#Balikatan

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

By Vijay Prashad

During Balikatan, the defense ministers of the four main nations met in Honolulu, Hawaii to discuss the political implications of these military exercises off the coast of China. Australia’s Richard Marles, Japan’s Kihara Minoru, the Philippines’ Gilberto Teodoro, and the United States’ Lloyd Austin met for their second meeting to discuss their collaboration in the region that they call the Indo-Pacific. It was at the edges of this meeting that the public relations teams of these ministers began to float the term “Squad” to refer to these four countries. While they did not formally announce the creation of a new bloc in East Asia, this new nickname intends to provide a de facto announcement of its existence.

[rhk111sblog]

The new Defense Secretary of the United States (US) Pete Hegseth recently announced during his visit here in the Philippines the Deployment of the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV) for the upcoming BALIKATAN Exercise.

He also said that the US Special Operations Forces are set to train with the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) in the Batanes Islands soon.

Here is the Link to the Article at the “US Department of Defense” Website: https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4137869/united-statesphilippines-joint-statement-on-secretary-hegseths-inaugural-visit/

MY NOTES: So the “Ukrainization” of the Philippines continues under the Administration of the “Volodymyr Zelensky” of Asia, Bong Bong Marcos (BBM) as more US Military Equipment and Forces are deployed to the Philippines.

‘Puro Giyera’ (All Activities are about “War”), as usual, and of course the Ears of the Filipino Dogs of the US are clapping together and they are experiencing utmost joy at this Announcement by their US Masters.

While all of the other South East Asian (SEA) Nations are busy trying to improve their Infrastructure and Economies, this Administration is just proud to sacrifice the Philippines to the Altar of War for the sake of US Interests in the Philippines.

On a Side Note, I do kinda like the NMESIS, mainly because it is a relatively small and light Mobile Unit consisting of an Unmanned Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (UJLTV) armed with two Naval Strike Missiles (NSM). Even though Western Military Weapons are expensive, I expect these to be relatively cheap due to their less Size and Complexity.

The NSM only has a range of around 250 km for the latest Version, which is less than the 290 km range of the BrahMos Missiles of the PMC. The NSM is also only subsonic, but it makes up for it by being stealthier, being made mostly out of Composite Materials.

The NSM can be used both as an Anti-Ship or Land Attack Weapon, but since it won’t be able to reach China when launched from anywhere in the Philippines, then China will likely not protest too much about it.

SOURCE: United States–Philippines Joint Statement on Secretary Hegseth's Inaugural Visit to the Philippines {Archived Link}

[carlocarrasco]

Very strong possibility that the Philippines and Japan will seal defense deal this July

As the respective foreign and defense ministers of Japan and the Philippines will formally meet this July, the signing of a defense deal will most likely happen, according to a Kyodo News report. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Kyodo News report. Some parts in boldface… Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Thursday that there is a “very strong…

[tagapagsalaysay]

filipino neolibs be like "saying the ph defending itself by depending on the US is a beijing talking point". Girl id take you seriously if zambales wasnt Like That

[firstoccupier]

Tensions Rise in West Philippine Sea Amid Military Drills and Territorial Disputes

May 8, 2025 – Manila, Philippines Between 3:00 PM on May 7 and 3:00 PM on May 8, 2025 (Philippine Standard Time), the West Philippine Sea witnessed heightened tensions due to ongoing military exercises and territorial assertions. Balikatan 2025 Exercises Intensify The Philippines and the United States continued their annual joint military exercise, Balikatan 2025, focusing on enhancing defense…

[skullivancrossbones]

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PROTEST SAN DIEGO - US OUT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[drone9futuristic]

US Army Tests Long-Endurance Drones and Balloons in the Philippines: Pushing Boundaries in Multi-Domain Operations

The US Army is actively exploring the potential of long-endurance drones and high-altitude balloons in the Indo-Pacific region. During the recent Balikatan military exercise in the Philippines (April 11-May 9, 2024), the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (MDTF) utilized these innovative technologies to gather valuable data and experiment with their tactical applications.

[captain-price-unofficially]

Philippine Marine Corps fixed position on Balikatan, 2025

[milkboydotnet]

Condemn and resist US-led warmongering in Asia-Pacific! Support the Filipino people’s struggle for national liberation and democracy!

Robert Reid | Chairperson FFPS

The Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS) condemns Marcos Jr. for surrendering Philippine sovereignty and putting the Filipino people in serious danger. We strongly oppose the continued US military build-up on Philippine soil as part of its war provocations against China, threatening to engulf the entire region into war. 

The ongoing Balikatan US war exercises in the Philippines involves 16,000 troops 11,000 of which are US soldiers, making it the biggest joint military drills to date.

The exercises are part of the US government’s first island chain strategy, which aims to encircle China by creating a fortified chain of US-controlled islands. Part of the exercises will take place on the strategic Batanes islands and Palawan. The Batanes islands being close to Taiwan, allows control over the strategic Bashi Channel. Palawan on the other hand borders the contested West Philippine Sea. From these strategic islands, the US is testing its new Typhon mid-range missile systems that have the capacity to hit China. 

With such military build-up in the first island chain, the US aims to provoke China into striking first, giving the US an excuse to go to war with its imperialist rival. 

US military build-up in the region only brings suffering to the Filipino people. The current Balikatan exercises and the presence of US troops in communities are disrupting the people’s livelihoods, who cannot access their crops, coasts and seas due to increased militarization. In combination with widespread landlessness and a vicious cycle of debt through feudal relations of production, which are aggravated by the current drought El Niño, and the unwillingness of the Marcos Jr. to address the root causes of their hardships, this pushes the majority of the Filipino people into increasingly desperate situations.

