Duterte says he wants U.S. special forces out of southern Philippines

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: Reuters

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."

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-usa-duterte-idUSKCN11I10J?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=57d692e504d3014d644d123c&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

[Renew Deal]

1. This guy has the political skills of Trump

The US should help reshape the relationship with the Philipines. I'm sure they will be much safer dealing with terror groups on their own.

[Sherman A1]

2. and dealing with China's

expansion in the area should likewise be interesting to do alone.

[NWCorona]

8. This right here!

The South China Sea is being swallowed up.

[Perseus]

18. This guy is another Hugo Chavez

And so is Trump.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Duterte doesn't want anyone watching his fascist pogrom. . . . . nt

[AsianActivist]

4. Duterte is essentially the Filipino Trump

I have family members who are Filipino and they've lost all respect for this snivelling, dishonest, cowardly little cretin. I myself never trusted him but when he publicly insulted our dear President Obama, I had nothing but revulsion every time I see his face.

Duterte is the fascist authoritarian who bites the hand that feeds him and betrayed the whole nation of the Philippines for 30 pieces of silver from his Chinese backers.

[Person 2713]

6. Just like trump I have the same thoughts...

I can not understand why he is so popular . He was like this before he was elected and stated what he would do. Why bring the whole country down to his level? I did not know he had Chinese backing. Much like trump then with Russia

[AsianActivist]

7. He claimed that he'd fight crime

Except that his corrupt regime kills poor corrupt Filipinos and not wealthy drug cartels from China, Korea, and Japan.

Tens of thousands of poor, innocent Filipinos have perished at the hands of his extrajudicial "death squads" while the real crooks have gone free.

[Person 2713]

9. So they are not targeting big Chinese meth labs etc? Going after lowly addicts ? That plenty of

innocents would die in this mess was already predicted if he won. Really what can be done , he was elected, I assume he will stay in power . He was popular in the south where he came out of but yet desths were in high numbers already there before the national election so the public knew his methods

[AsianActivist]

10. More or less

http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/20/16/chinese-nabbed-with-p6-mil-worth-of-shabu-at-cebu-airport

She was let go. If she was an addict she would have been shot on the spot.

http://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/11/27/1526311/chinese-gangs-behind-philippine-illegal-drug-trade

Not a single one of the Chinese drug lords has been prosecuted. And while we're at it the top four courporations in PH are owned by ethnic Chinese who have absolutely no loyalty to the country that helped them earn their wealth and have been robbing the Filipino nation blind for decades.

But Duterte has been suspected of having partial Chinese ancestry so it's actually not that surprising that he favors his own and probably doesn't see himself as Pinoy.

[AngryAmish]

5. Done and done

[Mc Mike]

11. Oh. The tough talking strongman dictator can't do a thing about those

crazy Islamic non-governmental terrorist forces, operating within his own country.

[Mc Mike]

22. Usually, the right wing in the US is pretty bloodthirsty, when it comes to dealing with

3rd world foreign strongmen who thwart the US's will. They often call for CIA "executive action" against threats to "American interests" by people like Duterte. I suppose that the people who clamor most for executive action and the people in charge of "action" are the people who put this guy in charge, so he has no worries.

[randome]

12. Thanks for giving them ideas, smart-ass.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]No squirrels were harmed in the making of this post. Yet.[/center][/font][hr]

[truthisfreedom]

13. His suggestions are going to be unwelcome for a long time to come.

Idiot.

[Chakab]

14. We're talking about another sovereign country here. If he doesn't want US soldiers in the his

country, they should be withdrawn.

I highly doubt that he's going to offer any effective strategy for dealing with terrorists, but he was elected to make these decisions.

[Blue_Tires]

16. But his reasoning is fucked up

I did get a chuckle at the thought of terrorists swooping into a camp full of Special Forces and "kidnapping" a few of them...

[Chakab]

20. I never denied that he was a buffoon. I have a feeling that he's going to make

the terrorism problem in that country much worse with his idiocy and heavy-handed tactics.


However, he is the President, and it's his call to make.

[DirkGently]

15. Interesting. n/t

[TonyPDX]

17. Nutjob.

[cstanleytech]

19. Maybe the US should ask if he wants it to withdraw everything from the South China sea region then?

[awoke_in_2003]

21. Take them all out

and send the navy on a Med cruise. Good luck keeping your country, Duterte.

[former9thward]

24. It the U.S. who wants to be there.

Forgot about that?

[awoke_in_2003]

25. Well

I have no problem leaving them for the Chinese to take over, which they will.

[former9thward]

26. I don't either.

[Eugene]

23. U.S. says no official demand from Philippines to pull out special forces

Source: Reuters

POLITICS | Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:41pm EDT

U.S. says no official demand from Philippines to pull out special forces

A U.S. State Department spokesman, commenting on remarks by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday calling for the withdrawal of U.S. special forces from a southern island, said Washington had not officially received such a demand.

State Department spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing that he had seen reports about Duterte's comments, but "we are not aware of any official communication by the Philippine government ... to seek that result." The United States is committed to its alliance with the Philippines, he added.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Writing by Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Eric Beech)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-usa-duterte-state-departm-idUSKCN11I2CB