U.S. May Begin Airstrikes Against ISIS in Philippines

[Origanalist]

The Pentagon is considering a plan that allows the U.S. military to conduct airstrikes on ISIS in the Philippines, two defense officials told NBC News.

The authority to strike ISIS targets as part of collective self-defense could be granted as part of an official military operation that may be named as early as Tuesday, said the officials. The strikes would likely be conducted by armed drones.

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If approved, the U.S. military would be able to conduct strikes against ISIS targets in the Philippines that could be a threat to allies in the region, which would include the Philippine forces battling ISIS on the ground in the country's southern islands.

The U.S. military has been sharing intelligence with the Philippines for years, according to Pentagon spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis, who called it a "steady state."

"We have had a consistent CT [counterterror] presence in the Philippines for fifteen years now," he said.

There is a small U.S. military presence on the ground supporting the counter-ISIS fight, called Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident.

https://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_32/2097476/170807-duterte-tillerson-se-1131a_4a25dbea5a4e19367a91229c8591a615.nbcnews-ux-600-480.jpgPhilippine President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with visiting U.S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a meeting at the presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Aug. 7, 2017. Erik De Castro / Reuters

In Manila on Monday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was providing the Philippines government with "intelligence capabilities" in the fight against ISIS, including "some recent transfers of a couple of Cessnas and a couple of UAVs (drones) to allow to them to have better information with which to conduct the fight down there."

"We're providing them some training and some guidance in terms of how to deal with an enemy that fights in ways that are not like most people have ever had to deal with.

"I see no conflict at all in our helping them with that situation and our views of other human rights concerns we have with respect to how they carry out their counternarcotics activities."

continued..http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-may-begin-airstrikes-against-isis-philippines-n790271

[Brian4Liberty]

And where is the Declaration of War? Any authorization from Congress planned?

Oh yeah, Congress only asserts itself when it wants to push Russia and Iran (neoconservative agenda).

[r3volution 3.0]

And where is the Declaration of War? Any authorization from Congress planned?

Oh yeah, Congress only asserts itself when it wants to push Russia and Iran (neoconservative agenda).

Given the neoconservative agenda of the White House, there's no need for the neoconservative Congress to get involved.

Their common agenda can be advanced without Congressmen having to expose themselves to public scrutiny.

They'll only revive their much neglected powers when the White House is inhabited by someone who isn't a neocon.

[goldenequity]

'I'm your humble friend' (https://www.rt.com/news/398904-duterte-friend-us-tillerson/)

https://cdn.rt.com/files/2017.08/original/59889f0fdda4c864068b4567.jpg

“Trump is a deep man, he just pretends otherwise. Like me, I'm not really very bright.”

[Pauls' Revere]

'I'm your humble friend' (https://www.rt.com/news/398904-duterte-friend-us-tillerson/)

https://cdn.rt.com/files/2017.08/original/59889f0fdda4c864068b4567.jpg


This is all you need to see. Reminds me of Saddam's handshake with Rumsfeld.

[TheTexan]

Nice! It's been a while since we bombed that region.

[KEEF]

And where is the Declaration of War? Any authorization from Congress planned?

Oh yeah, Congress only asserts itself when it wants to push Russia and Iran (neoconservative agenda).
This ^

[nikcers]

http://up.gc-img.net/post_img/2015/07/xV9S8cwwvMHZjcO_xMffm_39.jpeg

[Peace Piper]

This is all you need to see. Reminds me of Saddam's handshake with Rumsfeld.

http://www.frontpagemag.com/sites/default/files/uploads/2014/08/Gaddafi-the-Jewish-leader-of-Libya-meets-President-Hussein-Obama-the-Muslim-rais-of-America.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/06/04/article-0-09E4EA7D000005DC-234_468x329.jpg

[shakey1]

sigh.:(:mad:

[goldenequity]

Exclusive: No New US Drone Strikes In The Philippines, US Defense Official Says (http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/08/drone-strikes-philippines/)


"We at the [Armed Forces of the Philippines]
are yet to receive any formal notice or offer for such air capability deployment,”
Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo M. Año said Tuesday.