Furthermore, communities are traumatised due to the constant bombardment of low flying jets, aerial bombing campaigns and artillery shelling as part of the war drills. All this suffering however would pale in comparison to the catastrophe that would befall the Filipino people in the event of a full-pledged inter-imperialist war. 

One of the biggest obstacles preventing a US-China war in the region is the revolutionary movement in the Philippines. The revolutionary struggle that has roused and mobilized millions of Filipinos in clear opposition to US imperialist oppression and exploitation, and to the despotic ruling landed and comprador bourgeoisie classes, has forced the Philippine puppet government to deploy most of the US-directed AFP forces on ‘internal defence’ instead of ‘external defence’. 

The Filipino people’s resistance to foreign domination is a thorn in the eye of the US and its strategic interests, who have ordered Marcos Jr. to finish off the entire revolutionary movement before the end of the year. However, this is already the umpteenth extension of their deadline to the Government of the Philippines (GRP), as Marcos Jr. and his counterrevolutionary forces have failed to follow through on the previous deadline to end the revolutionary movement, just like all his predecessors including his dictator father Marcos Sr.

Since the US-directed “counterinsurgency” does not try to address the root causes that push the Filipino people to fight for national and social liberation, it can only fail in ending their armed struggle. It has only resulted in a fully-fledged war against the Filipino people. There have been increases in militarizations of rural communities and other violations of International Humanitarian Law, such as increased number of abductions, killings and bombings, to try and squash the revolutionary movement and all dissent through the most vicious means. 

As FFPS we vehemently stand with the Filipino people as they resist the fascist onslaught of the US-directed Marcos Jr. regime and fully support the demand of the Filipino people to dismantle US military bases in the Philippines and end US imperialist aggression and warmongering in the region. We stand with the Philippine revolutionary movement in advancing the national democratic revolution, recognizing that the Filipino people’s revolutionary war for national liberation and democracy is a concrete and essential contribution by the Filipino people to fighting imperialist war in the region.

End US aggression in the Philippines! Stop the bombings in the Philippines!  Militant action against US imperialist war-mongering! We support the Filipino aspiration: National Liberation against US imperialism! Support the advance of the Filipino people’s war for national liberation and democracy!

[thedocholliday]

A U.S. Marine with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, runs with a refueling hose to refuel an AH-64E Apache assigned to 2-6th Air Cavalry Squadron, 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, in support of exercise Balikatan 25, in the Philippines, last month.

📸 U.S. Army photo by Spc. Charles Clark, 25 Infantry Division

#ah64 #ah64e #ah64apache #apachehelicopter #attackhelicopter #combathelicopter #heli #helicopter #helicopters #boeing #militaryaviation #military #armyaviation #aviation #avgeek #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #airplane #instaaviation #instapilot #helicopterpilot #instagramaviation #aviationpictures #aviationdaily #helicoptersofinstagram #usarmy #usarmyaviation #25CAB #attack #attackaviation

[rhk111sblog]

Philippines as the US’ Canon Fodder

The Chinese News Publication "Global Times" published this Article recently about the Philippines, and accompanied an Article with it. Here are some selected Excerpts from that Article:

"While the Philippines is absent from this Year's Western Pacific Naval Symposium, a Regional Naval Cooperation Mechanism Platform, it is exerting Maximum Effort in the Balikatan, or "Shoulder to Shoulder," Military Drills with the US. This is not a Coincidence, it displays an Attitude - the Philippines is uninterested in engaging in Dialogues and instead opts to escalate Tensions."

"It cannot be ruled out that the Philippines choosing to skip the Western Pacific Naval Symposium is an attempt to hype up Discussions on the South China Sea, attracting international attention and disrupting the Forum. However, Manila did not succeed. The Meeting was successful, Zhang Junshe, a Chinese Military Expert, told the Global Times. Even US Pacific Fleet Commander Stephen Koehler told CNN "I think it's a great opportunity for all navies to get together and discuss all the Isues.""

"Rational Filipinos are well aware that the US is taking Advantage of the Philippines. "The US is using us to implement its 'Pivot to Asia,'" writes former Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Rigoberto D. Tiglao, adding that "the US is not going to risk War over these desolate Islands.""

Here is the Link to the Article at the GT Website: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202404/1311266.shtml

SOURCE: Flexing Muscles only speeds up pace of Philippines turning into US Cannon Fodder {Archived Link}

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[carlocarrasco]

Chinese vessels spotted near Balikatan training area off Palawan

Since it formally started on April 22, Balikatan 2024 resulted in several military exercises and activities involving armed elements of the Philippines, the United States and France. This of course caught the attention of China and according to a recent Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article, several Chinese vessels were spotted near a training area off Palawan. To put things in perspective,…

[firstoccupier]

Tensions Rise in West Philippine Sea: Military Drills Escalate

WPS.News Special ReportDateline: Manila, Philippines | April 27, 2025 | 18:00 PHT Escalating Tensions in the West Philippine Sea Amidst Military Drills and Territorial Disputes Between April 25 and April 27, 2025, the West Philippine Sea witnessed heightened tensions as China asserted control over Sandy Cay, a sandbank near Thitu Island. The China Coast Guard raised the Chinese flag on the cay,…

[skullivancrossbones]

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END THE WAR ON MIGRANT WORKERS!