American Forces asked to leave the Southern Philippines

[Snowy79]

It looks like Duterte is ramping things up with the good old USA. So far the only side that affects me is the Peso is dropping in value which as I'm buying a house with a one off payment will be seriously beneficial to me but putting this aside I feel for Americans living around those necks of the wood. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/12/philippine-president-duterte-says-he-wants-us-special-forces-out-of-mindanao.html

 

[robert k]

20 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

It looks like Duterte is ramping things up with the good old USA. So far the only side that affects me is the Peso is dropping in value which as I'm buying a house with a one off payment will be seriously beneficial to me but putting this aside I feel for Americans living around those necks of the wood. http://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/12/philippine-president-duterte-says-he-wants-us-special-forces-out-of-mindanao.html

 

Why? Those SF were not there to protect the Americans in the area, they were there to pass on expertise to the Philippine army. If the Philippine army has not got it by now, they probably never will. Besides, the terrorists always claim they were killed by the Americans, it might be good to see if the Philippine army can get some on their own or if a few US soldiers were holding the bulk of Mindanao themselves. This is one way to find out where the truth lay.

Edited September 13, 2016 by robert k

[jon1]

As having been one of the members on those missions down there, I disagree with this article and sentiment. 

The US Forces assigned to those missions have rules of engagement and very strict operating procedures. They are embedded within the Philippines Armed Forces on Philippine Bases, secured within their own compound. Their travel off base is infrequent at best and heavily guarded. The US Military is cautious in their assignments and do everything possible not to inflict any bad relations between the local populace and the PAF. The US Forces are heavily armed and do have the right to self defense. With that, they are extremely cautious to avoid any incidents or provocations. The last perception that they want is to be thought of as invaders.

One of the most common missions that the US has been performing is Civil Military Operations (CMO) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil-military_operations . The US Military has performed thousands of medical operations, dental operations, veterinary operations and civil projects (building schools, wells, roads, bridges, etc.) since January 2002 throughout Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operat...93_Philippines

Duterte has been critical of the US Forces presence since the beginning and would not allow any US forces in the Davao City area. 

Why would a politician be so wary of this presence? Especially when the RP has requested them? Could it be that the US forces would be providing significant projects that would help the local populace better than him or his family could provide? Could it be that he views them as a threat to his power???

In the meantime, aside from the Mindanao mission, the US continues to operate in cooperation with the RP through annual exercises such as Pacific Partnership https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Partnership in the Visayas and Luzon region, CARAT Exercises in the South China Sea Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) and Balikatan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balikatan in various locales wherever the RP requests within the Philippines.

During the last few years, the Japanese and Australia have also stepped up to working with the PAF in a similar fashion. So there is an external coordinated effort, assisting the RP to protect their sovereignty and provide security for their citizens.

In regards to the Bud Dajo Massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_Bud_Dajo, that event was the breaking point in the Moro Insurgency during the US Colonial times. After that, there was true peace for a long time in the once restive south. Post WWII when the US ceded the colony to the Filipinos, then the Moros decided that they didn't surrender to the Filipinos but rather the Americans. They viewed the Filipinos as beneath them and often enslaved them pre-Spanish and Spanish colonial times https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piracy_in_the_Sulu_Sea in raids as far north as Manila and Baler. This gave rise to the MILF, MNLF, etc.

I do like Duterte's idea of the RP creating an independent foreign policy, as it would require they bolster their PAF and become a truly strong country.

 

[JJReyes]

If they are no longer welcome, US Special Forces should come home. Their primary role is training and intelligence gathering using sophisticated equipment that the US military is reluctant to share. 

Other governments around the world should do the same. Let the troops come home and spend in the United States. This will help the domestic economy rather than foreign ones.

[Jake]

6 hours ago, jon1 said:

As having been one of the members on those missions down there, I disagree with this article and sentiment. 
 

Triple LIKE Gunny!

[Snowy79]

Looking into it further and having listened to a few locals it appears that Duterte sees some of the recent uprisings being due to foreign personal being in so called Muslim areas. He highlighted if the ABUS see Americans whether they are black or white they will kill them or hold them for ransom. He's been showing the media pictures of women and children killed by Americans during the Bud Dajo massacre further stoking anti USA sentiment.

I think anyone that has spent time in the forces is aware of how different enemies react to certain countries military. No disrespect to any country's army but I've seen it where one country's army goes into an area and they're attacked left right and centre. Another country's army goes in and the enemy disappear. Even amongst the military we all have armies that if we had to rely on we'd not be happy. I'd even go as far as saying when I was serving if you found out certain regiments were your back up you'd think "sh@t".

I'm sure Duterte has enough contacts in the area to know that by talking down the USA he knows things might be stopped from escalating elsewhere in the Philippines.

[Gratefuled]

I'm pretty sure that when the News hits the states about how President Duterte feels about our troops here, there will be a reaction. Maybe something like "BRING OUR TROOPS HOME". Maybe, just maybe our troops will be more than willing to return home.

[Hey Steve]

Every time he rests his right hand gently on his cheek and opens his mouth, I think-Oh dear Lord, what is he going to say now?! He's obviously cherry picking negative sentiment against the US since the Terrance Meiring incident in Davao years back. I just wish he could just let it go. He's having a tough time of it for now-that's for sure.

[Gratefuled]

According to President Duterte's behavior now and even before when he decided to run for president, he showed his hatred towards America and Americans. One reason he stated that he was going to run for president was that so the Philippines would not have an American president. He was referring to Grace Poe. 

Requesting the US troops to go home and leave the Philippines is another indication of his hatred towards the USA. His insults to President Obama is another indication. Then, his remarks directed towards the US Ambassador. 

What's next?  I wonder if he will request all Americans to leave the Philippines. I wonder if he will condone assaults against Americans by Philippine thugs. I wonder if he will start jailing Americans on trumped up charges related supposedly to drugs. It is not beyond the realm of possibilities.

I've already told my wife that I am ready to go on a moments notice. 

Am I paranoid? No, but I am not foolish, either.

[Mr. Bobo]

42 minutes ago, Gratefuled said:

What's next?  I wonder if he will request all Americans to leave the Philippines.

"The special forces, they have to go. They have to go in Mindanao, there are many whites there, they have to go," he said, adding that he was reorienting the country's foreign policy. "I do not want a rift with America, but they have to go."

 

He says "there are many whites there, they have to go". This implies to me white expats. This doesn't bode well for Americans in the Philippines in general. This guy is a lunatic. The Chinese are flexing their muscles in the South China Seas and he is alienating the US? Who the hell does he think is going to protect the Philippines if the Chinese get more aggressive? They certainly cannot protect themselves. Why the Philippine people elected this guy is beyond me. If he thinks that eliminating drugs is the Philippines is going to fix all the problems here he is living in bizarre world. If there are Americans here on the fence about moving back to the US this guy is going to make their decision easy.