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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Aug-2013
17-Aug-13 World View -- U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China

Web Log - August, 2013

17-Aug-13 World View -- U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China

Dozens of churches burned and looted in Egypt's 'Friday of Rage'

This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com

U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China
Dozens of churches burned and looted in Egypt's 'Friday of Rage'

U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China

Philippine (left) and U.S. (right) troops conduct joint live fire exercises in Philippines in April (AFP)

Philippine (left) and U.S. (right) troops conduct joint live fire exercises in Philippines in April (AFP)

Government officials from the Philippines have begun negotiations with the United States over increasing the presence of the U.S. military in the Philippines. The U.S. will deploy aircraft, ships, troops and equipment in civilian and military facilities in the Philippines. According to Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Carlos Sorreta:

"There is a sense of urgency in getting this agreement through…There are things that we need quite urgently that they can help. For example, building our capacities for being aware of developments in the region, watching movements, projecting movements in our part of the world including the [South China Sea] ... It’s all that and more.
Right now we desperately need this kind of awareness in this part of the world."

These talks are generating a great deal of controversy in the Philippines. U.S. bases in the Philippines were forced to close in 1992, and some Filipinos strongly oppose anything that looks like a return.

According to a statement by the Communist Party of the Philippines, the negotiations are nothing but a "masquerade":

"The plan to grant the US greater military access to local ports and infrastructure and extending rights to set up its own facilities has long been agreed upon by the Aquino government and the US military.
Considering that the US has long been granted access by the Aquino regime, the current round of negotiations will likely result in allowing the US to have exclusive access to certain facilities, which is a step further in formally allowing the return of the US military bases."

However, these concerns are being blown away by China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, which it's using its vast military power to follow a "Lebensraum" policy and take possession of islands belonging to other countries. Last year, China sent warships to Scarborough Shoal, which is Philippine territory, and annexed it. Philippines officials have begun a military buildup to allow them to confront China militarily, and negotiations with the U.S. are said to be a temporary measure for protection of the country's sovereignty until it improves its own military capability. ABS-CBNnews (Manila) and Philippine Star

Dozens of churches burned and looted in Egypt's 'Friday of Rage'

Egyptians enjoy the beach while fires and riots burn in the background

Egyptians enjoy the beach while fires and riots burn in the background

Dozens were killed and hundreds were injured in Egypt on Friday during the "Friday of Rage" called by the Muslim Brotherhood to protest the carnage earlier this week when hundreds of people, mostly in the Muslim Brotherhood, were killed in confrontations with security police. Some 32 churches have been burned or looted in the violence since Wednesday, mostly in the upper Egypt province of Minya, which has a history of sectarian tensions. Al-Ahram (Cairo)

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 17-Aug-13 World View -- U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (17-Aug-2013) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Aug-2013 17-Aug-13 World View -- U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China

U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China

Dozens of churches burned and looted in Egypt's 'Friday of Rage'

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 17-Aug-2013
17-Aug-13 World View -- U.S. and Philippines make military plans to counter China