General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDo we care about our deteriorating relationship with the Philippines??
CNN is covering it, and it sounds pretty serious. Is it??
TXCritter
(344 posts)Our bases in the Phillipines give us a major strategic advantage but, frankly, I'm tired of paying for them.
marybourg
(12,634 posts)for a couple of weeks. Their president is a Filipino version of Trump. He has publicly cursed at Obama.
a kennedy
(29,706 posts)should we be really concerned??
MattP
(3,304 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)However, they elected their version of Donald Trump.
Unsurprisingly, Paul Manafort's prior gigs include advising Ferdinand Marcos.
There's something which smells odd here.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Especially as there are a lot of Filipinno Americans. BUT, let's fact facts, China is wanting the South China Sea, and it wants someone to be an ally, and it will reward that ally handsomely. Duerte is trying to be the first to play into the rising power of China. However, he may learn that his deal with the Dragon may end up in his country being a puppet of one of the few countries that is as cruel as we are. Let us shrug this one off, because if we try, we will be hated, and those few that manage to survive once the Dragon changes from wooing groom to always hungry eater of human flesh will know which way is better.
JI7
(89,264 posts)So what can we do ?