Duterte tells US he is scrapping troop agreement.

theguardian ^ | 11 Feb 20 | Reuters

[hapnHal]

President disapproves of alliance and made decision after ally’s visa was rescinded

Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, has given formal notice to the US of his decision to scrap a bilateral agreement covering visiting American troops, following through on repeated threats to downgrade the defence alliance.

The visiting forces agreement (VFA), signed in 1998, accords legal status to thousands of American troops rotated in the country for humanitarian assistance and military exercises, dozens of which take place annually.

Duterte, who has made no secret of his grudge with the US and his disdain for his country’s close military relationship, believed it was time to be more militarily independent, his spokesman said.

“It’s about time we rely on ourselves. We will strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country,” Salvador Panelo told a regular briefing, quoting Duterte.

Defence ties between the Philippines and its former colonial ruler go back to the early 1950s and are governed by a mutual defence treaty (MTD), which remains intact, along with an enhanced defence cooperation agreement made under the Obama administration.

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after the top commander of his war on drugs, the former police chief Ronald dela Rosa, said his US visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator and critic of Duterte.

It is the first time Duterte has scrapped an agreement with the US, having throughout his more than three years in office denounced Washington for hypocrisy and for treating the Philippines “like a dog on a leash”.

[jonascord]

There was a standard feature of the old carnivals that would go from town to town, of a lion and a lamb in the same cage, with a sign that said, "And the lion laid down with the lamb..."

They never said how often they had to replace the lamb. It's pretty much a given that the US would try to stop an actual invasion, from China, whether they asked us or not. Good cops don't pick sides.

[backwoods-engineer]

It’s a key strategic base in that part of the world. What replaces it?

[DoodleDawg]

Nothing in this posting covers the background on this decision: Senator’s name and from which country US or Philippine? Bared action by who which offer insight for Duterte’s decision.

Philippine senator - Ronald Dela Rosa. He was head of the National Police during a period where people were arrested and wound up dead. According to a 2018 law, the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, financial penalties and visa ban sanctions can be levied on foreign individuals and entities involved in violations of human rights or religious freedoms, and censorship activities. His ban likely falls under that.

[Alas Babylon!]

“It’s about time we rely on ourselves. We will strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country,” Salvador Panelo told a regular briefing, quoting Duterte.

Panelo might have said this, but the script was written by Xi Jinping.

Duerte, he understand, now fetch my pipe and slippers, boy!

[Oatka]

Let him protect his own national waters, then. Let’s see how long the Philippine Sea remains Philippino...

Back in the '80s they were talking about kicking the Americans out and one of our guys asked them, "Do you REALLY want to see the Imperial Japanese Navy cruising down Surigao Strait again?"

They calmed down for a while but eventually pushed us out of our naval base at Subic Bay.

[mosesdapoet]

Earlier Duterte had announced executions for those deeply involved in the illegal drug biz. Did a Obama state department holdover make that decision about Dela Rosa ?

[DoodleDawg]

Earlier Duterte had announced executions for those deeply involved in the illegal drug biz.

Without the hassle of a trial apparently.

Did a Obama state department holdover make that decision about Dela Rosa ?

The law was passed in 2018 and signed by President Trump. Doesn't matter who made the decision, the law didn't give them much choice.