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More on Duterte / Philippines
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phallus dei
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Re: More on Duterte / Philippines
Apr 14, 2017, 14:38
You are right, we mustn't deceive ourselves into thinking that Duterte's hands are clean. Like all politicians, he is forced to make strategic decisions in the "real world."

In terms of corruption, Transparency International gives the following score to the Philippines (higher is better): 34 (2012); 36 (2013); 38 (2014); 35 (2015); 35 (2016). These rankings consistently place the Philippines in the bottom third of nations. Such is the condition that Duterte faced when he came to power in 2016.
http://www.transparency.org/news/feature/corruption_perceptions_index_2016

So yes, I assume there will be cases where he conveniently "looks away" when it comes to the corruption of his friends, and other cases where he has to form an alliance with a monster just to survive.

Although we shouldn't lose sight of Duterte's faults, we can only judge their severity when we place them within their broader contexts. These are: the conditions of the Philippines before Dutuerte came to power; how the Philippines and Duterte compare to other Third World nations / leaders; and what is the Philippines' position within global balances of power. After judging Duterte from these perspectives, I feel that, flawed as he is, Duterte is still a force for good.

I actually don't have any problem with nationalism, providing that nationalism isn't expressed through the economic and political destabilization of other countries. Increased nationalist sentiment would be especially vital for the Third World, giving them pride in their own abilities and culture. I am sure the Philippines have much more to contribute to the world other than being an American military base and site for sex tourism. I'm sure Duterte thinks so, too.
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