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.
Your use of the word demonized is out of proportion to the actual situation.
It is quite clear that Duterte has an uncouth and borderline character but it doesn’t necessarily mean he is a bad leader.
This is what the US government has expressed to the Philippines and the Filipino governments response was alot more level headed and reasonable than yours.
Richard Truong you are very rude to label my opinions as propaganda.
They are MY opinions and I am entitled to them.
And that they be respected and countered respectfully.
These are my values, which I learned growing up as a European and I will defend them out of respect for my parents, you understand now?!
Johnathan Guy it isn’t as simple as that.
What you are not seeing here again, as with most people who choose to blame America for EVERYTHING, is that these other countries and their leaders are by no means saints.
Many of them can and would grow into uncontrollable beasts with no disregard for anything at all, you see?
We are also keeping a firm control on other countries for this reason.
Sometimes it is excessive, sometimes it is wrong but it is still very much a mighty and just task to police a whole planet as we do.
Try to adjust your judgment of us and see it from a slightly different perspective.
Ang tanong. So ano pala pinag rarally at pinglalaban ng mga kaliwa na US at Duterte alliance?
Graham Sandaver How many people did the American police force kill in the US last year?, How many died of starvation or exposure in the richest country in the world? How many died because a hospital wouldnt assist them due to no money? The US has enough human rights issues of their own to deal with to be trying to regulate others.
I believe this is not the reasons why duterte is beigh recognized as a threat to democracy but the only reason is duterte is shifting is allegiance to China which the USA will never allow. that is the only reason. Look at Marcos he declared martial law and do everything but still his algiance is with USA but never considered as threat to democracy by the US Intelligence.
Stuart Budgen Your invasions were to ensure that governance based on what the US government wants for areas outside your own country doesnt in any way make trying to determine how other people live their lives justified. You kill others who oppose your idea of government then try to justify it as helping??? Open your eyes.
Stuart Budgen with the current leaders you have, the world’s future is bleak.The paranoia that goes with a declining power is what might destroy this world before it gets better.
Read history books about phils.. were loving people but when we are one… no one or nothing can slave us…. we will fight for our country… we are now awake of your lies and we have eyes wide open to reallity that all thats happening around the world is because of greed.. greed for money .. greed for oil.. greed for natural resources that you are the ones that always gain…
More journalistic hype. Amplification in fear, and fringe beliefs, by the media is the name of the game. Were the public asked if the reporter were a political agitator, or an s.o.b., it would be confirmed by many.
if a leader has the support of his/her people and(consequently )is being demonized by US.. he/she can be sure is doing a good job for the country.
Stuart Budgen – LOL. You mean like Operation Gladio? Or Operation Northwoods? Or Operation Iraqi Freedom? …
Which school of history have you been following?
The US itself is not exactly a democracy. (Not that real democracy, however defined, is viable or desirable, though that’s a different discussion.) Besides, you don’t want to characterize the US as a democracy if you are a worshiper of democracy, considering the atrocities the government has committed around the world over the past 50 years or so. (something you obviously know very little about.)
Just because they don’t dance anymore to the rules that the us has laid out for them… All of these are growing closer to allied China and on top of that you have Thailand who is considering to build a canal through the country that would bypass Singapore and thus us controlled port. It’s all bullshit talk from a declining empire in distress. Makes them very dangerous though…
why not include the arabs who turn their back to democratic process, international human rights standard and so is china and russia…."sour graping pretending not."but the picture is clear…
Says the country that is the biggest threat to the ENTIRE world.
Just breaking the talks is headline news how can they not have anything to talk about
Not only US style but European too.
If you visit a European country you will notice straight away how civilized and well organized it is. Humane, decent, correct, safe, stable etc..
And there are stable elections, no military coups etc.
It is a good ideal to live up to.
Although America really needs to get its gun laws in check and move on from its positioning since WW2.
The balance of a rising China is a good example to the world too and forces the west to be less militarily inclined.
Despite all the negative aspects you might find in western history they still do aim for a good ideal. And attempt to get the world to adhere to it.
Our invasions etc weren’t purely for self interest and we do genuinely wish to see decent and stable democracies.
Also if a country shows itself to be a decent and stable democracy it is left in peace to prosper.
I have seen the good aspects of Duterte and recognize the good he is doing for his country.
However you cannot deny that he treads a fine line. He has a boarder line character.
You can see too that Manilas response was correct and level headed which shows that the people surrounding Duterte are level headed enough to decently govern and reply with respectful deplomacy, this is a very good sign that the Philippine government as a whole is good.
It is understandable also for America to express its concerns about the state of the world and potential threats.
Let’s hope that stable democracies will be encouraged without the use of military intervention in the future.
It’s interesting that so many countries seem to be finding that US-style democracy is hard to put into practice and ends up not doing what they need it to. It’s a question whether more autocratic systems will do any better, but the US has to prove that its way is the best way. Current evidence around the world is unfortunately showing that Western-style democracy brings more disorder and less prosperity in many countries.
I’m not sure other countries can copy China’s current sucess, though, since the Communist Party there has taken generations to evolve into a fairly effective instrument. And in any case China’s enormous population and strong culture of education and hard work give it an advantage over not just some other Asian countries, but over my own country of Canada, too.
The secret is now in the open. The US intelligence services have always interfered in other countries’ internal affairs for decades since WW2. They have conducted destabilizations, assasinations, provide the excuse for war, invasion and regime change. The results can be seen in Syria, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Korea, Africa and even Latin America. The Philippine government and the Filipino people should watch out and secure the only President who is really working for the country and some other country. We cannit allow some other country to take away our best chance for progress and development.