US, Philippines vow joint defense ‘anywhere in the South China Sea’

That's what I meant when I said "I thought we elected 'leaders' to make sure this (buying up American property, outsourcing our industries to China etc...) didn't happen. I'm pretty sure most Americans would be in favor of not selling farm land to China.....but our supreme leader even said "Come On Man....China's not our competition".....which was a ridiculous statement to make.

Then everyone needs to contact their elected leaders to pass laws to prevent certain things from happening. If they don't, and we don't-whose fault is that?
 
They threw us out years ago. Now they want us back. Crazy world we live in.
Maybe a bit of an oversimplification. There were differences in the negotiating positions between the two countries for the renewal of the bases agreement. Their senate narrowly rejected a negotiated agreement then we decided to take our football and go home. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo may have had something to do with it, at least for Clark AB.

This was something that had to happen. The PI was a colony to empires for too long and they needed some time to find themselves as a people and a nation.

Now it's time for both countries to rekindle the close relationship. And time to roll back illegal Chinese expansion in the South China Sea.
 
My memory is not good but as I recall the ones that wanted the US out were the communists, the New Peoples Army faction that was prevalent back then and still exists today in some parts. They were killing US servicemen off base.
Yea, Capas Tarlac on Luzon was a stronghold of the NPA. Always some tense moments in the back of a deuce and a half when driving through there.
 
Yea, Capas Tarlac on Luzon was a stronghold of the NPA. Always some tense moments in the back of a deuce and a half when driving through there.
Wow, a friend of mine was nearly ambushed there coming from Camp O'Donnell to Clark AB. A number of his men were killed and, by my estimation, only his poor driving skills saved him.
 
You got that wrong. We do care.

Corporate America, institutional investors, and the politicians they lobby, well, that's an entirely different story.
If that were true, people would speak with their wallets. The reality is that everybody feigns patriotism (rah rah!) until they look at the price tag and then they'll grumble and moan but buy the cheaper product, made in China, anyway. That's exactly how we got here unfortunately :(

Look how many people on here justify buying cheap Chinese tires, TIRES of all things! If there was a Chinese oil that was cheaper than Supertech, they'd be all over that too.

The reality is that many companies did "have a go" at trying to keep manufacturing onshore but were undercut by those that offshored. That wouldn't be an issue if consumers took that into account with their buying habits, but that wasn't how it played out and so here we are. Now, the list of companies that have maintained first world manufacturing is almost totally occupied by premium brands whose prices are out of reach, or perceived as such, for Average Joe. Miele, Bryston, Wolf, McIntosh...etc.

Heck, even the firearms scene, Chinese guns and optics became popular, look at Norinco. Remington went bankrupt and first world optics cost a fortune. My made in Japan scope cost more than many of our more frugal members would spend on a car. Leupold is one of the few, if not the only American optics manufacturer left with USA-made scopes in the "reasonable" price class.

Look at how many folks fawn over the deals at Harbour Freight.

Like green ideologues, the anti-offshoring movement runs into many of the same or same type of massive obstacles. Chinese batteries and solar panels for example, just like oil is so heavily integrated into every aspect of our lives, so is Chinese manufacturing. Folks using TikTok, Huawei ISP and telecom gear, it's easy to see as insidious.
 
I forgot to add one thing to my post on page one regarding China.
I forgot to add that we have a lot of Chinese professors now teaching in American universities. Think about that.
No. We don't have any laws which prevented China becoming what they are. We have no laws prohibiting China from buying real property here in the U.S., or bonds, stocks, etc.

Some countries prohibit foreign citizens from owning real property.
 
I forgot to add one thing to my post on page one regarding China.
I forgot to add that we have a lot of Chinese professors now teaching in American universities. Think about that.
Well...they could be teaching simply because they wanted out of China. If they are Chinese Nationals and are suspect for anything else eyes will be watching.
 
If that were true, people would speak with their wallets. The reality is that everybody feigns patriotism (rah rah!) until they look at the price tag and then they'll grumble and moan but buy the cheaper product, made in China, anyway. That's exactly how we got here unfortunately :(

Look how many people on here justify buying cheap Chinese tires, TIRES of all things! If there was a Chinese oil that was cheaper than Supertech, they'd be all over that too.

The reality is that many companies did "have a go" at trying to keep manufacturing onshore but were undercut by those that offshored. That wouldn't be an issue if consumers took that into account with their buying habits, but that wasn't how it played out and so here we are. Now, the list of companies that have maintained first world manufacturing is almost totally occupied by premium brands whose prices are out of reach, or perceived as such, for Average Joe. Miele, Bryston, Wolf, McIntosh...etc.

Heck, even the firearms scene, Chinese guns and optics became popular, look at Norinco. Remington went bankrupt and first world optics cost a fortune. My made in Japan scope cost more than many of our more frugal members would spend on a car. Leupold is one of the few, if not the only American optics manufacturer left with USA-made scopes in the "reasonable" price class.

Look at how many folks fawn over the deals at Harbour Freight.

