USA to get more Philippine military base access.

As others often say, "you can run but you can't hide".
OMO but if ever Asian countries are under threat of conflict/war? It will be worldwide, won't matter where you run to. Save your airfare ticket.

Cheers, Steve.
-@bigpearl

At least one poster suggested he intends to run away.

However, the US only starts wars against enemies unable to attack the US mainland so we have hope of peace yet.

Time and fools reveal all.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl Australia and EU would not be a good place to go in a world conflict but the US would be a lot better. We have the best anti-missile defenses as we spend a large part of our GNP on national defense unlike other western countries so I think re: AT he is correct, "kiss your arse goodbye". US has the best geographic isolation. But I think it will not come to that; I believe China could never take on the Philippines, especially now since PI is now inviting us to support the region with more military base support here. Of all countries in the region, the Philippines is probably the safest. Places like Indonesia with all of their tempting mineral resources and no Western defense treaties have more to worry about.

I sincerely hope not but as said only time will tell, as for Australia?

Cheers, Steve.

@Fred I think if the embassies gave an alert for their nationals to leave the country, more than one person would return to their homeland. But that ain't going to happen here because the US-Philippines has an MDT which you know nothing about. Indonesia with all of its undefended mineral wealth inside the 9-dash line has much more to worry about but this is not an Indonesia forum and your opinions from that country's perspective are irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. 

@Fred You are not even in the Philippines and you have no idea what the average local in the Philippines thinks about the US and other foreigners. You are in Indonesia which only puts you in the region and you are careful to spin your propaganda from a regional, not Philippine perspective. Do you contribute to any Indonesian expat forums? Why do you choose to diss the USA in a Philippine forum? Why do you even choose to participate a Philippine forum? Are you planning on moving here? You appreciate the ubiquitous presence of American culture in Pinas lol. And yes. I know, your version of history is definitely anti-American and it is well documented on this forum.
-@danfinn

*****************************************************

Start a new thread . . . about Fred's 20 year old underwear, it must be threadbare by now.

More military bases in PH. More military bases in Australia, many other countries, what's the point?

When the sh@t hits the fan? It's not going to matter what country one flees to, It will escalate and all countries will be affected,,, WW3? Possibly, nuclear? Possibly so matters little, I'm not going to run away, what for in that eventuality?

Said it before over the years that plebians such as myself are powerless to world events, watch we do like the chicken before ending up in the dinner table.

Cheers, Steve,

@Fred You are not even in the Philippines and you have no idea what the average local in the Philippines thinks about the US and other foreigners. You are in Indonesia which only puts you in the region and you are careful to spin your propaganda from a regional, not Philippine perspective. Do you contribute to any Indonesian expat forums? Why do you choose to diss the USA in a Philippine forum? Why do you even choose to participate a Philippine forum? Are you planning on moving here? You appreciate the ubiquitous presence of American culture in Pinas lol. And yes. I know, your version of history is definitely anti-American and it is well documented on this forum.
-@danfinn
*****************************************************
Start a new thread . . . about Fred's 20 year old underwear, it must be threadbare by now.
-@Enzyte Bob

One can only wonder the spare time some dudes have and how many other Expat sites suffer the same fate. 1 country is enough for me.

OMO.

Cheers, Steve.

I'm safe. . . I have my Tin Foil Hat . . .EMF & Wakwak proven.

I care little Bob, we all die one day.

Cheers, Steve.

@bigpearl "Said it before over the years that plebians such as myself are powerless to world events, watch we do like the chicken before ending up in the dinner table.

Cheers, Steve,"

Not powerless as a plebian. You can choose to support a political party and vote, for example.

It's regional so then I must assume that you are also expressing these expat concerns on the Malaysian, Vietnamese, Singapore and Taiwan expat forums, not just Philippines, right? Or do you think red China has special designs on the Philippines (that btw only the hated americans can counter)?

-@danfinn

No threads there.

As for hate, what hate?

Considering expat interests and safety is not hate.

Looking at history and having an overview of world events isn't hate, nor is holding opinions on them.

Blindly supporting a point of view with no care for the truth of a situation is very clearly silly. More so if you can see the truth but refuse to accept it.

WMD, but that's a dirty set of letters and their mention is often considered hate speech by the blind.

However, understanding how a country was invaded based on lies, how thousands were killed based on lies, and how a whole region was destabilized based on lies doesn't require hate, just the ability to read and understand the words I see.

