Posted on 09/12/2016 5:38:45 AM PDT by Laser_Ray
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. military from a restive southern island, fearing an American troop presence could complicate offensives against Islamist militants notorious for beheading Westerners. Duterte, who was in the spotlight last week over his televised tirade against the United States and President Barack Obama, said special forces now training Filipino troops were high-value targets for the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf as counter-insurgency operations intensify. "These special forces, they have to go," Duterte said in a speech during an oath-taking ceremony for new officials. "I do not want a rift with America. But they have to go." He added: "Americans, they will really kill them, they will try to kidnap them to get ransom." The comment by Duterte, a former southern mayor known for his terse words and volatile temperament, adds to uncertainty about what impact his rise to the presidency will have on one of Washington's best alliances in Asia. Duterte wants an independent foreign policy and says close ties with the United States are crucial, but he has frequently accused the former colonial power of hypocrisy when criticised for his deadly drugs war. He denied on Friday calling Obama a "son of a bitch". Some U.S. special forces have been killed in the southern Philippines since 2002, when Washington deployed soldiers to train and advise local units fighting Abu Sayyaf in Operation Enduring Freedom, part of its global anti-terror strategy.
(Excerpt) Read more at in.reuters.com ...
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.
DUTERTE doesn’t like obama-clinton’s foreign policy BUT ISIS , Saudi Arabia , Turkey ...are good fellows !
And clinton dares opening her mouth and lecturing TRUMP !!
She deserves to be mocked and laughed at !
What a joke
What should have been done different?
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.
“Duterte is likely to use extensive and brutal force. American troops should leave to avoid being in harm’s Duterte’s way.”
Yep. Given Duterte’s sensitivity to Obama’s recent human rights criticisms (which are probably justified but considering the “victims”, who cares?), it sounds as if he doesn’t want foreigners witnessing or hindering his actions.
“What should have been done different?”
Liquidate the Moslems with extreme prejudice. We are only in the way of that beneficial objective. Filipinos act with decision. Just ask any of the few remaining Huks.
Get rid of the Bush - style rules of engagement that Obama adopted.
I should also say it will probably be short-sighted as Duterte will have problems with China and will then be begging the US for help. Can’t really have it both ways.
Ditto Tokyo.
They’d like a reduced American footprint on their islands but China is threatening...
This is the Philippines. Don't they get to write the rules of engagement?
But they might as well give it a try.
Not for US troops.
Sounds like Duarte is trying to out-crazy the Moozlems.
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.
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