safe.

The White House confirmed the Reuters report.

“This operation demonstrated that coastal states may not unlawfully restrict the navigation rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise under international law,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a news briefing.

It was the fourth challenge that the United States has made to what it considers overreaching maritime claims by China in the South China Sea in the past year, and the first since May.

China, Washington’s main strategic rival in Asia, claims almost the entire South China Sea, through which about $5 trillion worth of trade passes each year. The United States has criticized Beijing’s build-up of military facilities in the sea and expressed concerns they could be used to restrict free movement.

China has a runway on Woody Island, the site of the largest Chinese presence on the Paracels, and has placed surface-to-air missiles there, according to U.S. officials. Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims on the Paracels.

In the last three U.S. freedom-of-navigation operations in the South China Sea within the last year, U.S. warships cruised within 12 nautical miles of islands claimed by Beijing. The actions drew angry responses from China, which has accused the United States of stirring up trouble there.

The latest operation comes just after the volatile president of the Philippines announced, during a visit to China, his “separation” from Washington and realignment with Beijing. The Philippines has been a key ally of the United States and a territorial rival of Beijing in the South China Sea. Rodrigo Duterte took office as Philippine president in June.

Duterte’s announcement on Thursday was a significant turnaround after a tribunal in The Hague ruled that China did not have historic rights to the South China Sea in a case brought by the previous Philippine administration and strongly backed by the United States.

But in Washington a person close to the matter said the latest naval operation was not timed for Duterte’s China visit this week and that planning for the patrol had long been in the works.

U.S. officials have said they will continue such operations despite objections by Beijing.

“The U.S. Navy will continue to conduct routine and lawful operations around the world, including in the South China Sea, in order to protect the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of sea and airspace guaranteed to all. This will not change,” Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said during a trip to China in July.

RIVAL CLAIMS

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam all have rival claims in the South China Sea, but Beijing’s is the largest. It argues it can do what it wants on the islands it claims as they have been Chinese since ancient times.

The last U.S. freedom-of-navigation operation in May went within 12 miles of Fiery Cross reef in the Spratly Islands and China scrambled fighter jets in response.

In January, a U.S. destroyer went within 12 miles of Triton Island, and China called the action “irresponsible and extremely dangerous.”

U.S. officials have said the operations will continue despite Beijing’s protests, but the Obama administration has been criticized in Congress for not conducting them more regularly and robustly.

Greg Poling, a South China Sea expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said the administration was likely to face further criticism after opting for relatively uncontroversial challenges to China in all of its freedom-of-navigation operations in the past year.

“They will have essentially performed the same FONOP, meaning an objection to China’s demand for prior notification, four times in a year,” he said.

“That is not only redundant, but it does nothing to put a spotlight on the other, much more worrying, restrictions China is placing on freedom of navigation.”

China has been placing more serious restrictions on movement, he said, around artificial islands China has built on reefs in the Spratly chain, notably Mischief Reef.

I certainly will say that with the latest news of the Philippines defecting to China, the timeline to when shots will be fired has advanced quite a bit. Maybe even in 2017!

17

This is no different then the games going on over on in Europe. Everyone is either unable or unwilling to spend enough on defense with Russia and China being the only exceptions. Smaller countries have only one choice: appease/cozy up to one of the three military superpowers. The United States’ long term prospect is waning with its government looking less and less able to do what it did in the past while Russia and China are ascending.

This is just a canary in the coal mine. The United States either needs to get its shit together or accept that our allies will no longer rely on us. This is more then just military spending. It’s financial, cultural and political as well. It’s our government inability to pass a sustainable budget. It’s our financial and industrial corporations’ unwillingness to put the countries long term strength and stability over short term profits. It’s We the People’s desire to spend more time watching sports then to learn about the representatives we elect.

Honestly, what choice does the Philippines (Europe, Korea and Japan) have?

18

Look at the Philippines if you want to know what a Trump-like character resembles in power.

