Instead, he called the conflict a reminder that “whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a awful toll – especially on innocent men, women and children”. “Time will come when I will eat you in front of the people”, he threatened the militants during his speech.
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Obama is the first sitting US president to set foot in the impoverished, landlocked country, where for nine years the USA conducted a punishing, covert bombing campaign in an effort to cut off communist forces in neighboring Vietnam.
But he said the overall relationship between the two nations is still solid.
Much of the country is still littered with deadly munitions, including millions of cluster “bomblets” that kill to this day.
The two leaders were supposed to meet one-on-one on Tuesday on the sidelines of the leaders’ summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Vientiane, Laos. Taking its turn as the chair of the regional forum, the Laos’ communist government is using the moment to seize the spotlight. The outreach is a core element of Obama’s attempt to focus USA policy on Asia in order to counter China’s dominance in the region and ensure a foothold in growing markets.
“He is maybe feeling his way into the new job”, the official said.
“We have a lot of ties between the United States and the Philippines”. “Our positon is stronger and we’ve sent a clear message that as a Pacific nation, we are here to stay”. The Philippines has traditionally relied heavily on US support when it comes to combating extremist groups.
They have made huge strides toward economic unity. He sought to address worries that United States’ new focus on Asia will leave smaller nations as pawns in a chess match between the USA and China.
Separately, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo said Tuesday that the US had agreed to provide two C-23 Sherpa aircraft though its Excess Defense Articles program for delivery in December-the latest in a series of recent equipment transfers.
“For the people of Laos, this war was no secret”, Obama said.
Yet Obama’s outreach took an uncomfortable turn just as he headed to Laos from another summit in China.
It was brief and it was only pleasantries, but President Obama and President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines spoke to each other on Wednesday, just two days after Dutertes insulting remark prompted Obama to cancel their first meeting.
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Duterte on Monday said Obama should not lecture him about a crackdown on drug traffickers that has resulted in more than 2,000 killings since June.
