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

[Tennis]

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ph...-idUSKCN11I10J

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday called for the withdrawal of U.S. special forces troops from a group of islands in the southern Philippines, saying their presence could complicate offensives against Islamist militants notorious for beheading Westerners.

Duterte, who was in the spotlight last week over a televised tirade against the United States and President Barack Obama, said the Americans still in Mindanao were high-value targets for the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf militants as counter-insurgency operations intensify.

"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."

The comments by Duterte, a former southern mayor known for his terse words and volatile temperament, add to uncertainty about what impact his rise to the presidency this year will have on one of Washington's most important alliances in Asia.

A spokesman for the U.S. State Department, John Kirby, said it was not aware of any official communication by Manila calling for a withdrawal. He said Washington remained committed to the alliance.

Another U.S. official said there were only a "handful" of special forces in the Mindanao acting in limited liaison roles.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest emphasized shared concerns and interests with the Philippines, before taking a thinly veiled swipe at Duterte, appearing to compare him to Donald Trump, the outspoken Republican candidate in the Nov. 8 U.S. presidential election.

"I think it’s an indication of how important elections are," Earnest told a regular news briefing.“Elections have consequences. Elections do say a lot about what kind of person is going to represent your country on the international stage.

"And it’s why you are going to prize qualities like decorum and temperament and judgment in casting votes in elections, because you know that person is going to represent you on the international stage. That’s certainly something that the Filipino people are well aware of."

Obama canceled a planned meeting with Duterte at last week's ASEAN summit after Duterte appeared to call him a "son of a bitch". The two did eventually meet briefly and on Friday Duterte said he told Obama the remark was not directed against him.

Washington deployed special forces soldiers to Mindanao in 2002 to train and advise Philippine units fighting Abu Sayyaf militants in a program that once involved 1,200 Americans.

It was discontinued in 2015 but a small presence has remained for logistics and technical support.

Washington has since shifted much of its security focus in the Philippines toward the South China Sea, where the two countries have shared concerns about China's territorial claims.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ph...-idUSKCN11I10J

It really is a new Philippines under this guy.

[GarlicGuy]

Let's be real.... what he wants here is nobody to keep an eye on him.

He seems to be well on his way to "evil dictator" status.

[NED funded]

That guy is Trump on steroids.

[oxymoronic]

to be honest what he said was true. i think this guy is gonna go hard on abu sayyaf and totally destroy them. you have to understand its guerilla warfare pretty much on those islands. get rid of the high value targets and go to work. i can't wait to see the outcome myself. i could write a lot about this subject but i try not get wrapped up in things happening over there anymore.

[jace5869]

The guy is loved by the Philippine people. He is taking a strong stand against drugs, corruption, and terrorism. The country has had a tough fight with all of those issues there. I think Americans often can't relate to how bad these issues can be in third world countries and hard for them to comprehend what has to be done.

He most certainly isn't headed to evil dictator and many believe he has the best interest of the Philippines in his heart. Theyve already experienced the evil ness of the Marco's 21 year rule that ribbed the country blind under martial lae, so I don't see them getting into that trap.

Philippines deserves to not have other nations, us included, stationed on their islands and potentially dcrewing up their right on terrorism in their own lands. They have every right to operate independently considering the US gives two shits about their struggles with China and such.

The guy is no Trump. This is a fair and smart leader.

Duterte is responsible foraking the city of Davao one of thr safest asian cities in the South Pacific, and it sits in the heart of Mindanao and terrorist hot spot.

Of course this is just someone opinion who lived in the Philippines and married a Pinay.

[ItachiZaku]

I still like this guy. Maybe we'll pull everything out, including all the work we send over there.

[I Push Buttons]

The guy is loved by the Philippine people. He is taking a strong stand against drugs, corruption, and terrorism. The country has had a tough fight with all of those issues there. I think Americans often can't relate to how bad these issues can be in third world countries and hard for them to comprehend what has to be done.

He most certainly isn't headed to evil dictator and many believe he has the best interest of the Philippines in his heart. Theyve already experienced the evil ness of the Marco's 21 year rule that ribbed the country blind under martial lae, so I don't see them getting into that trap.

Philippines deserves to not have other nations, us included, stationed on their islands and potentially dcrewing up their right on terrorism in their own lands. They have every right to operate independently considering the US gives two shits about their struggles with China and such.

The guy is no Trump. This is a fair and smart leader.

Duterte is responsible foraking the city of Davao one of thr safest asian cities in the South Pacific, and it sits in the heart of Mindanao and terrorist hot spot.

Of course this is just someone opinion who lived in the Philippines and married a Pinay.

Yeah, its not like we have multiple numbered fleets and several large military bases there or anything. They are all obviously there to watch North Korea's starving WW2 era military... China? What's that?

[zenkai]

Silly Philippine President, ISIS Terrorist only target civilians and embassy's protected by Clinton.

[jace5869]

Clark and Subic and not active anymore and the US are moving troops in now since China has been starting to ramp up their military exercises.

I'd be interested in hearing what 'lare' bases the US has there?

I