President Duterte calls US to return Balangiga bells

[Kuya John]

A case of "For whom the bell tolls"

The Greeks want their marbles back and the Spanish want their rock back.

Next the tourist will want their money back!

 

[Reboot]

7 hours ago, robert k said:

Should the tribes that pushed other tribes out also apologize for doing so? Should all the natives cross back over the land bridge so Bigfoot can have his country back? So called Native Americans Did Not evolve in North America. Spoken as a so called Native American (Sioux). Territory was always up for grabs and might makes right. Only recently has this crazy idea that borders are set has come about. I think anyone who wants to complain should start with the latest land grab and go backwards from there? Go tell the Russians they need to get out of Crimea. You get that one completed, then we can talk. If you are really feeling guilty? YOU need to give everything YOU have back, Unilaterally, regardless of what anyone else does. Somehow I don't think that is going to happen.

 

[Reboot]

There's a lot I like about this guy, but he really seems to have a bit of a hard on against the USA. It might be a peeve from when immigration turned him down years ago.

Someone needs to tell him that although USA is far from perfect, but try to find better out there. 

I am sure the Chinese will treat his country much better. 

He's talking about stuff that happened over a century ago. In the meantime, islands are being stolen and he's quiet about it.

Maybe he can get his two balls back after repaying what the US spent kicking out the Japanese. 

[Dave Hounddriver]

11 minutes ago, Reboot said:

Maybe he can get his two balls back after repaying what the US spent kicking out the Japanese. 

Maybe if he gets his balls bells back he plans to kick out the Chinese from the Spratleys.

[scott h]

38 minutes ago, Reboot said:

I am sure the Chinese will treat his country much better. 

In a pigs eye . Now I can not source this, but I saw a news report on either cnn or bbc about west African nations that had accepted large amounts of aid from china over the years, building port facilities and the like. After time the Chinese had controlling interest in the companies as well as majority profit. Lots of locals are employed naturally but the vast amount of profit flows back to china. 

Now I know my English history pretty well, isn't there a saying about paying Dane geld???? 

[Dave Hounddriver]

10 minutes ago, scott h said:

paying Dane geld

So are you saying the English should get their geld back from the Norwegians before Duterte gets his bells?

[AlwaysRt]

4 hours ago, Reboot said:

There's a lot I like about this guy, but he really seems to have a bit of a hard on against the USA. It might be a peeve from when immigration turned him down years ago.

Someone needs to tell him that although USA is far from perfect, but try to find better out there. 

I am sure the Chinese will treat his country much better. 

He's talking about stuff that happened over a century ago. In the meantime, islands are being stolen and he's quiet about it.

Maybe he can get his two balls back after repaying what the US spent kicking out the Japanese. 

Growing up on the same island that an American Colonel ordered a massacre (yes over 100 years ago and I understand why he did it but that does not make it honorable), then feeling insulted/losing face (much bigger deal in Filipino society than US society), then having Obama and US senators mouthing off based on news stories vs facts, I understand President Duterte's irritation with the US. 

Since I am not sleeping with him, nor am I a trusted advisor to the President, I have no idea if he is childishly holding a grudge without regard to his people, or playing politics to get as much as he can from China and Russia, or somewhere in between.

I do know that as an American Territory during WWII it was our duty to protect the Philippines and therefore there is no outstanding balance for the Philippines to pay back. 

[scott h]

5 minutes ago, AlwaysRt said:

then feeling insulted/losing face (much bigger deal in Filipino society than US society)

I don't know about this RT, I know a lot of southerners who still refer to "the war or northern aggression" and they are completely serious.

I personally have seen one of these bells at camp red cloud in korea. You will have to take my word as an ole soldier, these mementos of past campaigns and victories (and sometimes loses) mean a lot to the American fighting man/woman.

[AlwaysRt]

20 minutes ago, scott h said:

mean a lot to the American fighting man/woman.

I do know a bit about that as I am rated 100% P&T and have been dealing with varying levels of pain for 26 years now.

Edited July 27, 2017 by AlwaysRt
I occasionally wonder if you guys notice my comments having a different tone some days? If there is it is a result of deal with this.

[Dave Hounddriver]

3 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

I do know that as an American Territory during WWII it was our duty to protect the Philippines and therefore there is no outstanding balance for the Philippines to pay back. 

Fair enough, then as it was an American Territory then the bells were just being repatriated to America.