Phillipine leader terminates troop agreement with U.S.

"Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has given formal notice to the United States of his decision to scrap a bilateral Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), officials said on Tuesday, following through on repeated threat to downgrade the defense alliance."


So it seems Xi finally pulled the right string or paid the right price. Either way, Duterte made it clear we aren't very welcome there as a military.
Wonder what merit can be cited from this action?
I think it's bad idea for both us and them, but much worse for them.
Thoughts?

Source: www.reuters.com...

a reply to: [post=24937731]Gravelbone[/post

There would be No Nation of the Phillipines Today if it were not for Americans Laying Down their Lives in Order to Liberate them from the Japanese Imperial Army in 1945 . I am Sure the Phillipine People Know this Well , but it Seems their Politicians have Long Term Memory Loss . Lets see how Well they Defend their Islands from the Chinese when the time comes Without the Help of U.S. Armed Forces .................

Well then we should plug the "Philippine to Veterans Hospital Medical Staff" pipeline!!

Every VA Hospital I've been to is ABSOLUTELY dominated by equally tall, Philippino lady nurses and medical technicians.

It's not genetics!! Lol.

I'm sure there's some kind of 'exchange' program going on..gotta be...lol

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

It is time to let ghosts of the past flee, no need for them to linger in our memory. Unless you want to perpetually fight a war with a shadow of what once was, and is no more.

originally posted by: Gravelbone


So it seems Xi finally pulled the right string or paid the right price. Either way, Duterte made it clear we aren't very welcome there as a military.
Wonder what merit can be cited from this action?
I think it's bad idea for both us and them, but much worse for them.
Thoughts?

Source: www.reuters.com...

It's not Xi, this is all local. Have you seen how unpopular us troops overseas are?

Other countries see them as being an afront to their sovereignty and a reminder of imperialism. How would you react to having British troop stationed in your back yard.

It's time to bring the troops home.

a reply to: Gravelbone Being the Phillipines hold 2/3 rds of world's gold and the fact Saudi Arabia bought our army for 500 million,with one billion on reserve,sounds interesting

"It's not Xi, this is all local. Have you seen how unpopular us troops overseas are?"

The Xi bit is simply my opinion.
No, I have not been overseas, but I've heard that sentiment once or twice, but never in any inordinate amount.

"Other countries see them as being an afront to their sovereignty and a reminder of imperialism. How would you react to having British troop stationed in your back yard."

Now, I'm sure the usual suspects in our hemisphere, the Middle East, and Asia will say something like that perhaps, maybe a few in Europe even. But I wouldn't say the comparison is as direct as you state, though that's from my perspective.

"It's time to bring the troops home."

100% agreed.

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Agreed. Ghosts of the past aren't always welcome. I respect any sovereignty aspect, but that simply isn't the argument.
A very short sighted move initially, though to be honest, in my opinion, very heavily calculated.
As always, time will tell all the tales.

a reply to: More1ThanAny1

Sounds like good advice.

originally posted by: Oldtimer2
a reply to: Gravelbone Being the Phillipines hold 2/3 rds of world's gold and the fact Saudi Arabia bought our army for 500 million,with one billion on reserve,sounds interesting

Can I get a reputable source or 3 on any of those claims? I can't reply with any real merit without any context other than this. Off the top of my head, I say: ludicrous. But, stranger things have occurred.
⏳

a reply to: EternalShadow

Almost every VA nurse I saw that took care of my father before he passed was Filipina.
Not just the VA either. Seems to be a lucrative deal, if so. Pity to waste it, but perhaps Duterte will turn to Chinese medicine in our stead?

⏳

originally posted by: Gravelbone
"It's not Xi, this is all local. Have you seen how unpopular us troops overseas are?"
The Xi bit is simply my opinion.
No, I have not been overseas, but I've heard that sentiment once or twice, but never in any inordinate amount.
"Other countries see them as being an afront to their sovereignty and a reminder of imperialism. How would you react to having British troop stationed in your back yard."
"It's time to bring the troops home."

please, this has nothing to do with US troops being unpopular. this is mainly a retaliation against the US for their rightfully barring certain politicians from the US and possibly freezing any of their US assists. which the US has done over their involvement in illegal and immoral locking up of political opponents who have stood in their way with trumped up charges.

Duterte's government is also trying to limit the freedom of the press and free speech, by taking away the broadcast rights of stations that have been critical of the things Duterte and the government under him have been doing. which it seems to be to want to go back to the days of the Marcos dictatorship.

then you have the fact that Duterte is a Chinese stooge.

originally posted by: EternalShadow
Well then we should plug the "Philippine to Veterans Hospital Medical Staff" pipeline!!

Every VA Hospital I've been to is ABSOLUTELY dominated by equally tall, Philippino lady nurses and medical technicians.

It's not genetics!! Lol.

I'm sure there's some kind of 'exchange' program going on..gotta be...lol

You do realize that the Philippines has the only US Veterans hospital for Discharged Vets In Asia. If I wanted to see a VA Doctor I'd have to travel to the Philippines or go to the outpatient clinic in Honolulu.
I think he's making a very big mistake. There are many Philippines American Vets there.

a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Don't forget, that they did their fair share to liberate themselves, too.

If they want us gone, we leave. Period.

Honestly, it may have nothing to do with china or anything, rather, PETTY?

Duterte made the decision after the top commander of his war on drugs, former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his U.S. visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and top critic of Duterte.

So who knows, but if this is true, it just goes to show how Duterte is a moron.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Don't forget, that they did their fair share to liberate themselves, too.

If they want us gone, we leave. Period.

Of course, there is no need for a Philippine presence. Let them sort out their domestic issues and have the troops return to the USA. Don't linger where you are not wanted.

My thoughts,

Bally

originally posted by: Oldtimer2
a reply to: Gravelbone Being the Phillipines hold 2/3 rds of world's gold and the fact Saudi Arabia bought our army for 500 million,with one billion on reserve,sounds interesting

you may need to go check your figures on both mining nation totals and national holding tota

a reply to: pronto

Give us a ring mate or email. Need to catch up. Be over your way.

Bally

originally posted by: EternalShadow
Well then we should plug the "Philippine to Veterans Hospital Medical Staff" pipeline!!

Every VA Hospital I've been to is ABSOLUTELY dominated by equally tall, Philippino lady nurses and medical technicians.

It's not genetics!! Lol.

I'm sure there's some kind of 'exchange' program going on..gotta be...lol

The US has a huge nursing shortage and nursing is one of the biggest careers in the Philippines, so there are a lot of Filipino nurses in America.

The Obama administration and Democrats destroyed our alliance with the Philippines forcing them towards China.

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Zanti Misfit

Don't forget, that they did their fair share to liberate themselves, too.

If they want us gone, we leave. Period.

They don't. The problem is Democrats keep attacking Duterte, and he is like Trump, when you attack him he is going to attack back.