In an interview today with Reuters, Philippines President Benigno Aquino said his country is considering formally asking the US for drones to conduct overflights in the disputed South China Sea, saying that the Philippines lacked such capabilities.
The US State Department declined to directly address the possibility until the request was made, but did say that the “United States supports the Philippines in enhancing its maritime domain awareness.”
China’s top newspaper was critical of the suggestion, saying Aquino was “deliberately stirring up tensions” over the disputed region. The two nations have been disputing control over a number of deserted islands in the region, which would theoretically give them access to mineral resources under the sea.
Philippines Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in May that the US had agreed it was obliged to protect Philippines territorial claims in the region under the terms of the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty. The US has been supporting the claims of not just the Philippines, but also Indonesia and Vietnam, while condemning China for making similar claims.
A drone QUESTION that could have a nuclear reply………… Where are the historical facts ??? Or have the resource seekers declared them moot….. Opting instead for gunboat intimidation for their veracity?
A friend to all and a ally of none……….
Is it possible the U.S. will one day be in wars with Russia, China AND Iran all at the same time? How will the U.S. fund this? What would be the implications? Would young men once again be sent to be killed and maimed?
I'm thinking that a major war between Russia and The US probably wouldn't last very long if carried to its conclusion. Both countries will simply decimate each others cities (since Europe is allied with the US via NATO, most major cities there would also be targeted), however, with one small advantage going to Russia because they have lots of experience with coping with and surviving invasions of its soil over the centuries. The US has none. Americans wouldn't know what to do if their major cities were devastated like Leningrad and Stalingrad were by Hitler in WWII.
Philippine leaders must be traitors with short memory. In the US war to teach the “savages” the US is said to have killed more than half a million Filipinos, yet they are now buddies? I have heard that politics makes strange bedfellows, but I didn’t know one of the parties involved had to be a moron.