Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	4/30/2017 10:10:18 PM (updated 4/30/2017 10:11:49 PM)

Trump invited Duerte to White House.  Really?  Why is that OK?

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/1/2017 9:14:45 PM

Why is it not okay?  A visit doesn't have to be a big State visit.  I have no doubt there will be discussions about human rights.  But I think Trump would prefer he not turn into a North Korea sympathsizer.  And we may have a strategic reason for making nice with Phillippines. 

Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/1/2017 9:33:59 PM

And his close relationship with Erdogan?  Is that all right?

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/1/2017 9:55:46 PM

What close relationship with Erdogan?

Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/1/2017 10:22:53 PM

From what I have read, Trump's friendship with Erdogan has been budding for some time, dating back to at least last summer.  His call to Erdogan congratulating him on the controversial narrowly passed referendum, which granted Ergodon sweeping new powers, was unusual to me.  With international monitors citing voting irregularities, Trumps' congratulatory message strikes a starkly different tone from a statement issued by the US State Department, which urged Ergodon to respect his citizens' fundamental rights and noted the report's finding of irregularities on voting day and an uneven playing field during the campaign period.  Just wondering what the thinking was?

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/2/2017 8:44:58 PM

Hardly describes a "close relationship".  Trump marches to a different drummer.  He closes no doors.  He invites Duterte.  He offers to talk to little fat boy who kills uncles.  He talks to Putin.  Personally I find his approach to be a breath of fresh air.  Startling, but viewed positively he is correcting eight years of groveling by Queen Obama.  We ARE the most powerful nation on earth, and NOW we are negotiating from a place that promises to use that strength if the adversary acts unwisely.   I am among the 96 or 98 percent of Trump voters who are damned proud of our choice.  I voted for him holding my nose but he so far has shown that he can and is being a real President who is looking out for the best interests of AMERICA.

Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/2/2017 9:06:45 PM

Before fingers fly to the keyboard, I'd like you to stop for a moment and honestly assess how you'd (you being plural....not directed to you specifically) feel and what you'd have to say if President Obama had had these conversations with Putin, Duterte, and Erdogan?

Name:	MrHodja -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/2/2017 9:44:01 PM

I (personally) have never trusted Obama to have the best interests of the United States as a priority.  He commented that he wanted to fundamentally transform America.  I didn't and don't think a fundamental transformation is either needed or wise.  There is a reason we are the greatest nation on earth and none of it came from what Obama espouses.  I could go on until the keyboard failed but it is obvious you and I will not see eye to eye, so let's agree to disagree.

Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/2/2017 11:11:28 PM

Thank you for your reasoned response.  You are correct....we will disagree, but it's nice to have a discussion without rancor.  I can do no more than hope you're correct in your assessment of our current leader.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/3/2017 12:33:07 PM

You know, I have often pondered the question of when we became the standard bearers for human rights all over the world.  In my mind, it's not our place to set the standard and judge other nations on how they treat their people - it's up to the people of any given country to draw that line and take on the removal of leaders that don't measure up.  By some standards, we have human rights abuses in our own country.  Some view our capturing and imprisoning possible terrorists for years without trial or even much evidence, as a human rights violation (but we pretend it is okay, because it is not taking place in the 48 states).  Some see our homesless as a human rights violation.  What about the times that we have supported oppressive regimes in other countries to suit our purposes (and then allowed them to fall when it didn't suit our purposes). 

So opening the door to some of these characters is not all that unusual, and certainly nothing new.  We don't have to embrace their policies to work on areas of common cooperation.  We need to stop judging everyone. 

And no, I would not be bashing Obama if he were doing the same thing.  I voted for him twice, believing his message of hope and change that never really materialized.

Name:	phil -	Reply
Subject:	Duterte
Date:	5/3/2017 3:30:58 PM

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_authoritarian_regimes_supported_by_the_United_States

long list of bad people backed by the US.