The same goes here. Whilst I'm far from a big fan of China, I don't need to hate the US to be concerned about a military build up that's causing the defending country to reply, and see the possible dangers the aforementioned could bring.

Strongly, the only hate expressed on threads such as these is aimed at China, but mentioning that is probably anti-US as well.

@Fred "Hate" in a sarcastic sense, not literal, I think you know that, not sure, and it is tiring to explain nuances in my language to people who cannot understand conversational English. But maybe you do, in which case you are setting up a strawman debate. In that case, have fun shooting down your strawman, nobody cares.

@Fred "Hate" in a sarcastic sense, not literal, I think you know that, not sure, and it is tiring to explain nuances in my language to people who cannot understand conversational English. But maybe you do, in which case you are setting up a strawman debate. In that case, have fun shooting down your strawman, nobody cares.
-@danfinn

The only point of interest on a forum of this type is expat safety and security.

In my opinion, that is in jeopardy when military expansionism shows its ugly head.

Obama started the shift to hating China in 2009, US carrier group activity near China causing the Chinese to create military bases on new islands.

It should be noted at this point, Obama was well paid by the US arms industry, sorry, accepted massive campaign contributions from them.

Island building started four years later in 2013 as a direct defence against the US military threat. If you don't have massive carrier forces, you need to build off shore areas in an attempt to form a first line of defence.

Looking at timelines tends to show reality.

When those defensive bases are used to justify aggression with the idea the Chinese started the problem by building them, we have to consider the whole basis of the game and who is lying about what, and who is getting paid by whom to do so.

However, regardless of anything or who started the profitable stupidity, the outcome is a destabilised region with a far higher likelihood of war, and that should be of concern to expats.

This, by the way, in no way excuses the Chinese government for some of the things they get up to, but defending far worse based on propaganda and lies is a bit silly.

At the end of the day, US military expansionism for profit in the region is increasing the probability of expats lives being disrupted or lost.

Maybe the US could get some knowledge how to deflate and ground a spy balloon ? 😂😂

no offense but i find it awkward that US military is just waiting and looking up to the sky while the Chinese are laughing and pretending the balloon went of course. Actions speak louder than words

Maybe the US could get some knowledge how to deflate and ground a spy balloon ? 😂😂
no offense but i find it awkward that US military is just waiting and looking up to the sky while the Chinese are laughing and pretending the balloon went of course. Actions speak louder than words
-@Tdionnet

I believe you use a U2 or, when one gets shot down, try an SR 71. If all else fails, get Allen Pope to bomb it. It would appear the balloon is "unacceptable and irresponsible". Perhaps Blinken should check out a little history before he makes stupid comments.

At the end of the day, silly versions of stories from people who assume Americans are too stupid to read a little history (he's probably right in that much) are all part of a propaganda machine that is a massive safety issue for people half a world from the aggressor country.

Let's see - One balloon over the US against the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group off China - I see the danger posed by the balloon and how it could well be a massive problem for expats in the US - NOT!

Tdionnet said . . . .Maybe the US could get some knowledge how to deflate and ground a spy balloon ? 😂😂
no offense but i find it awkward that US military is just waiting and looking up to the sky while the Chinese are laughing and pretending the balloon went of course. Actions speak louder than words

************************************************

What goes up must come down. I've heard descriptions that it is large as three buses. Eventually the gas will eventually lose lifting power and the balloon will safely descend.

The map showing the route is misleading, makes you think it's remote controlled, the map they show you is a flat map, not a great circle map. If you used a flat map like they showed you an airline flight from Manila to Los Angeles would look the same.

All the talking heads in the media including the military and defense departments are ignorantly wrong.

The US has 14 Nuclear armed submarines. These submarines guarantee the US can launch after a first strike on our mainland.

Yes the Chinese are laughing at our morons.

Yes the Chinese are laughing at our morons.
-@Enzyte Bob

In order to relive the total and absolute pathetic embarrassment the US military is suffering at the moment, I sent the Pentagon a small package containing a pin and simple instructions as to where to put in in the Chinese balloon.

I feel they may return it with instructions as to where to shove my package.

Update - I see on the news they managed to follow my instructions.

Was it National pride or National security? This balloon should have never entered the American airspace at the first place!

