During the Cold War, we maintained major bases at Clark Air Force Base and Subic Bay for our Air Force and Navy. When we defeated the Soviet Union and the Cold War was won, Manila told Washington to leave. We did. We've now been gone for nearly 20 years. With the Soviet threat gone, who needed us? It was popular there to kick us out. And again, I hasten to point out that we left.
Now the Philippines finds that threats are not gone (from my Jane's email updates):
Budget Secretary Florencio Abad said on 8 September that the Philippines will be spending nearly PHP5 billion (USD118 million) on top of this year's defence budget to purchase a navy patrol vessel, six helicopters, and other military supplies. According to AFP, Abad said: "The 4.95 billion pesos will fund necessary capability requirements of (the armed forces) in its territorial defence operations, including providing a strong perimeter for Malampaya Natural Gas and Power Project." The Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power (GTP) project is a national flagship project of the Philippines government, the country's largest industrial investment in its history[.]
Yeah, there is China looming over the Philippines and darn near claiming international water as their own running right up to low tide marks on the Philippines west side.
At what point does the Philippines government start to regret ejecting us? Will they ask us back? And would we spend the money to return?
I'd love to have military facilities in the Philippines again. They are far more important for watching China than they were for watching the Soviet Union.
