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| Southeast Asia | ||
| Philippines to Offer the Use of Eight Bases to US Forces | ||
| 2016-01-15 | ||
| The Philippines is set to offer the US military use of eight bases, a military spokesman said Wednesday, after the country's supreme court upheld a security agreement with Washington forged in the face of rising tensions with China. The facilities include the former US Clark airbase and air and naval facilities on the southwestern island of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, the focus of territorial disputes with China. Military spokesman Colonel Restituto Padilla said the facilities would be used to store equipment and supplies. He added that the offer had still to be finalized after the Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a 10-year security accord. The decision allows for the full implementation of the Enhanced Defense Co-operation Agreement (EDCA), signed in 2014 but not implemented due to legal challenges from groups opposed to US military involvement in the Philippines, a US colony from 1898 to 1946.
"We have resumed talks now that there is a go-signal that EDCA is constitutional," Padilla said. "We are continuing talks and we will finalize the agreement on the locations," he said without giving a timetable when the decision would be reached. The Philippines hosted two of the largest overseas US military bases until 1992, when the senate voted to end their leases, a decision influenced by anti-US sentiment. The new pact does not authorize a return of US bases. China and the Philippines — as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan — have conflicting claims to the South China Sea, which is a major shipping lane, rich fishing ground and potential source of mineral resources. In April 2012, after a tense stand-off with Philippine ships, Chinese vessels took control of a shoal just 220 kilometers (135 miles) off the main Philippine island of Luzon. The Philippines has been seeking closer defense ties with the United States, accusing China of increased aggressiveness in the South China Sea. Philippine President Benigno Aquino negotiated the EDCA to help the Philippines improve its military capabilities and draw the United States closer, partly to counter China's increasing presence.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #9 More Net News from thia Saturday AM + Thursday ... * GLOBALTIMES@TWITTER > CHINA THREATENS TO DEPLOY WARSHIPS WIDIN 12-NMS OF SENKAKUS; JAPAN THREATENS EAST CHINA SEA STABILITY, TOKYO TO USE MILITARY VESSELS TO DRIVE AWAY CINESE VESSELS - GLOBAL TIMES. * Also from GLOBAL TIMES = ... > SHIPS DISPATCHED TO PATROL DIAOYU ISLANDS AMID JAPAN'S WARNINGS - AGENCY. > CHINA DETERMINED TO SAFEGUARD SOVEREIGNTY OVER DAOYU ISLANDS. * DEFENSE NEWS > PH SEEKS JOINT PATROLS WID US IN SOUTH CHINA SEA. Sorry, PH = Manila, I hope I'm wrong but I don't see Anti-US US OWG POTUS Obama doing that. * GLOBALNATION.PH > US WON'T ALLOW CHINA TO CONTROL VITAL SEA [SCS]. * SAME > PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS THANK US SENATORS FOR ATTENTION TO ASIA-PACIFIC. Ya mean the same US Senate that backs up Obama + gives him everyting he wants??? * THE-JAPAN-NEWS@TWITTER [Yomiuri Shimbun] > MSDF SEABORNE PATROLLING ACTION PLANNED TO GUARD SENKAKUS [China = Diaoyus]. Japan Foreign Minstry = "...If China claims 'Innocent Passage', it will seem as iff China is recognizing Japan's sovereignty over the Senkakus [China = Diaoyu Islands]". SO IOW, JAPAN CAN'T OR WON'T DO WHAT POTUS OBAMA + USS "LASSEN" DID IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA??? * SAME > MSDF TO COVER MORE OF SOUTH CHINA SEA. * WORLD NEWS > [Khaleej Press] AMERICA'S FOREIGN RIVALS WAGE "HYBRID WARFARE". * JAPANTIMES@TWITTER > US MUST DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO REGAIN ["Sole" Superpower?]GLOBAL LEADERSHIP. * SASAKAWA PEACE FOUNDATION USA [Twitter] REPORT ROLL OUT: US BASES IN OKINAWA - WHAT CAN BE DONE? US, JAPAN HAVE COMMITMENT TO PREVENT CHINA FROM FORCIBLY TAKING OVER TAIWAN AND SENKAKUS FROM JAPAN - USN ADM. DENNIS J. BLAIR. Yokay, but in 2016 + until Jan 2017 its still Anti-US US OWG Globalist POTUS Obama, NOT JAPAN = TOKYO, that is charge of the USDOD + US National Command Authority, hence in charge of any each + all Direct US Mil Response(s) to any World Crisis or Crises, OR IN ALTERNATE THE LACK OF SAME. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2016-01-15 23:05 |
