I was all pro-USA, until I read this loooong comment from a Duterte supporter that made me change my mind a little....
As an American observer, I would strongly urge him to break ties with the U.S. outside of basic diplomatic relations. The U.S. is primarily interested in involving the Philippines in another colonial game of Risk. You want to rid the Philippines of drugs and prostitution? Keep American military bases far, far away. Once the American military is able to establish bases, they will insist upon selling your government equipment that they cannot afford.
The Philippines is fortunate in that it does not really have a need for a navy or large standing army. Want to keep it that way? Again, keep out the U.S. military. Unless you too want to be dragged into global wars of conquest, regime change, have your government plunge further into debt and risk increased terrorism blow back, urge Duterte to not align with Washington.
What does my country primarily export to the world that's so useful? Pornography, garbage music, mindless sports fanaticism and violence. America is also the world's largest arms dealer and guess who they'd love to sell to? Obama is not a man to admire. Some of you spineless, weak-willed people complain about drug dealers and addicts being gunned down as if it is so horrible and barbaric. What's worse? Leaving the drug trade alone to continue to flourish and increasingly ruin your country or to eliminate it by killing the criminals? Duterte isn't really your problem, it is the long line of leaders you've elected who took money to look the other way while it continued.
So why would Washington be against extra judicial killings that they themselves do routinely? It isn't the deaths they're worried about, after all, what do dead Filipinos matter to them? Why is it none of you remember you fought and lost against Washington during the Philippine-American war? They admit to murdering well over a million men, women and children, but other sources place it over 3 million. How come you don't learn that in your American organized education system? Is it because Washington loves you so much?
Washington's involvement in Vietnam came about not because of France's colonial problems in the region, but because Washington was involved in opium sales. Having communists stand up and try to free themselves from this was a threat as Washington used this money to fund CIA programs to overthrow governments hostile to its political will.
The British first had control over the opium production and sales in China. The opium wars permitted Britain to solidify control over much of China by using arms to force Chinese into buying and using opium (look it up). America took over this trade from Britain after WWI. Washington decided to protect its drug trade with CNAC (China National Aviation Corporation) by establishing Chenault's Flying Tigers. They are not heroes, but illegal mercenaries used to protect this trade from Japanese air power that was trying to eliminate it.
During Vietnam, the drug trade was revived and a new corporation was formed named Air America. They began literally shipping in heroin from Cambodia and Laos. They paid those farmers to grow heroin and gave them rice so they didn't have to grow it. In the 80's, the CIA moved to Central & South America because Cocaine products were easier to ship in without an opposing communist government resisting by shooting down planes.
Drug selling is as American as Apple Pie. Because drugs are so profitable, we have legalized drugs called pharmaceuticals. Some of which still are made from opium.
In reality, Duterte is seen as an enemy for cutting into this long history and profitable drug trade. His killing of addicts (customers) and dealers (salesman) cuts into the profit margin that is in turn invested in Wall Street and deposited into big transnational banks. Many of our politicians rely on campaign money from Wall Street and these mega banks. Duterte is going to create financial pain for Washington as more nations decide to eliminate drug use by their own war on drugs. You see the problem?
How many of you can name countries China or Russia have invaded? How many countries do they have drones flying over to launch missiles at people they declare terrorists? Russia and China are building economic ties that do not include using the U.S. Dollar. Russia is openly fighting ISIS while America is well known to have funded and trained the groups that formed ISIS. Do you want to be aligned with all that?
Those of you who see Duterte's possible alignment with Russia and China should know that it will likely bring about peace and prosperity down the road. The failed American empire is beyond broke and has a military that can no longer field aircraft that function properly, ships that break down at sea and is initiating hostilities all over the globe in an effort to revive itself through another world war where it can assert control over defeated enemies, as it did after WWII.
Maybe you don't like Duterte's methods, but his actions have a purpose. Instead of crying over dead criminals and drug addicts, maybe you should be concerned over your own future if he fails.
