MERGED: All About RP-US Mutual Defense Treaty/ VFA-MLSA and Related Issues

[CaliforniaKid]

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The United States has a permanent military presence in the Philippines, but it's quite small. It's called "Task Force: Mindanao" and it includes about 100 personnel. Mostly they are counter-terror veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan whose job is to train and advise Filipino troops in counter-terror operations. They usually don't engage in direct combat, but sometimes they help defuse bombs and recover casualties.

There are rumors that there are also American CIA assassins working with the approval of the Philippine national government to hunt Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah leaders. Both organizations are tied to al Qaeda and the Taliban, the US's major enemies in the War on Terror.

The US also provides equipment to the AFP, including helicopters, M-16 automatic rifles, and unmanned surveillance airplanes.

And every year, thousands of US troops come from Hawaii and Okinawa to do joint training exercises with the AFP in what is called the "Balikatan" exercises. These exercises include large humanitarian projects like building homes and infrastructure in Bangsamoro (also known as the ARMM).

The US's stated military policy in the Philippines is to increase the capacity of the AFP to carry out counterterror operations, and to help the Philippine national government win the hearts and minds of the Filipino people. All US military activity in the Philippines is of course approved by the Philippine national government. In fact, the US is required by treaty to help.

I'm wondering what you think of US military activity there. Is it too much? Too little? Should the United States leave the Philippines alone? Do you feel the US forces there have colonial intentions?

[grovestreet]

What would you expect from the world police? hehe.

[legal_cd]

Gikapoy nakog paminaw anang abu sayaff, may nang hurot... in any means possible... basta naay result... go go go

[diehard96]

it had been going on for decades, nothing new. who would expect anything else?

war is big business...if war continues then money continues to pour. it's not good vs. evil. it's not ethics; it's simply economics.

[mazkot]

sa equipment mga outdated na equipment ang ila panghatag nato.. less garbage to their side. decades behind sad ta sa military technology.

[joshua259]

this is great. this is an opportunity for us to be trained by the most professional military agency in the world. for those who despise the American army presence in the Philippines i suggest you sit back and relax cause this maybe our only hope on receiving sophisticated weapons and training.

[GOSPELofROCH]

Abu Sayaff/MILF/Npa cannot be eliminated because the government controls them and so as Al Queda, US controls them. US scattered their troops around the world to seek more power and can easily manipulate every government.

we are just wasting our time and words, cuz our government will never listen to us.

\m/

[joshua259]

sa equipment mga outdated na equipment ang ila panghatag nato.. less garbage to their side. decades behind sad ta sa military technology.

because of the rapid developments of new weapons in the US, they are donating there outdated weapons to there allies. even though they gave outdated equipments they can still destroy the enemy.

[pepau]

hatag lgi helicopters pero casing ra ang makina ato pa paliton negosyo lng jpun... pero infairness to them murag ok ra bya nga naa ila presence atleast mafeel nato nga samwat secured ta against foriegn invasion having them around

[rts1980]

mas maayo if nana ang U.S. diri kay makatabang bya sila in fairness.