The U.S. programme was discontinued in the Philippines in 2015 but a small troop presence has remained for logistics and technical support. Washington has shifted much of its security focus in the Philippines towards the South China Sea.
In his speech to officials on Monday, Duterte repeated comments from last week when he accused the United States of committing atrocities against Muslims over a century ago on Jolo island.
(Editing by Martin Petty)
Another success of the Obama foreign policy.
Seems like a legitimate concern to me, especially after it's been proven that Obama WILL pay ransoms to terrorists.
When they kicked us out of Subic Bay some decades back was a huge mistake.
Sounds good to me.
Pack ‘em up, move ‘em out.
And tell the Philippinos trying to stop the PRC’s encroachment in their waters to go screw themselves.
Filipinos are by no means stupid and nothing like the 7th century ragheads that can't remember how to march in step.
The Philippine forces have been trained and are now training each other .... the USA is no longer needed.
Why risk a tangled international incident if American forces are captured and beheaded or Benghazi'd when the indigenous forces keep it at home ?
Reuter's misleading again.
Perhaps the United States doesn’t make a good war time consiglieré for the Philippines operations.
He is right about Obama being a son of a whore communist, aka, bitch.
Admittedly it doesn’t sound like it but...
I think he wants them out of the way so there are no witnesses.
A dirty war can’t be fought in public.
I was in the Philippines, maneuvering around Muslim terrorists in the late 80’s! At that time, for whatever reason, the rules of engagement were for American forces to avoid direct combat. Basically, the Filipino forces would engage them, but we were there strictly for support and tactical advice.
At that time, the Philippine government thought of these Muslim groups as “nuisance” issues, but they have not gone away, and have probably been emboldened by Obama’s weak reactions around the world.
I figure that Duterte probably wants to ramp up his countries reaction to these terrorist cells, and he doesn’t want Obama’s weak-kneed response to be involved, nor does he want America entangled in the mess that will probably ensue.
As long as they are going to actually exterminate them, I’m all for the withdrawal. But, if he goes at it half-hearted, it will only be a matter of time before America will have to save that island country AGAIN!
ok
And WE want all illegals out of America...including any from the Philippines.
Knowing Obama, he is probably directing our troops to protect the Muslim extremists.
Sounds like he’s going to get serious with the Muzzies and doesn’t want us pussy-footing around there just getting in the way and making things more complicated.
Why the hell are we still paying for the upkeep of the Phillipines?
The amount of American money and blood the Globalists have squandered is staggering. There needs to be full criminal proceedings against Obama and his Elite buddies once Trump is elected
Duterte, you going to deny that you called Obama an Son of a Bitch? No matter what, you would have lots of Americans in your corner... HE IS A SON OF A BITCH...
Notice leftist Reuters’ writer’s smear of the US, calling us the “former colonial power”. That ended about 1946. You won’t hear Reuters calling England a former/”colonial power” re it’s hold on some colonies such as the Falklands (a legit ownership), its immigration rights policies, and its military presence around the world in former colonies.