http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...-Manila-airport.html

http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/...e-war-zone-in-marawi

Chechens, Saudis, Yemenis and other foreign fighters are in Mindanao in the Philippines. Estimates are over 500 trained, experienced, and crazy terrorists against a Philippine Army barely holding its own.

If push came to shove, I'd pull the plug on Afghanistan and Iraq to help Philippines wipe out ISIS there. The Filipinos are good allies while the other two aren't.

We've been fighting them in the Philippines since at least the days of Bush 43, and Duterte's been making a big deal about the US intefering with how the Philipinos handle their problems. We'll have to wait and see what kind of opportunities open up.

quote:

a Philippine Army barely holding its own

Terrorism sucks, and death to all radical Islamists, but how is it possible the Philippine military is barely holding it's own against a force of 500? Are they stretched too thin with other tasks, or too dysfunctional? Maybe they didn't care that much before about addressing terrorists in their own back yard and are getting a wakeup call about now? I'm not being a smartass, I really don't know what's going on over there. That being said, I wish the U.S. didn't have to clean up dog shit in other nations' back yards constantly.

I'm guessing corruption in the military is rampant, thus creating an atmosphere where fighting terrorists isn't in the best interests of those commanding.

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
We've been fighting them in the Philippines since at least the days of Bush 43, and Duterte's been making a big deal about the US intefering with how the Philipinos handle their problems. We'll have to wait and see what kind of opportunities open up.

General Arthur MacArthur was fighting them and it probably started before then.
The only way you win a war is by winning the war. Not declaring a truce.

Is this for real, or is it Dueterte trumping up an excuse to impose martial law and make himself dictator?

^^^

good answer

Well, the Moros were Marcos' excuse for declaring martial law back in the early 70's.

Sounds like a good solution for a moab or two.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Is this for real, or is it Dueterte trumping up an excuse to impose martial law and make himself dictator?

Both of those.

A whole 500?

Seems like we could send a boat load of 'good ole boys' from Alabama and Louisiana down there to clean up the mess in short order.

^
I'd bet Duterte doesn't want that.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:
Seems like we could send a boat load of 'good ole boys' from Alabama and Louisiana down there to clean up the mess in short order.

This, especially if they are experienced feral hog hunters. Kill them in the wee hours as well as daylight.

Jim

That's a fucked up 'army' if it can't handle 500 free-lancers. Granted, the islamlo-supremacists are more motivated and self-selected for their willingness to kill or be killed but a national army ought to prevail.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
^
I'd bet Duterte doesn't want that.

Duterte doesn't want the US military mucking around in the Philippines. The crew I noted above would simply be on a Asian cruise with a few day stop off in the Philippines for a paid hunting expedition. Heck Duterte could probably make a few bucks off them issuing hunting licenses, while they fixed his problem for him. I can just see them good ole boys on the boat home....

It's not just the 500 outsiders. The Philippine Army has been fighting muslim terrorists for decades. If you've never been to the Philippine Islands, let me tell you it's not an easy place to fight a battle of any sort. Mindanao has been a hotbed for as long as I can remember. I remember the two sides calling a cease fire when Pacquia (or however you spell it) would fight.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:

quote:

Originally posted by Il Cattivo:
We've been fighting them in the Philippines since at least the days of Bush 43, and Duterte's been making a big deal about the US intefering with how the Philipinos handle their problems. We'll have to wait and see what kind of opportunities open up.

General Arthur MacArthur was fighting them and it probably started before then.
The only way you win a war is by winning the war. Not declaring a truce.

For the US, it goes all the way back to when the Philippines were acquired from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War. At the end of that war, there was the Philippine Insurrection, part of which included fighting the Moro guerrillas, which didn't end until right before WWI.

Interesting side note is that the Colt 1911 in 45acp was partially influenced by the fighting against the Moros. The Army wanted something with more stopping power than the 38 Colt revolvers.

Let's just hope that in all the chaos, everyone doesn't end up on the same side of the island and flip it over. That'd killify the whole bunch.

I don't think the Phillipines are quite the allies they used to be. Not to mention Duarte isn't going to invite us anytime soon.