19

Freightermans reply was an exceptionally well written piece. China is pretty new at the having money game and should trump be elected they will most likely have to pair back a LOT on some of their works.
As for the Philippines, My father carried General Dalton down off Baleyte (sp) pass during the fighting there and would have a most difficult time accepting the current events were he alive but as the world and people scramble for the last dollars and the new world order continues to assert itself we will see cultures re-align and leadership take a back role to posturing.

20

This report from CNA is just in: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/philippines-says-to-keep-us-ties-but-will-not-be-subservient/3227478.html

21

[QUOTE=c.captain;191768]
and I still want all of our shit back from that girlfriend who kicked us in the balls![/QUOTE]

Song for the dumped says it all.

[youtubehq]XVk_e31dnlE[/youtubehq]

22

[QUOTE=KPChief;191800]Song for the dumped says it all.[/QUOTE]

I believe that video permanently injured my brain…you’ll be hearing from my attorney soon regarding a sizable claim I will be making for damages

23

now there is this bit of blatant ASSHOLENESS!

[B]Duterte Threatens to End U.S. Defense Alliance[/B]

By Reuters 2016-10-25

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out anew at the United States on Tuesday and said it could forget a bilateral defense deal if he stayed in power long enough, in the latest jarring statement from Manila about the future of the alliance.

The fresh broadside from Duterte came as he was about to board a plane for an official visit to fellow U.S. ally Japan, a big investor in the Philippines that is becoming nervous about its apparent pivot towards rival power China.

The volatile, crime-busting Duterte had on the eve of the visit softened his remarks last week about a “separation” from Washington, telling Japanese media he wasn’t planning to change alliances and was only seeking to build trade and commerce with China.

But he pulled no punches on Tuesday when he said he hated having foreign troops in the Philippines and told the United States not to treat his country “like a dog with a leash”.

Commenting on a visit to Manila on Monday by Daniel Russel, an Assistant Secretary of State, Duterte said Washington should forget about an Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the Philippines if he were to stay in charge longer.

“You have the EDCA, well forget it. If I stay here long enough,” he said. “I do not want to see any military man of any other nation except the Filipino. That’s the only thing I want.”

He did not elaborate on what staying longer meant. In the Philippines, a president is allowed only one six-year term in office.

The remarks were another perplexing swing from Duterte, who last week announced in China his “separation” from the United States, before assuring that ties were not being severed and he was merely pursuing an independent foreign policy.

His latest swipe at Washington could rattle Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who wants to keep ties with the Philippines tight.

In a composed reading of a statement prior to departure for Tokyo, Duterte described Japan as a true friend that had played a “preeminent and peerless role” as a big investor and Philippine development partner.

‘I DIDN’T START THIS FIGHT’

But he quickly became vexed when answering questions and held up the front page of a Philippine newspaper which carried the headline “Duterte sparking international distress - U.S.”

Duterte vented at Washington on several fronts, from its bombings of Manila at the end of World War Two to embassy officials once questioning his intentions when he applied for a visa to visit a girlfriend.

“You know, I did not start this fight,” he said of the spat with Washington.

His overtures to China and hostility toward the United States have raised questions about what Duterte’s overall goal is and the extent to which his actions could shake up the geopolitical dynamic of a region wary about Beijing’s growing influence and U.S. staying power.

Abe has sought to strengthen ties with the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries, particularly Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, as a counter-balance to Beijing.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga on Tuesday said both presidents would have a meeting to “further the strategic partnership with the Philippines”.

It is unclear where Duterte’s latest diatribe leaves U.S.-Philippines ties. Russel had left Manila in confident mood and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had expressed optimism the two countries could “work through” a period of confusion caused by Duterte’s remarks last week.

Duterte has railed against U.S. expressions of concerns about the high loss of life in his campaign against drugs and Washington’s calls for due process.

Japanese officials said Abe would not overtly try to mediate between Tokyo and Washington but would probably explain the importance of the U.S. role in the region.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Duterte on Tuesday for a low-key dinner, and Abe will hold rare one-on-one talks with Duterte at his residence in Tokyo the next evening following a larger, more formal meeting with senior officials.

I’ve said it before and saying it again…we need to ASSASSINATE THAT MISERABLE MONKEY SON OF A BITCH!