U.S. To respond in hours if sovereignty is challenged

A US Marine general on Thursday said that American forces will respond "within a matter of hours" if Philippine sovereignty is ever violated by another country.

Brig. Gen. Paul Kennedy, commander of the US 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade made the statement at the opening of the annual Amphibious Landing Exercise (Phiblex) at the Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.

Kennedy, who will direct the US side of the exercises, implied the US response will be in accordance with the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, which binds both sides to come to the aid of each other in case of an armed attack.

“Sixty-four years, this alliance has held. Our mutual security has been upheld through the close working relationship that we have forged in that time,” Kennedy said.
- See more at: US to respond ‘within hours’ if other nations challenge PHL sovereignty – US general | News | GMA News Online

 

This does not encourage the Philippines to build on their own armed forces. They need to take more responsibility for their own security.

 

That's never going to happen in any way here,this place will always be reliant on outside help for any threats or natural disasters. I really do hope the west learnt after yolanda.
Never give aid to the pi government agencies!

 

They will learn if we make them learn the lessons the hard way.

 

We need to make it expensive. If they want US military support/aid they should give us something big in return (natural resources, benefits for US Citizens in the Philippines, pay for the fuel and labor of our ships/troops). I'm a bit tired of my country giving away our tax money without getting anything in return.

 

I saw a thread earlier on another site that yolanda u.s aid goods were being sold blatantly in a public market in Iloilo.

 

You mean the Spratley Islands? Since when were those Philippine territory? China has had claims on the islands long before the Philippines even had a government to make a claim on the islands (with some Chinese records dating back to 206BC). Why did you choose to use the Chinese name for the islands?

Mao certainly wasn't eager to test that "paper tiger" theory he had of the US (he knew they wouldn't have survived a fraction of the time that the USSR did in a cold war) and their economy didn't boom until his communist ideas were pushed to the side in favor of capitalism. If any country were to be deemed a "paper tiger" it would be China. Their economy would collapse in no time if they ever challenged the West and sanctions were placed on them. They have nothing without the West purchasing the crap made in their factories.

I agree that Obama is a weak (and very liberal) president but Russia/Putin is not calling any shots, they are a regional power at best and their influence does not extend much further than bordering countries where their military could quickly attack....and then retreat or be destroyed by NATO.