Tag Archives: philippines

International, U.S.

World War 3, East Asian Front: Philippines to allow bigger U.S. military presence, in preps for oil war against China!

30 August 2013 (15:26 UTC-07 Tango)/23 Shawwal 1434/08 Shahrivar 1391/24 Geng-Shen (7th month) 4711

The United States and the Philippines are crafting a new military agreement.  Reports say it will allow an increase in U.S. military presence in Philippines, but U.S. officials claim it will not involve building more bases.

The main driver for the increased U.S. presence is the oil rich South China Sea, where China has a territorial dispute with the Philippines, as well as with other countries in the area.

Reports also revealed that this new military deal between U.S. and Philippines has been ongoing for the past two years.  It is part of the Obama regime’s military strategy that focuses on the Asia-Pacific region.

That plan includes recent deployment of spy ships to Singapore, and the basing of U.S. military personnel in Australia.

 

International, U.S.

Terror Drones: March 18-25

“The President’s counter terrorism campaign is about stealth power, rather than hard power or soft power. He is a Jekyll and Hyde president; he is the king of covert because there are not many military options available now.”-Laura Blumenfeld, German Marshall Fund

On March 25, 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama was labeled “Jekyll and Hyde”, at the annual Brussels Forum. Analyst say Obama has increased the use of terror drones in order to save money!

Pakistan’s President says Parliamentary demands that the U.S. stop using terror drones against Pakistan, is a sign of democracy.

On March 25, President Asif Ali Zardari met with Marc Grossman, Special U.S. Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Zandari said the U.S. had to respect the demands of the Pakistani members of parliament.

Zandari also brought up drug trafficking, which has increased ever since the United States started the so called War on Terror.

Earlier in the week, U.S. Senator Joe Libierman and Senator Dianne Feinstein refused demands from Afghan leaders, who’re calling for a stop to terror drone strikes in their country.

“Drone strikes are critically important to America’s national security. So obviously, I do not believe they should stop.”-Joe Libierman, Senator for Connecticut

“I think the key is whether Pakistan will go into North Waziristan and other places and take out those terrorist leaders who are essentially fueling and leading attacks against our troops in Afghanistan.”-Dianne Feinstein, Senator for California

In the Philippines the government there is denying that the U.S. is using terror drones to help the Philippine government fight mujahideen in the southern islands: “They are here as advisers. They are here as trainers. They can not participate in combat operations.”-Benigno Aquino, President of Philippines

The United States began sending troops back to the Philippines ever since the beginning of the War on Terror.  In the past two years U.S. troop numbers have increased, and could actually be due to the growing tensions over the oil rich South China Sea (especially in an area called Reed Bank).

While the Philippines says no terror drones are being used there, they admit  helping the United States, and the Malaysian government launch air strikes against mujahideen in Malaysia.

 

 

 

 

International

Pale Green Horse: Philippines hit with Rat Fever

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

In the Philippines, at least five people are dead and as many as 200 sick with leptospirosis.  The cases have sprung up in the southern city of Cagayan de Oro, which has suffered flooding caused by typhoon Washi.

Leptospirosis causes high fever, internal bleeding and organ failure.  It’s spread by rodents.

More than 1,200 Filipinos have been killed by typhoon Washi.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. officials say Asia is our only hope; then all is lost

“If we are going to move out of this recession, Asia is going to be part of that equation. Asia is where we are going to grow.”–Ernest Bower, Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

Next week the 21 members of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) will meet in Hawaii.  There U.S. officials are expected to bend over to make economic deals with Asia countries, that’s how desperate the situation is for the United States.

Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative, said the main concern for the U.S. is resolving issues that affect U.S. exporters.

Last week the U.S. Congress approved a free trade deal with South Korea, however, the people of South Korea are against it and have been protesting ever since.  It’s obvious governments are not going to do what their people want.

If the United States is hoping that the countries of Asia, and the Pacific Rim, are going to pull us out of the ‘recession’ then all is lost:  Japan’s economy is a house of cards that’s already collapsed. China is focused on controlling inflation which is reducing consumer spending there. Vietnam, India, China, Japan and Philippines are facing off in what could turn into a war over oil rights in the South China Sea.  Australia’s main economic partner is China, and Australia is expanding its naval power in the hopes that the U.S. Navy will be forced out of the region due to economic hardship.  Japan and Russia are nudging closer to war over islands just north of Hokkaido.  And the U.S. has already lost it’s economic advantage in South America.


International

Gaddafi tours Tripoli, Rebels take Filippino citizen hostage

Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi has taken a brief tour of Tripoli, just to prove he is still alive, and still in Tripoli.  He’s made a TV address asking loyal Libyans to “cleanse the city”.

NATO responded with two air strikes.  Witnesses say the explosions were huge.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs reports that one of their citizens was taken hostage by rebels.

 

International

Dengue fever spreading around the world

Since my last posting about Dengue fever, in April 2011, the disease is infecting even more people in even more countries.

Asia is seeing the most increase in cases this year.

As of July 11, the Philippines has tens of thousands of cases, and almost 200 deaths.  Officials are warning that when the rainy season hits, they expect Dengue cases to jump.

In India, just one hospital treated 160 children with Dengue, 10 of which died.  Indian officials are also warning of a sharp increase in cases when the rainy season starts.

In Australia, health officials are reporting that many Australians, returning from vacations, are coming home infected with Dengue.  So far 354 cases have been confirmed.  Last year Australia had only 156 confirmed Dengue cases.

“I have to keep an Excel spreadsheet now to keep up to date with all the outbreaks that occur up here.”-John McBride, Cairns Base Hospital, Australia

In Saudi Arabia, just in the capital city of Jeddah, an average of 130 new cases are being reported every week.

In Mexico an experimental Dengue vaccine is being tried on 1,000 children in the towns of Valladolid and Tizimín.  The vaccine is in the third stage of study, before it can be approved for widespread use.

In Peru, the mayor of one city has ordered fumigation of the entire city, after 10 people became sick with the hemorrhagic fever.  Two of the infected have died.  As many as 150 Peruvians are sick with Dengue.

Brazil has been enjoying some success in fighting Dengue.  So far this year 340 cases have been confirmed, compared to last year’s 2589 cases (then again this year isn’t over).

Dengue is spread by mosquitoes. Travelers are being warned of vacation spots that have high risk of Dengue hemorrhagic fever:  Asia, Africa, Middle East and South America.