Was it National pride or National security? This balloon should have never entered the American airspace at the first place!
-@Tdionnet

****************************************************

You're right on that, it was probably sighted soon after it left China's air space by many agencies besides the US. How many radars from various countries might have noticed this object at only 60, 000 feet?

At 60,000 feet why are there not closeups of this thing. Are our spy satellites capable of something this simple? Maybe they should contact Elon Musk for help.

Was it National pride or National security? This balloon should have never entered the American airspace at the first place!
-@Tdionnet

Why are you, from France, so concerned about US national pride? 

Was it National pride or National security? This balloon should have never entered the American airspace at the first place!
-@Tdionnet

If they didn't see it, they are rubbish.

If they did see it and didn't shoot it down, the propaganda value is high

@danfinn

well i live in the Philippines and a Chinese threat is real…..weak response might be wrongly interpreted by the communist.

this is a forum to comment and debate…. Whoever we are…. We all have opinions!

have a good day

@danfinn
well i live in the Philippines and a Chinese threat is real…..weak response might be wrongly interpreted by the communist.

Sure but 1. The balloon has nothing to do with a China threat to the Phils and 2. We have already admitted it makes the US look stupid, we do, but we have never had an incompetent, partially senile president before either but that will likely be resolved when Trump is re-elected in 2024😅

.weak response might be wrongly interpreted by the communist.
-@Tdionnet

One massive piece of propaganda is about China being Communist. It's true they have a ruling (undemocratic) communist party, a Peoples liberation army, all the trapping named after communist ideals, but they're the best capitalists in the world.

Chinese communism died with Chairman Mao.

Take a look at BRICS and Belt and Road to get an idea of how good they are.

They are outperforming and, more importantly, out-thinking the US in every way that matters as far as world economic dominance goes. De-dollarisation is a thing that looming like the sword of Damocles over the US treasury, and China has control of around 80% of RREs and a big chink of the world's Lithium.

Add the vast majority of EV are powered by Chinese or Chinese owned batteries, and you have an issue.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg.

Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.

@Lat61

The US never really left the Philippines.

@Fred shut them down from selling anything in the USA and they will be bankrupt and turmoil within a year. The rest of the world doesn’t buy shit from them, uhh maybe because they want things to last longer than a few months before breaking. Makes you wonder what there making there military equipment out of?? If it’s Chinese material it won’t last for a couple weeks before being in the scrap yard!! Just wondering thoughts!!

Fred said . . . . Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.

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Fred you left out one small detail. . . .Almost one million BMW's are produced in three Chinese plants.

@Fred shut them down from selling anything in the USA and they will be bankrupt and turmoil within a year. The rest of the world doesn’t buy shit from them, uhh maybe because they want things to last longer than a few months before breaking. Makes you wonder what there making there military equipment out of?? If it’s Chinese material it won’t last for a couple weeks before being in the scrap yard!! Just wondering thoughts!!
-@rlmcar55

Perhaps you might like to read this before making such comments

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles … tagon-says

We know the F35 is a lump of junk supported by corrupt politicians, but perhaps your explanation might offer a reason why the crappy attempt at an aircraft gets grounded so often, and why the first generation F35s only lasted a few years before being scrapped.

As with every other country, the US buys Chinese made equipment because it's far cheaper and better value for money than US made kit.

If you have an iphone, you're supporting Chinese industrial power.

Economics is the issue, not a military threat.

Fred said . . . . Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.

**********************************************

Fred you left out one small detail. . . .Almost one million BMW's are produced in three Chinese plants.

-@Enzyte Bob

That will be something to do with the Chinese being better at making them. If the US or any other country was a better business bet, you can be sure BMW would go there.

Back to The US banning Chinese goods

https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/chin … in%202020.

China was the United States' largest supplier of goods imports in 2020.

U.S. goods imports from China totaled $434.7 billion in 2020, down 3.6 percent ($16.0 billion) from 2019, but up 19 percent from 2010. U.S. imports from are up 325 percent from 2001 (pre-WTO accession). U.S. imports from China account for 18.6 percent of overall U.S. imports in 2020.

The top import categories (2-digit HS) in 2020 were: electrical machinery ($111 billion), machinery ($97 billion), toys and sports equipment ($26 billion), furniture and bedding ($23 billion), and miscellaneous textile articles ($21 billion).

At the end of the day, China can manufacture and ship goods to the US at a better price than the US can produce them at.

