With China increasingly assertive in unreasonable territorial claims, the Philippines is bolstering its small military forces and making sure powerful friends are at hand:
Senior U.S. and Philippine officials met on Wednesday in Manila to discuss strengthening security and economic ties at a time of growing tension over China's aggressive sovereignty claims over vast stretches of the disputed South China Sea.
Philippine defense and diplomatic officials said they expected to see more U.S. ships, aircraft and troops for training exercises and disaster and relief operations.
"What we are discussing right now is increasing the rotational presence of U.S. forces," Carlos Sorreta, the foreign ministry's Assistant Secretary for American Affairs, told reporters. A five-year joint U.S.-Philippine military exercise plan would be approved this week, he added.
The Philippines were a colony of the United States for nearly fifty years until we granted independence in 1946. We did this after liberating the islands from Japan in World War II, at high cost in American lives. Particularly noteworthy is that this independence was planned before World War II and we did not use the excuse of war or the price we paid to free the islands to put that day off into the future.
When the Cold War ended, the Philippines wanted us to leave. And we did.
Now it seems prudent to have America back.
I hope Iraqis takes note. We leave when asked even after spending lives and treasure to free you. And it is a good idea to have our friendship and our presence when you live in a dangerous neighborhood.
