Should You be Worried About Duterte’s Announcement of Breaking Ties With US?
Am I worried by what President Duterte said in China about the US? No, because he is just applying different strokes for different folks.
The Philippines will be friends with all nations. Those who treat us with respect and as equals the president will reciprocate. Those who don’t, then bye, bye. That is really the gist of his message to the world.
The White House need not worry about Rodrigo Duterte. It would do better to worry about Donald Trump. The surveys are mixed. Nobody really knows whom the Americans will vote for. But the Russians and Chinese seem to think they can get along better with Trump than Hillary Clinton.
Let us assume for the sake of argument that Trump does win the White House. Let us also assume that Putin and Jinping do get along with Trump. Where would that place Duterte? On the winning side of all three. He could end up having the last laugh on all his critics.
Now if Hillary captures the White House, where would that place Duterte?
With Putin and Jinping. All three against the US. Since the Philippines lies strategically at the center of the most dynamic region in years to come, the US will have to come to terms with Duterte to avoid him going all the way to the other side.
If the US tries to oust Duterte, chances are the Russians and Chinese will react like they do with Assad of Syria. Ousting or killing Duterte could trigger a bloody revolution or civil war with all three major powers intervening like in Syria.
How would another Syria in the Far East serve US interests? Better to reach an accommodation with Duterte.
Either way, Duterte is holding the cards. Our strategic position can be a blessing or a curse. Duterte is playing for high stakes.