| #8 By most accounts Beijing isn't happy at all about the US =retenchment from the South China Sea to East China Sea to Guam-WESTPAC, e.g. Japan's warning or threat to counter the China CG's use of heavier-armed patrol vessels in waters near the Senkakus = Diaoyus wid JMSDF Naval + other armed military assets. China has voed to continue its patrols and match Japan's response tit-for-tat [iff not higher]. AS PER LUCIANNE + TOPIX ARTICS, POTUS OBAMA'S LAST FULL YEAR IN OFFICE COULD BE A DANGEROUS TIME FOR HIS ADMIN + ENTIRE US, VIA MILPOL CONFORNTAIONS AGZ AMERIKA'S OWG CO-SUPERPOWER SIBLINGS CHINA, IRAN, + RUSSIA WHOM ARE OUT TO EXPAND THEIR "SOLE" SPHERE(S) OF INTEREST AS BEFITTING THIER "US-STYLE/PAR", "CO-SUPERPOWER" STATUS. Lest we fergit, MILPOL OR GEOPOL "PARITY" AGZ THE [EX?] "SOLE" SUPERPOWER = CO-SUPERPOWER US, NOT "INFERIORTY" TO SAME. Ala US-LED ANTI-LED OWG-NWO + GLOBALISM WHERE THE US DIRECTLY ANDOR INDIRECTLY HELPS ITS RIVALS AND WANNABES BECOME MILPOL OR GEOPOL STRONGER RELATIVE TO THE US ITSELF. * ANTI-US US OWG GLOBALIST POTUS OBAMA + GLOBIES, ETAL. ALIGNED = "ITS POLITICS, NOT TREASON", ERGO UNDER US LAW POTUS OBAMA CANNOT + WILL NOT BE IMPEACHED + REMOVED FROM OFFICE JUST FOR "POLITICS". Pragmatically, IMO its highly doubtful or unlikely that beijing + PLA are going to wait to accomplish its agenda while JAPAN + OTHER US EAST ASIA ALLIES become Militarily stronger or Nukulaar relative to Mainland China - IT BEHOOVES BEIJING [Iran? Russia? Other?] TO MAKE THEIR MOVES WHILE A DEDICATED ANTI-US US POTUS, I.E. THE "WORST/WEAKEST" POTUS IN US HISTORY OR SINCE POTUS JIMMY CARTER, STILL OCCUPIES THE OVAL OFFICE AND HEADS THE US NATIONAL COMMAND AUTHORITY. Pray hard + keep your fingers crossed, because Not-Amerika America + Nippon AMb. Sweet Caroline Kennedy is going to need it. To paraph the late FRED THOMPSON in "Hunt for Red October", A US-CHINA WAR IN EAST ASIA-PACIFIC CAN EASILY "GET OUT OF CONTROL AND WE'LL ALL JUST BE LUCKY TO JUST LIVE THROUGH IT"! |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2016-01-15 20:56 |
| #7 a huge boon to the hard workers of Angeles City |
| Posted by: 746 2016-01-15 14:54 |
| #6 What comes with the PI is the upcoming confrontation about the Spratleys and whats under them. Not a huge issue immediately as the world is awash in oil, but not that far off, it again becomes a critical asset for the PI and its future. Are we prepared for what a commitment brings, and if so, those who benefit also must bear the risk and cost. So if the PI sees this as a cash cow, pass. |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2016-01-15 12:20 |
| #5 So what's in this for us? An un-sinkable aircraft carrier, and a platform for making faces at the chicoms? You are right about the long, sad, and complicated history. Don't forget the other 3 factors: Location, location and location. I just hope no one gets too sentimental about Subic, Clark, or Po City. Their time has passed. They have changed, and WE have changed. |
| Posted by: Nguard 2016-01-15 09:02 |
| #4 Philippines - if you thought our Beltway or Mexico was corrupt, you haven't seen anything yet. Best us terrible imperialists stay home this time. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2016-01-15 08:12 |
| #3 ...Keep in mind too that the PI, for all their apparent generosity in offering the use of those bases, hasn't yet presented us with the bill for what they think is fair use. It'll be a doozy. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2016-01-15 05:15 |
| #2 They do not want to end up as total cannon fodder like South Korea in a war with China. Everyone wants the security We promised them. No one wants to pay for it until too late. Even now here. |
| Posted by: newc 2016-01-15 02:15 |
| #1 Left out is the fact the the Philippines was a Japanese colony from 1942-1945. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2016-01-15 00:06 |