Ban them and you gain a massive inflation problem, and the Chinese will dump Dollar holdings. If that doesn't smash the US economy, a lot of countries do a lot more trade with China than the US, and a US trade ban against China would force BRICS rather than USD transactions, thus devaluing the Dollar and potentially leaving the US with an unservicable national dept.

By the way, China is the second largest holder of US national dept (about 4%), enough to cause a run on the Dollar if China fancied going that way.

So, China makes over 20% of US bought goods and owns the second largest preportion of US national dept. I can see how a war with China would be handy for the US ... well, not the dead US citizens, but your business interests and treasury might like it.

Fred said . . . . Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.
**********************************************
Fred you left out one small detail. . . .Almost one million BMW's are produced in three Chinese plants.
-@Enzyte Bob

*****************************************************************

Fred replied. . . . . That will be something to do with the Chinese being better at making them. If the US or any other country was a better business bet, you can be sure BMW would go there.

***************************************

Chinese make mostly crap . . .Yes they are better making crap.

Fred said . . . . Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.
**********************************************
Fred you left out one small detail. . . .Almost one million BMW's are produced in three Chinese plants.
-@Enzyte Bob
*****************************************************************

Fred replied. . . . . That will be something to do with the Chinese being better at making them. If the US or any other country was a better business bet, you can be sure BMW would go there.***************************************

Chinese make mostly crap . . .Yes they are better making crap.
-@Enzyte Bob

The only bits of the F35 that haven't failed were made in China.

So, do you use an iphone?

@Fred I agree in full with your conclusions. The leadership in the US is the problem at the moment. Better luck in 24 I hope

Fred said . . . . Communist in name, but probably the best capitalists in the world. That's why they buy more BMWs than any other country.
**********************************************
Fred you left out one small detail. . . .Almost one million BMW's are produced in three Chinese plants.
-@Enzyte Bob
*****************************************************************

Fred replied. . . . . That will be something to do with the Chinese being better at making them. If the US or any other country was a better business bet, you can be sure BMW would go there.

***************************************

Chinese make mostly crap . . .Yes they are better making crap.
-@Enzyte Bob

********************************************

Fred said. . . . . The only bits of the F35 that haven't failed were made in China.
So, do you use an iphone?

********************************************************

Wrong again Fred . . .The parts in question is $2 magnets sourced by contractors used in the F35's

Lets reverse the question. . . How much technology, hardware and parts is China using in their military from the US? China cloned the F35, how about that, counterfeit F35's. China's exact copy of the F35 is the FC-31.

Like all the other fake stuff they peddle around the globe, poor quality compared to the original.

China has cloned 20 popular cars:

Diablo VT (Lamborghini)

Porsche (Suzhou Eagle Carrie)

Tesla (Youxiax)

Hummer (Dongfeng EQ2050 M3D)

Rav 4 (Johway A380)

I guess your underwear is the real deal, not a clone, lasting 20 years

Wrong again Fred . . .The parts in question is $2 magnets sourced by contractors used in the F35's
lasting 20 years
-@Enzyte Bob

True ... ish

The magnet is made from an RRE, something the Chinese control 80% of the world's supply of.

You need to look up a little detail in order to understand the full implcations of these magnets.

I'll make it easy for you.

The US spent all its time on oil, oil wars, and short term gain. They also put themselves in a position to blockade the Straits of Malacca and popped fighter bombers into the north of Australia, that given them effective control of Chinese oil imports in the event of war.

That agressive act (along with a lot more) gave China the push it needed to get 21st centurty industry in place in the late 20th. Twenty some years later and we see a China with control of most of the world's strategic resouces, and at least 20 years ahead of the US in all related fields.

We hear of great advances being made in the US, but China has cities where non-EVs are rare. Bus, train, and even bikes are all elecric, and they are starting to produce top quality, exportable vehicles that are better than anything the west can make .. and they make them a lot cheaper.

Add the US, UK, EU and most of the rest supporting Ukraine, and we see those countries with a massive, fuel related, inflation problem China just doesn't have.

The upshot is Chinese products are getting cheaper whilst western products are pricing themselves out of the market.

It's up to you what you think of the Ukraine/Russia thing, but the real world effect is rising prices and more poverty in many countries.

If you think China won't exploit that (as the US is doing with expensive shale gas sales), think again.