High-level talks between the U.S. and Philippine governments have led to an international agreement once thought unthinkable: the stationing of American troops in four military bases and one army camp in the Southeast Asian archipelago to balance the positioning of power in the region.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the deployment of U.S. armed forces in the Philippines is part of an over-all strategy that has included similar sending of troops to Singapore and Australia in the very near future. The Obama administration locked the deal in order to allay the tension felt by the surrounding countries, as well as the Philippines, at the increased aggression of China. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter will visit the country in April in order to finalize the arrangements.
This deployment is welcomed by the Philippine government, which is a far cry from its position decades ago when the Phllippine Senate voted to terminate the agreement that allowed U.S. presence and autonomy on Philippiine soil. Some observers have opined that the Aquino administration has started the initiative, asking assistance from its American allies as it stands fast against China's recent claims to disputed islands located in the South China Sea.
A follow-up story by The Philippine Star adds that, U.S. and Philippine troops will hold joint training war exercises from April 4-16. The annual live-fire drill known as Balikatan, which will be held in Tarlac, will also feature mobile rocket and missile platforms. One advantage of the platform is that it can fire six rockets and can be transported from one area of combat to another.
After the training exercise, the platform will be brought to Palawan, the site of a Philippine base where U.S. troops are stationed in rotation.
Not all are happy with this development. According to the UCA News, Cathollic Bishop Pedro Arigo of Palawan says that the presence of U.S. troops in the provinces can only heighten the tension between Filipino fishermen and China's naval forces patrolling the South China Sea.
