Don’t leave Iraq or else (US threatens Manila)

[Robbien]

By ESTRELLA TORRES
TODAY Reporter

Manila has apparently succumbed to threats of economic sanctions from Washington and will not now pull out Filipinos in Iraq. A senior official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday that Washington had been constantly communicating with coalition members not to pull out their people.

He said Filipino diplomatic representatives in the US have been called to a meeting by Secretary of State Colin Powell to discuss America’s strong warning not to pull out or face political and economic sanctions.

“(The US) is trying to avoid a scenario where the coalition forces would withdraw their troops one by one. That would send a very bad signal,” said a senior diplomat, who requested not to be named.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?section=NATIONAL&oid=49480

[sniffa]

1. coaLition of the 'coerced'

asshoLes

[maddezmom]

2. sickening

but, GWB said it...you're either with us or against us. :(

[Coventina]

3. Then Manila needs to broadcast this!!!!

They need to say lound and clear and often that the US is blackmailing them!!!!!

[kysrsoze]

9. This should work out real well in the Philippines - which is experiencing

huge problems dealing with Islamic radicals. Look for more violence as a result of this administration's endless fuck-ups.

[BostonTeaParty04]

14. Arroyo isn't going to out the USA Cash Cow any more than she has to.

They CREATED her... they can BREAK her. She knows it.

[freetobegay]

4. Just when I thought he couldn't go any lower

I should have known better.

[Twillig]

8. It's like in 'High Plains Drifter'

When the innkeepers' wife says to Eastwoods character: "I knew you were bad, but until now I didn't know how far you would go."

"You still don't."

[tom_paine]

24. Exactly.

We still don't. I get the uncomfortasble feeling we're going to, though by October.

[psychopomp]

5. Gee, what if *everybody* pulled out?

That would be bad.

/sarcasm

"(The US) is trying to avoid a scenario where the coalition forces would withdraw their troops one by one. That would send a very bad signal, said a senior diplomat, who requested not to be named."

[Iceburg]

10. That would be good ....

It is clear that the "Coalition of the Willing" has become (or perhaps always was) the "Coalition of the Blackmailed".
These countries that are trying to leave Iraq are sending the "right signal" to the world (albeit a hurtful message to the Bush/Blair Administrations) and that is -- this conflict must be resolved through diplomatic and political methods -- the methods endorsed by the UN and its representative countries; the methods that should have been used in the first place.

How many countries must leave the "Coalition of the Willing" before it becomes the "Dyad of the Delirious"? Not many now if you exclude the blackmailed.

Bush and Blair owe the world a big apology, and I for one will not support a UN bail-out until they do apologize for the death and distruction in Iraq, and the ill-will created throughout the world.

[smirkymonkey]

33. If only Poppy had pulled out 57 years ago

we might not be in this mess in the first place. :evilgrin:

[Mari333]

6. Bring the troops home now

http://www.bringthemhomenow.com
its long overdue.

[LittleApple81]

7. Until Filipinos start protesting STRONGLY it won't happen. n/t

[Voltaire99]

22. The last time the Philippines STRONGLY resisted the US...

...it slew half a million of them and occupied them for 50 years. Think they haven't thought of the consequences of saying no to their dear old Uncle?

[NuttyFluffers]

31. forgot about Mt. Pinatubo event

where many american military bases were booted out after that volcanic eruption.

though it seems like we still have designs on them still. noticing our help considering the muslim terrorist actions in the southern islands and mindanao. i thought that'd be nice of americans, but honestly now i'm wondering. gonna have to talk more to my filipino friends and relatives here (ps: not filipino, by the way... mwa ha ha, you'll never guess my ancestry!!).

[sendero]

11. More strongarm tactics....

... that will eventually blow back.