“We appreciate Pentagon’s reported desire to help the Philippines
in the fight against Daesh-inspired Maute Group
because terrorism is a global menace that the community of nations must unite to fight against,”

“However, such proposition, if any, has to undergo a process.
And a covenant must be had between the commanders in chief of both nations
before that option may be adopted.”

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Año both denied discussions with U.S. about plans for drone strikes.

The U.S. military operates in country “at the request of and in cooperation with the Philippines,” the official explained.

The Trump administration has expressed a strong desire to support the Philippines
as it attempts to drive a shared enemy from its borders, but for the time being,
the U.S. military does not appear to have plans for new U.S. combat operations in the Philippines.

Despite reports claiming otherwise,
the U.S. military will not be conducting drone strikes against Islamic State militants in the Philippines,
a senior defense official with direct knowledge of the situation told The Daily Caller News Foundation.

[Swordsmyth]

Exclusive: No New US Drone Strikes In The Philippines, US Defense Official Says (http://dailycaller.com/2017/08/08/drone-strikes-philippines/)


"We at the [Armed Forces of the Philippines]
are yet to receive any formal notice or offer for such air capability deployment,”
Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo M. Año said Tuesday.

“We appreciate Pentagon’s reported desire to help the Philippines
in the fight against Daesh-inspired Maute Group
because terrorism is a global menace that the community of nations must unite to fight against,”

“However, such proposition, if any, has to undergo a process.
And a covenant must be had between the commanders in chief of both nations
before that option may be adopted.”

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Año both denied discussions with U.S. about plans for drone strikes.

We shouldn't be there at all.

[goldenequity]

Opposition Research: Philippine style


‘Why even fight?’ Duterte threatens drug lord politicians with airstrikes (https://www.rt.com/news/399034-duterte-airstrikes-war-on-drugs/)

The president was giving a speech in which he revealed
he had expanded the list of politicians suspected to be involved in the drugs trade.

“Even if you have 100-200 armed men, that will not help,”

“Why would you put up a fight? I have 12 FA-50 jets. I will drop five bombs on you. I will really use the force of the government.”

“I told you not to contradict the government. I will use the government because I have to protect the people who represent the government. I will not hesitate.”

Private armies led by politicians and powerful clans have long been a fixture in the Philippines,
particularly in the southern island of Mindanao,
wracked by conflict with communist and Muslim insurgents as well as the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf, linked to Islamic State (IS, ISIS/ISIL).

In November 2009, gunmen loyal to the powerful Ampatuan family massacred 57 people in the province of Maguindanao.

Duterte himself has been accused of leading an armed group dubbed the “Davao Death Squad” prior to his election as president,
which allegedly carried out the killings of thousands of accused drug dealers, users, thieves and other petty criminals.
Some of the alleged former members of the squad have testified in court,
either providing descriptions of the alleged extrajudicial killings,
or dismissing the very existence of the group as “media hype.”

Duterte’s latest warning comes just over a week after Reynaldo Parojinog, mayor of Ozamiz City,
was shot dead along with 13 others, including his wife and his brother,
when a shootout erupted during an anti-drugs operation. Parojinog had been on Duterte’s “list” since 2016,
and Duterte denounced him and his family as “gangsters.”

Allegations of using the war on drugs as a method of getting political opponents out of the way have also surfaced locally.

“I am the president of the barangay [village] council,” Vicente Yungco Jr told Marina Kosareva for RT’s documentary Project Duterte.

“I was really surprised that I was linked with drugs. I’m on bail now, amounting to 80,000 pesos [$1,600] for illegal firearms and ammunition.”

“I think it was a political motivation. I have a political rival in my barangay. We were elected for three terms, they did not win.
I’m afraid that certain local officials, they can do whatever they want.”


------------

This is not new nor unique to the Philippines/Duterte.
I remember stories in Pakistan/Afghanistan of CIA enabled 'locals'
realizing that they could infiltrate and laser 'tag' ANYBODY (not just 'terror' targets)
for Reaper drone strikes.
You could 'light up' your arch rivals, political opponents or business competitors..
didn't take long for them to figure how to 'use' multi-billion dollar weapon systems. :cool: