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[numble]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/philippines-duterte-wants-foreign-troops-out-by-2022-1478841157

MANILA—Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday that he would remove U.S. troops from the country by the end of his term in 2022 and not replace them with any other foreign troops, as he moves closer to China and Russia while crafting a more independent foreign policy.

It was the first time Mr. Duterte had set a date for the removal of U.S. troops, which he called for in September. He also said he wanted to stop the joint war games the Philippine military holds with its allies, but that the exercises scheduled next year with the U.S. could go ahead in a truncated format that focuses on humanitarian, antiterror and antidrug operations. Those, however, would be the last, he said.

“By the time I end my term, I do not want to see any—not only the U.S. but even African or Chinese or whatever—I do not want to see foreign military troops in my country,” Mr. Duterte said after returning to Manila before dawn Friday from a trip to Malaysia.

Also cuts in military drills with the US:

Earlier this week, Philippine National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that while Mr. Duterte had agreed to proceed with joint exercises next year with the U.S. military, those would be cut to around seven drills from the previously scheduled 13. He said assault exercises and some bilateral drills would be canceled, and that those that focus on humanitarian assistance, disaster response, counterterrorism and narcotics would go ahead.

“We are just facing rebellion; I do not expect any war against any country,” Mr. Duterte said Friday.

 

[Mesoian]

Well, that's going to be one odd thing as Trump strengthens his bonds with Russia. The Phillipeans will just friends of friends instead of the full pull out that they're wanting or expecting.

It'll be interesting to see how all this plays out with Trump trying to strengthen ties with Russian and South Korea while denouncing China and North Korea and ignoring Japan.

 

[kmfdmpig]

Fuck off Duterte.

We have much worse stuff to worry about in the US than you throwing your weekly tantrum.

 

[quackamole]

Man, Trump vs Duterte, what a time to be alive...

 

[numble]

Man, Trump vs Duterte, what a time to be alive...

Not sure Trump is opposed to moving troops out:

http://www.theatlantic.com/internat...-foreign-policy-consensus-upside-down/493439/

“We have spent trillions of dollars over time—on planes, missiles, ships, equipment—building up our military to provide a strong defense for Europe and Asia,” he said. “The countries we are defending must pay for the cost of this defense—and, if not, the U.S. must be prepared to let these countries defend themselves.” (See: International Alliances, above.) “At some point, we cannot be the policeman of the world,” he told The New York Times. He has suggested pulling back American troops from various places, especially South Korea, where he questioned the utility of U.S. bases, without which “maybe you would have had a unified Korea.

 

[shira]

Man, Trump vs Duterte, what a time to be alive...

Well if he doesn't replace them with Chinese troops I think Trump is okay with this.

 

[ezrarh]

Trump is probably fine with removing US troops from the Philippines. Not so sure on what the rest of his cabinet would think.

 

[Cotton McKnight]

Fuck off Duterte.

We have much worse stuff to worry about in the US than you throwing your weekly tantrum.

Can we just leave the Philippines right now?

 

[kmfdmpig]

Can we just leave the Philippines right now?

Strategically it's a bad idea, but with Trump in power who knows what will happen.

 

[Madness]

Okay. The US will find another willing South East Asian nation willing to act as a buffer to a militaristic and hegemonic Chinese, while you guys in the Philippines can stay ruled by an almost dictator now with little support in the west, little aid, and watch as your economic and fishing zones are stolen by China.

Make no mistakes about it, I understand the sentiment of Duterte and many Filipinos, the US has done horrendous things, but you just see where cozying upto the Chinese will get you.

 

[andythinkpad]

Funny this thread won't even get much discussion nowadays.

 

[Zaventem]

Man, Trump vs Duterte, what a time to be alive...

It's weird because he literally said he liked the guy a couple of days ago.

 

[Cotton McKnight]

Strategically it's a bad idea, but with Trump in power who knows what will happen.

Aha, that's what I figured, I had an Aunt stationed over there to run a military hospital for a while. I think she would be pretty sad to see the breakup.

 

[Syder]

Keep up like this and Duterte will be out of the Philippines by 2022.

 

[The Silver]

He'll find kinship in Trump and all will be well.

Or they'll engage in a twitter war after one of them throws the first insult.

 

[numble]

Keep up like this and Duterte will be out of the Philippines by 2022.

He can only have 1 term, which ends in 2022. He'll be 77 anyway.

 

[maquiladora]

Trump will want them out by Tuesday.

 

[Syder]

He can only have 1 term, which ends in 2022. He'll be 77 anyway.

Hmm, thanks I didn't know this.


I still think he'll be ousted/assassinated before then.

 

[Ether_Snake]

The US has 0% chance of success in south east asia unless China collapses completely economically. The pivot to asia was never ever going to work.

 

[Tugatrix]

Give Trump a change you'll find many common interests

 

[SapientWolf]

I don't even think he has the power to make the request. The Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement doesn't expire until 2024, and they've already agreed on the five bases that will be used to station US troops in March of this year.

 

[Barajas_201]

Dang, the empire is taking lost of Ls lately, good.