The US intelligence community has identified several Southeast Asian leaders as “regional threats,” joining a list that includes China and North Korea, in a Worldwide Threat Assessment released last week.
In Southeast Asia, Cambodian leader Hun Sen “will repress democratic institutions and civil society, manipulate government and judicial institutions, and use patronage and political violence to guarantee his rule beyond the 2018 national election,” according to the report.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s suggestion that he might suspend the constitution, declare a “revolutionary government,” and impose nationwide martial law helped him make the cut.
And rounding out the list of threatening regional governments was Thailand’s ruling junta, which will “institutionalize the military’s influence,” despite its pledge to hold elections in late 2018.
The document also warned that the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar threatened the country’s fledgling democracy and might “provide openings for Beijing to expand its influence.”
The assessments were listed under the heading of Regional Threats, where China is listed at the top, citing the country’s “firm stance on its sovereignty claims in the East and South China Seas.” North Korea is listed second.
Manila expresses concern
Philippine presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a radio interview on Wednesday that the government did not take the assertions lightly.
“We view this declaration from no less than the intelligence department of the United States with some concern,” Roque was quoted as telling DZMM radio.
“For one, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is no autocrat or has autocratic tendencies. He adheres to the rule of law and remains loyal to the constitution,” Roque said in a statement.
Stuart Budgen bulshit just look at what is happening in Libya now? You went to war because you can never match col Gaddafi Governance so you destroyed Libya.
You and you bulshit idealogy is getting on other countries nerve so take a slow breath and stick your nose in your own business.
because’ in reality! communism is the most corrupt system of government in the world’ they are just pretending to be honest!!!
Stuart Budgen the world should be better place without American war all over the place after WW2. US did not practice democracy outside its border. United Nations should be the one to maintain peace and world order, not American. UN may not be decisive enough because of different voices from member states, but isnti that how democracy work?
Stuart Budgen Dont use our country as shield to ur enemies in asia let alone our leaders decide for our faith and let your leader decide for your faith as a nation….every war america is involve…you only manipulate countries where you have interest in….you bomb your own country to invade others who wont give in your demands….example sadaam hussein .. ur intellegence agency made a false accusations against biological weapons which resulted in mass bombing..and you didnt find any weapons of mass destruction?2nd u made an uprising to the president of syria which dont give in to your demands and form and fund a civilian war which turn into ISIS let alone your nightmares your nightmares and our nightmares be our guide to be a unified country…
This must be the reason why the US is ramping up its defense spending even if it is already the biggest defense spender in the world. The paranoia of a declining power.
Stuart Budgen I understand your point, we as a nation have benefited much more under a short U. S. rule than over 300 years as a Spanish colony, and we are forever grateful. Our hopes as a fledgling democracy is a chance to do it on our own. Give us the chance as an equal sovereign nation to charter our own course, to fail or succeed on our own terms and by our own actions. That to me is the true test of democracy.
It only shows that the US state department are doing their job.. A job that they have been doing for decades.. Destabilizing stable countries, installing military dictators and coup d’etat.. This is just a result of their miscalculation in the middle east, south america and now in southeast asia.. They are losing their grip on their empire.. Even roman civilization ended despite its grandeur..
USA’s concerned in Phl generally is not because of the system,,,its because our President have aligned in Russia and China,,,in that case they are afraid there strategic area in the Pacific wil be handled either by China or Russia,,,US in the eyes of the world they are the pillar of democracy,,,but actually its not,,,its a home of tonnes of drugs,,,,atheists,,,weapons of mass destructions,,,pedophiles,,,racist,,oligharcs,,,and so on,,,Im a Filipino,,,people here doesnt need a pure democracy,,,what we need here is a system that can implement and handle different ethnicity,,,which President Duterte can,,,He has the courage and ability,,,and cannot be push and pressure anybody,,,
Stuart Budgen Western societies were built up using stolen lands from natives and forced labor from Africans. Yup, sounds like pretty good "ideals" to me!
Stuart Budgen With due respect will all knw tht Us is alwayz targetng a country wth either oil or gas,lithium,etc wch they use to develop missiles,infact Us is always developing missiles,to use where,on who,for the why,,????,if e Us is after keepng peace in e world why dnt they come to D R C,Somalia,to name just a few African countries & stabilies the civilwars in Africa,they wouldnt come ,u knw why,?coz there is nothng to loot bck to Us for missile development prrojects bck home
You are ignorant of the potential dangers of this world and just how we are focused on making sure it doesn’t happen.
Of course America has its own problems but it is still a very decent and stable country which keeps an eye on the development of potential threats to stability and world peace.
Duterte is fine and Manilas response to ligitimate concerns were very level headed and diplomatic.
Fortunately it isn’t someone like you running the Philippines.
No it means the danger of a warped and dangerous country, bad people getting into power, lack of human rights, unstable governments etc etc.
Don’t you realize that a country can become SERIOUSLY messed up in the click of a finger?
And suddenly you have genocide, financial crash, wars, instability, dodgy products, unsafe practices, mistreatment of animals, mass shootings of innocent people etc etc..
. All of these things could potentially manifest in a country which slides from the right path.
These are the types of threats that we are looking out for as potential dangers to the future for our people and people all over the world.
You are wrong about us my friend.
But you are entitled to your opinion or rather disproportionate and over simplified judgment.