Triumvirate Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary James Mattis, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross recently sent a letter to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to assure the latter of better cooperation after Assistant Secretary of Defense, Randall Schriver, carelessly warned Manila to think “very carefully” about the consequences of acquiring Russian weapons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvyvBncqTwI&t=517s
“It’s hard to say we are friends. We are friends but remember we are friends because you made us a colony years ago…It was not a friendship agreed-upon, mutually satisfying… It was a friendship imposed on us,” Duterte said in Davao City after reading out a letter he received from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary James Mattis, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
In the letter, the US top officials praised the “enduring partnership built on shared history and values” and urged a meeting with the Philippines leader to convince him to buy American defense equipment. In particular, they brought up the potential sale of F-16s and helicopters, which the US officials believe the Philippines army desperately needs.
Duterte, however, slammed US bureaucrats for “dangling” their “advanced” military technology which has no use for his country. “What I need are just propeller-driven planes for anti-insurgency. We don’t have any other enemies – NPA, ISIS, Abu Sayyaf. We don’t need F16 and yet they dangle [it] before us after they insulted us,” he said.
Noting that the US often supplies refurbished, used and written-off arms to their “partners,” Duterte recalled how they once sold Manila a batch of six helicopters, three of which crashed and killed soldiers. “We bought six helicopters. They said they’re refurbished, they were used by NATO. Apparently, they were overused,” the Philippine president said. “Three of the helicopters crashed, killing all my soldiers…now you are talking about procurement.”
“Prove to me first that you are in utter good faith,” Duterte added, noting, however, that hardly any guarantees would be good enough when US lawmakers can block arms supplies whenever they please. “I would like to remind America all of them…how sure (are they) that I will be able to get what I bought?”
The president agreed to meet the trio, but refused to travel to the US, stressing there “will never be a time I would go to America.” But any talks, Duterte said, would only be possible when Washington returns three Balangiga bells, taken by the US Army as war trophies following the Balangiga massacre in 1901, during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). After Spain ceded its longstanding colony in the Philippines to the United States, Washington only granted independence to Manila in 1946, following World War II. This month US lawmakers reportedly assured the Asian country that the bells will be returned.
- Unacknowledged American Atrocities in the Philippines
- The Balangiga Bells Must Be Returned to Samar, Philippines
“If the Balangiga bells are not returned, we don’t have anything to talk about,” Duterte said, stressing that the memory of the bells “still haunts everybody here because it was taken with blood and lives.”
Washington’s refusal to sell assault rifles to Manila, under the pretext of concerns about the country’s human rights record amid its ongoing war on drugs, has forced Duterte to seek new suppliers. Manila, which has long depended on the US for weapons, turned to China and Russia to fill the gap. While both countries already supplied Manila small arms, Duterte’s government is also shopping on the market for patrol boats, helicopters, armored vehicles and even submarines.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana was reportedly in Russia this week, where he discussed the possible purchase of subs and other defense equipment. Noting that Manila is still “shopping and has yet to decide where to buy [submarines],” Lorenzana told reporters on Thursday that South Korea “is a candidate too.”
“But the Russian-made is better and more expensive,” Lorenzana said. “We are not a very rich country, we may opt for a more affordable platform. We’ll see, the jury is still out.”
The Mattis-Pompeo-Ross reconciliatory letter was sent after Assistant Secretary of Defense, Randall Schriver, carelessly warned Manila to think “very carefully” about the consequences of acquiring Russian weapons. “You’re not just buying capability, you’re investing in a relationship,” Schriver said earlier this month, triggering uproar from Duterte.
- https://www.rt.com/news/436707-duterte-us-friendship-arms-purchase/
Are USA politicians crazy? Who the hell do they think they are? Duterte replied in an excellent way. The people in the world loath USA government and their boundless arrogance !!!!
Isn’t it STRANGE that the WHITE raced people seem to Think that where ever they go and FORCEFULLY take over…Every body THERE must EXCEPT their take overs and then accept their “Friendship”?!?!
