The Patriot Post® · Obama's Foreign Policy Disaster With the Philippines

Diplomatic shockwaves washed across the world as the United States is losing yet another ally — this time in the Asia-Pacific region of the world. Barack Obama’s “Asia Pivot” is yet another failure, and while the focus for the past several years has been on Russia and Syria, we may need to pay more attention to what China is crafting in the Philippines. The common theme of this administration is to alienate allies while simultaneously cozying up to those who despise the United States.

Last Thursday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte visited Beijing and announced his country’s “separation from the United States.” He added, “Both in military, not maybe social, but economics also. America has lost.” Furthermore, he said, “I’ve realigned myself in [China’s] ideological flow and maybe I will go to Russia to talk to [President Vladimir] Putin and tell him there are three of us against the world — China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.”

He hedged over the weekend, but then reverted to his tough stance. The Washington Post reports, “[Duterte] also questioned the 10-year Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) struck in 2014, that expanded military ties between the two nations and enabled the U.S. to deploy conventional forces there for the first time in decades, rotating through five Philippine bases. The deal was heralded as a key element of President Obama’s strategic rebalance to Asia.”

What went wrong and why the sudden shift from the U.S. to China? For starters, Duterte, who was elected president of the Philippines in June, has raised questions since taking office about his nation’s alliance with the U.S while touting the possibilities of greater economic benefits of friendlier ties with China.

But there is another reason. Duterte claims, “I will not go to America anymore; we will just be insulted there.” Insulted? Who knew that Obama would do such a thing?

Duterte ran for president as the populist candidate and campaigned on the platform of reducing drugs and crime in his country. He has since cracked down on the drug trade, and according to police data, 3,000 suspects have been killed. The insult came when Obama, along with the UN, lashed out at Duterte and his anti-drug campaign, citing human rights violations. Duterte appears to despise Obama, lashing out at him with choice words that are uncharacteristic of an ally.

Why does it matter that the Philippines has now turned to China? Shouldn’t we respect their sovereignty? The Wall Street Journal notes that Duterte’s strategy has thrown Manila’s longstanding relationship with Washington into question, undermining U.S.-led efforts to check China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region. Jin Canrong, associate dean at the School of International Studies at Renmin University in Beijing, adds that there is going to be a significant shift in the dynamics of the South China Sea.

Jin points out, “The U.S. excuse for entering the South China Sea is the potential for conflict between China and the Philippines,” and added that without such conflict “the U.S. has a legitimacy problem.” Indeed, should the Philippines formally sever its alliance with the United States and align with China, the balance of power in the region will greatly shift and further complicate matters for the U.S.

In September, Duterte called for U.S. Special Forces to withdraw, he threatened to end joint maritime patrols and he promised to end annual military exercises. On Tuesday, he declared, “I do not want to see any military man of any other nation except the Filipino.”

Critics of Duterte say that he is ad hoc and impulsive, while diplomats and scholars in Manila characterize him as using shrewd negotiating techniques to do what he thinks is best for the Philippines.

From a sovereignty point of view, this news may not seem all that bad. But from a geopolitical and strategic point of view, this shift in relations has the potential to cause great instability in the neighboring countries of South Asia.

Further, this shift in the Philippines undermines our military efforts in the region, which serve as a buffer to keep China in check and prevent potential conflicts from surfacing. With the Philippines possibly gone as an ally — or at least cozying up to Red China — the implications for our military personnel and security in the region are enormous. This is what happens when a U.S. president makes a hash of foreign policy and deliberately torches relations with our partners and allies.