Like green ideologues, the anti-offshoring movement runs into many of the same or same type of massive obstacles. Chinese batteries and solar panels for example, just like oil is so heavily integrated into every aspect of our lives, so is Chinese manufacturing. Folks using TikTok, Huawei ISP and telecom gear, it's easy to see as insidious.
Exactly this.
 
When I was in the Philippines back in the early 70's with the NAVY they were still using some old ww2 Destroyer escorts.
1280px-Philippine_Navy_PF-11_at_Balikatan_2010.jpg
 
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When I was in the Philippines back in the early 70's with the NAVY they were still using some old ww2 Destroyer escorts.
1280px-Philippine_Navy_PF-11_at_Balikatan_2010.jpg


I think those are gone now. They have three of the USCG 378’s that are well over 50 years old. They do have some new boats though.
 
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Well...they could be teaching simply because they wanted out of China. If they are Chinese Nationals and are suspect for anything else eyes will be watching.

Right from our own USA intelligence services but just posting stories, don't want this to turn political. Just another fact that China companies bought some private USA schools Kindergarten through 12th grade.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/china/...-are-soft-target-china-s-spies-say-u-n1104291

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/harv...ationals-charged-three-separate-china-related

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...-and-colleges-are-ignoring-the-security-risks

Im not saying anything more then what is reported by our own government, keeping in mind that it is fact also reported by our government we are walking a tight rope military with China almost on a daily basis which is reason why the OP yet they have infiltrated every aspect of even our learning institutions including Kindergarten
 
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Right from our own USA intelligence services but just posting stories, don't want this to turn political. Just another fact that China companies bought some private USA schools Kindergarten through 12th grade.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/china/...-are-soft-target-china-s-spies-say-u-n1104291

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/harv...ationals-charged-three-separate-china-related

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...-and-colleges-are-ignoring-the-security-risks

Im not saying anything more then what is reported by our own government, keeping in mind that it is fact also reported by our government we are walking a tight rope military with China almost on a daily basis which is reason why the OP yet they have infiltrated every aspect of even our learning institutions including Kindergarten
Again - if we don't have laws it's our own fault. If there are spies-we have eyes on them. It looks like we caught them.
 
If that were true, people would speak with their wallets. The reality is that everybody feigns patriotism (rah rah!) until they look at the price tag and then they'll grumble and moan but buy the cheaper product, made in China, anyway. That's exactly how we got here unfortunately :(

Look how many people on here justify buying cheap Chinese tires, TIRES of all things! If there was a Chinese oil that was cheaper than Supertech, they'd be all over that too.

The reality is that many companies did "have a go" at trying to keep manufacturing onshore but were undercut by those that offshored. That wouldn't be an issue if consumers took that into account with their buying habits, but that wasn't how it played out and so here we are. Now, the list of companies that have maintained first world manufacturing is almost totally occupied by premium brands whose prices are out of reach, or perceived as such, for Average Joe. Miele, Bryston, Wolf, McIntosh...etc.

Heck, even the firearms scene, Chinese guns and optics became popular, look at Norinco. Remington went bankrupt and first world optics cost a fortune. My made in Japan scope cost more than many of our more frugal members would spend on a car. Leupold is one of the few, if not the only American optics manufacturer left with USA-made scopes in the "reasonable" price class.

Look at how many folks fawn over the deals at Harbour Freight.

Like green ideologues, the anti-offshoring movement runs into many of the same or same type of massive obstacles. Chinese batteries and solar panels for example, just like oil is so heavily integrated into every aspect of our lives, so is Chinese manufacturing. Folks using TikTok, Huawei ISP and telecom gear, it's easy to see as insidious.
Many people prioritize price over patriotism when it comes to buying goods, even though purchasing cheaper products made in China can come at the expense of domestic manufacturing jobs. This has led to many companies moving their manufacturing operations overseas to remain competitive and reduce costs, ultimately causing a decline in first-world manufacturing.

But let's not oversimplify the issue. Globalization and trade policies have also played a significant role in the offshoring of manufacturing jobs, and many companies are merely following the economic incentives created by these policies.

However, it's crucial for consumers to understand the impact of their purchasing decisions on the economy and jobs and to support domestic manufacturing when possible. While premium brands may be out of reach for many, there are still affordable options for products made in the USA or other first-world countries.

To tackle this issue, we need a combination of changes in trade policy, corporate behavior, and consumer behavior, as well as a willingness to invest in domestic manufacturing and innovation.

It's worth noting that corporations engage in lobbying efforts to influence policy decisions related to manufacturing and trade. They may aim to seek lower tariffs, fewer regulations, tax incentives, and other measures that could make it more attractive for them to move manufacturing operations overseas. However, not all corporations engage in such lobbying efforts, and the extent to which lobbying influences policy decisions can vary depending on various factors, including public opinion, political power dynamics, and the regulatory environment.

It's also worth noting that outsourcing and offshoring decisions are influenced by various other factors, including labor costs, access to raw materials, transportation costs, and technological advancements.
 
True but on the other hand the cops were getting bounties for killing a drug trafficker.

I was told from a couple Filipino friends that civilians started to report neighbors and people they don't like for drug abuse, causing cops to come by the accused and make them "reform" without any due process. I'm not sure how true that is though, so I'm just treating it as a story.
 
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