They (European Whites) did this SAME thing to the REAL AMERICAN “Natives” here in the USA…They have done this same thing to other countries ALL OVER THE PLANET…AND THEN HAVE THE GALL TO EXPECT “FRIENDSHIP” FROM THEIR CAPTIVES!!!
They are at the SAME thing in AFRICA right now!!!
They Have INVADED country after country throughout Their “HIS-Story” committing Genocide in MOST of them…AND NOW HAVE THE GALL TO “REQUIRE” FRIENDSHIP???
I have to ask, what if the table was turned against THEM…HOW WOULD THEY RESPOND TO A TAKE OVER…EVEN NOW???
And GET THIS…They call themselves CHRISTIANS!!!
Does ANY “Attitude” like THEIR’S is sound like the Christians described by a man called Jesus inTHEIR BIBLE?!?!
REMEMBER What he said about LIVING BY THE SWORD???
Does he remember the old saying, Quote: WHAT GOES AROUND—COMES AROUND!
HOW ABOUT…YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW???
The WHITE Man sure has a WAY WITH WOORDS, Huh?!…as if God gave him EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO ANYTHING ON THE WHOLE PLANET!
Talk about HUGE “EGO’S”?!
WAKE UP WHITEY…BEFORE ITS TO LATE.
No such person as Jesus Kenneth and the Christian faith, where was that born from? This is why the ‘elite’ do what they do, because they know better.
But I always try and practice the golden rule and that is the most simple and yet effective ‘law’ to go by… if only we all walked this way. Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.
Jeepers Shaplemau!…I already KNOW that Jesus is a “Construct” created by the Roman SHIT-pire….Now known as the VATICAN…you NEED TO “DEEPEN” YOUR RESEARCH…Unless of course You are one of THEM.
The “Fallen Ones” have CONSTRUCTED ALL RELIGION…to DECEIVE…HU-WO-MANITY into BELIEVING Into a False-Story about the REAL “Origins” of “Divine Providence/Creator’s FIRST CONTACTS.
YIKES!!! You still believe in a “Golden-Rule”???
YOU NEED TO AWAKEN…IF…YOU CAN.
Ps: WHICH, “Golden rule”???
I have personal experience dealings with Durtete for many years. He is nothing but a THUG. He controls the Davao Death Squads on Mindanao. He recently had the Mayor of Caminguin Island killed. I could go on and on. He has found a lot of Yamashita’s Treasure and he is currently still searching for new sites. He can’t be trusted. He is also dealing with the corrupt parts of the US Govt. and it’s giant cabal of criminals. In saying this, I believe he is just putting on a show whiile still working with the US Govt ( Good and Bad).
Like I have been saying all along = THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “GOOD GOVERNMENT”…ANYWHERE…PERIOD!
Governments were created by the “Fallen-Ones”…Who FIRST created RELIGION…BOTH mean the SAME thing…Mind Control.
They started with religion, then from there authorised The so-called: Divine Rights of Kings” (Royal Families)
Namaste!
No wonder ur autonomous! Another troll of the anti govt party. UR A BIG LIAR!! I am born and live in Davao City near Duterte and lived in the same gated community as his previous wife. So zip up ur fuckin’ liar mouth!!
Very good comment Nancy, about Duterte!.. So Far…I LOVE the Filipino Be-Ings as Brethen to my soul…You Came from US!
I have a WONDERFUL Fiance’ I plan to marry SOON…I CERTAINLY Know WE ALL will be UNITED AS ONE (HU-MANITY)…FREE FROM ALL “GOVERNMENT”!
NAMASTE…BELOVED “MOTHER” OF ALL “HUMANITY”!
Watch your mouth, Nancy fr Davao City. You are violationg the rules here. I live on Mindanao. My wife is Pinay. You are definitiely mis-informed and have no idea how much of a criminal thug Duterte is!
Dang!…I almost forgot…THEY also created MONEY…Which is what they use to ENSLAVE US to…so that we spend MOST of OUR time here struggling to “Earn a Living” WHICH HU-MANS HAVE A “DIVINE RIGHT” TO HAVE…GIVEN BY PRIME CREATOR!