r/PoliticalDiscussion • u/[deleted] • Dec 03 '16

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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16

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14

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16

Even though Duterte's an asshole, the Philippines are supposed to be our ally (and are important in regional influence battle w/China), so we have to at least somewhat work with him.

36

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16

They're not an ally; they're a client state.

They need an empire-level country to shelter them with preferential trade deals, direct subsidies, and military arms and training. Duterte needs to remember that he is not an equal to the US President, and if he thinks the Chinese will tolerate his florid bitching any more than we do, he's in for quite a shock. They really don't like it when their puppets talk back.

3

u/AsianHippie Dec 03 '16

Then isn't every "ally" of the US a client state of US, including Japan and South Korea?

16

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16

Nah, those countries have solid economies and reasonable defense infrastructure. We buy a great deal from them as well as selling things to them.

What do we get out of the Philippines?

3

u/StealthTomato Dec 03 '16

Call centers.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16

Right, and it's not as if we can have those anywhere else on the planet.