US show of force to mark 60th anniv of MDT

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US show of force to mark 60th anniv of MDT
Tweet Topic Started: Aug 12 2011, 05:28 PM (1,952 Views)
caterwaul	Aug 12 2011, 05:28 PM Post #1
Member Posts: 384 Group: Regulars Member #51 Joined: July 30, 2004	US show of force to mark 60th year of defense pact by Rodney Jaleco, ABS-CBN North America News Bureau Posted at 08/12/2011 11:24 AM \| Updated as of 08/12/2011 2:33 PM WASHINGTON D.C. - The United States will send one of its highest military officers and a nuclear-carrier battle group to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its defense pact with the Philippines this month. Speaking before the Asia Society Thursday evening, US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry K. Thomas Jr. reiterated the American position that although it will not meddle in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, it is committed to the defense of the Philippines. “The United States is a longstanding treaty ally of the Philippines,” he told a largely Filipino-American audience, “We are a strategic partner and we will remain that way.” The Philippines is one of only two countries in the Southeast Asian region with a defense treaty with the US. The Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) was signed in Washington DC on August 30, 1951. The MDT was thrust to the forefront because of rising tensions in the Spratly Islands that are claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. The Philippines protested China’s harassment of its research ships exploring for oil and gas deposits in the area. China has also built structures that encroach on Philippine territorial waters, officials in Manila charged. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Philippines has been forced to rely on the deterrence of the American security umbrella promised by the MDT. When Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario conferred with State Secretary Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates in Washington DC last June, he received an assurance the US will help build Philippine military capabilities to defend its borders. “We don’t take sides in this issue and we expect people to exercise restraint. This is something that should be negotiated on the table in a peaceful manner,” Thomas explained. When he returns to Manila next week, Thomas will be followed by Gen. Norton Schwartz, the US Air Force chief. His arrival comes in the heels of the visit of another ranking US military official, Pacific Command chief Admiral Robert Willard, on the last week of July. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John Stennis (CVN-74) and her escort flotilla are scheduled to arrive in Manila on the last week of August, after leaving her home port in Washington state last July 25. She rendezvoused with the rest of Carrier Strike Group-3 that is composed of the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay and ships under Destroyer Squadron 21 that includes the USS Pinckney, USS Kidd, USS Dewey and USS Wayne Meyer that left San Diego last July 29. After their Philippine stop, the battle group will take up station to support US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 1,000-foot John Stennis has a crew of 5,000 officers and men and has 4 strike fighter squadrons, 2 combat helicopter squadrons and the 2 other squadrons for electronic warfare and airborne early warning. “This shows our commitment to the Philippines,” Thomas stressed. Amid fears that China could fill a perceived power vacuum in the South China Sea, the American envoy insisted that the US will continue to have a military presence in the region as he revealed that American warships make about a hundred port visits in the Philippines every year. As the US gets ready to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the American envoy said, “We are very confident in the ability of the Philippine government to align with us to combat terrorism.” He noted recent battlefield setbacks for the Philippine military pursuing the Abu Sayyaf. “The Philippine military has taken a few tough weeks and they’ve had to sacrifice,” Thomas noted, adding that “their families are crying out for justice.” Thomas pointed out that top Al-qaeda leaders Ramzey Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed hatched a terror plot called Bojinka that is widely seen as the precursor to the use of jetliners in the 9-11 attacks, in Pasay City just a few kilometers from the US Embassy in Manila. http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08/12/11...battle-group-ph



spearhead	Aug 13 2011, 07:57 AM Post #2
DoctorNO, Your Neutral Observer. Posts: 6,903 Group: Regulars Member #655 Joined: February 14, 2006	Sounds like a plan. The PF-15 is not actually alone, arriving in the philippine waters are the trailing US nuclear-carrier battle group. And that group heading to persian gulf? Hmm maybe yes, or maybe not. The iraq and afghanistan US military campaigns are actually nearing end so no really use to send a battle-group there. I think they'll be coming to the philippine territory as a back up just in case. I hope they'd stay long enough though. There is some military agreement that was obviously made between RP and the US regarding the WPS crisis that were not made public yet.
	"Men of War must learn the art of numbers or he will not know how to array his troops." - Plato


dar2011	Aug 13 2011, 10:14 AM Post #3
Trainee Posts: 68 Group: Regulars Member #6,897 Joined: July 8, 2011	The American are good arriving in force in anniversary, when in real thing happen they will have a second thought. We will be own our own.