[cliss]

18. There's a term for this in economics,

it's called 'elasticity of demand & supply'. If you buy goods from one country and they suddenly raise the price, you start to think about alternatives. "Do I really need American fertilizer?". You begin checking out other suppliers, and maybe you will switch to another supplier. If you have no other suppliers, you are stuck FOR THE SHORT TERM.

Given a little more time, however, you will work out a program where you don't need the US supplies or/conversely, you don't need to sell to them.

In other words, threats and arm-twisting works on a short-term basis. Over a period of time, though, your victim will squirm free and you are left in the lurch.

From all the signs, I really do see this administration as being very short-term. Meaning, by all accounts they really thought this was going to be a slam-dunk, a quickie in and out and the oil was going to be theirs.

So they can threaten the Philippines but within a 12-month period those threats may end up being nothing but bull-crap.

[Bandit]

25. If you have no other suppliers, you are stuck FOR THE SHORT TERM.

Then you invade their country and take their oil supplies. Fix that supply problem and then look around for who is next.

[BostonTeaParty04]

12. They need Visas to come HOME????

"Ebdalin also denied Filipino workers want to leave Iraq. “Those who want to leave, we will assist them and we will facilitate their visas. But based on our past experience, they never do want to leave.”"

????????

How optimistic of the filipino envoy to add that 2000 of the 3000 filipinos have been 'accounted for.' Wow! Good for them. Only 1000 people unaccounted for.

COALITION OF THE BRIBED....

[htuttle]

13. Didn't anyone explain feudalism to the Philippine government?

Geez -- this is how it works.

Did they think they could be an Imperial client state for free?

:shrug:

[Voltaire99]

21. Indeed, the US gave the Philippines a very thorough explanation...

...between the years of 1898-1946. Twelve years of slaughter, some half a million Filipinos dead, and fifty years of white occupation is, without doubt, not lost on the national memory.

[Dhalgren]

15. This is sickening!

Now we threaten to place "sanctions" on our "allies" if they do not do our bidding? What the fuck?! Who do these moron, neocon assholes think they are? How can this go on? There is gonig to have to be some kind of "line in the sand" beyond which we, as citizens, will not go. Where is that line? Is there anything that the American people will not put up with besides blowjobs?!

[htuttle]

16. Re: 'where is the line?'

Americans generally don't give a crap about something unless it hurts them somehow, or they can make a profit off of it.

For example, it won't be the fact that Bush invaded another country illegally on a bed of lies that will bring his administration down. What will bring the Bush administration down is the fact that they did it POORLY.

[Dead_Parrot]

17. Yeah, it would all go FUBAR....

...if they pulled out thier 96 troops. :eyes:
Who does Shrub think he's kidding?

[0rganism]

19. Oh Sweet Jebus! Coalition of the Forced? Coalition of the Extorted?

If anyone still supports the foreign policy of this bunch of crooks after today...

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAARGH! :wow:

[truthspeaker]

20. coalition of the client states

Australia and the UK are obeying Bush's orders like good colonies, but those Filipinos are getting uppity.

[pinniped]

23. Blackmailing bastages!

These POS have no shame.

POS powell said the "coalition" is not crumbling.

[0007]

26. That's the way the protection racket use to work

What am I saying, use to! This is an act of extortion, is it not?

Use of one's official position and powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage.

[tranche]

27. So much for the fight against terror.

Unfortunate. One could make an argument that this move would weaken the Philippines own fight against terror (as opposed to putting down an uprising of the not so free).

Enacting economic sanctions and forcing the Philippines to support 3000 workers in Iraq can't help a country trying engage it's own terrorists.

[anarchy1999]

28. Pardon me what? Or else?

Unbelievable. I just want to cry.

[Leilani]

29. But, but, but

I thought the coalition was just one big happy group?

[frankly_fedup2]

30. Yeah, and like from 30-40 other countries . . .

Just not some that we have heard of. Wonder how long before Austrailia and the Brits?

[xchrom]

32. reason # 133,345,670

to dislike, mistrust, and impeach the entire bushco team.