Samir_Duran	Aug 14 2011, 01:37 AM Post #4
THE GHOST Posts: 1,276 Group: Regulars Member #6,179 Joined: January 12, 2011	dar2011 Aug 13 2011, 10:14 AM The American are good arriving in force in anniversary, when in real thing happen they will have a second thought. We will be own our own. .....it will not meddle in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, it is committed to the defense of the Philippines. How do you interpret or understand the statement above?



dar2011	Aug 14 2011, 08:20 AM Post #5
Trainee Posts: 68 Group: Regulars Member #6,897 Joined: July 8, 2011	TagaLaguna Aug 14 2011, 01:37 AM dar2011 Aug 13 2011, 10:14 AM The American are good arriving in force in anniversary, when in real thing happen they will have a second thought. We will be own our own. .....it will not meddle in territorial disputes in the South China Sea, it is committed to the defense of the Philippines. How do you interpret or understand the statement above? So we have to rely America protection, who has a big debt on china, they can easily collapse the American economy. They can send their aircraft carrier and that's it. When in real thing happen I will not be surprise the America will not come. The MDT is just a piece of paper. Do you think that china will stop on Spratly, I will not be surprise if they go further.



zztopy	Aug 14 2011, 08:34 AM Post #6
Member Posts: 330 Group: Regulars Member #5,949 Joined: June 27, 2010	I don't get it, if america doesnt pay its debt to China, its china's economy thats affected more than america's. china is a largely export economy, if americans are not buying then china's economy is affected too thts why china is worried of worlwide economic downturn bec of US economic problems.



dar2011	Aug 14 2011, 08:40 AM Post #7
Trainee Posts: 68 Group: Regulars Member #6,897 Joined: July 8, 2011	zztopy Aug 14 2011, 08:34 AM I don't get it, if america doesnt pay its debt to China, its china's economy thats affected more than america's. china is a largely export economy, if americans are not buying then china's economy is affected too thts why china is worried of worlwide economic downturn bec of US economic problems. Sir! China is expanding trading on other country, America is not only China trading partner. MDT is just a piece of paper.



zztopy	Aug 14 2011, 08:45 AM Post #8
Member Posts: 330 Group: Regulars Member #5,949 Joined: June 27, 2010	yea right but north america & europe & australia are its largest trading partners and these are the most affected by economic turmoil. china is expanding to other markets but with lesser economies, do you think they could accommodate all of china's exports? im not also a fan of the mdt but neither do i categorically declare that its just a useless piece of paper, the jury is still out, unless you can present more substantial proof.



dar2011	Aug 14 2011, 09:33 AM Post #9
Trainee Posts: 68 Group: Regulars Member #6,897 Joined: July 8, 2011	zztopy Aug 14 2011, 08:45 AM yea right but north america & europe & australia are its largest trading partners and these are the most affected by economic turmoil. china is expanding to other markets but with lesser economies, do you think they could accommodate all of china's exports? im not also a fan of the mdt but neither do i categorically declare that its just a useless piece of paper, the jury is still out, unless you can present more substantial proof. Sir! I wont debate on that they are biggest trading partner. But notice the news many nation thinking of ditching dollar currency changing to other. Were in open market right. So I don't think china does not rely on American consumer and European consumer. Asia is a big market don't forget the Latin American country, lastly African nation. Even Our country don't under estimate our purchasing power.



zztopy	Aug 14 2011, 09:43 AM Post #10
Member Posts: 330 Group: Regulars Member #5,949 Joined: June 27, 2010	ditching the dollar as reserve currency is a good idea especially for china since it will likely lose much of the value of its international reserves if the dollar continues to slide but it still remains a pipe dream china volunteered its renminbi but no one is buying and rightfully so. latin america? their economy is also dependent on north amrica, theyre also affected which will also affect their trade with china? africa? same story, there's really no escape for china thats why most economists agree that best move for china is to lend more money to prop economies of the western world.



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