White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticism

[webfact]

White House defends Trump invitation to Duterte despite human rights criticism

By Matt Spetalnick

REUTERS

 

U.S. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One as he returns from a day trip to Atlanta on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 28, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to invite Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila.

 

Trump issued the invitation on Saturday night in what the White House said was a “very friendly” phone conversation with Duterte, who is accused by international human rights groups of supporting a campaign of extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines.

 

“There is nothing right now facing this country and facing the region that is a bigger threat than what’s happening in North Korea,” White House chief of staff Reince Priebus told ABC’s “This Week” during a weekend in which Trump sought to firm up support in Southeast Asia to help rein in North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.

 

Priebus insisted the outreach to Duterte “doesn't mean that human rights don't matter, but what it does mean is that the issues facing us developing out of North Korea are so serious that we need cooperation at some level with as many partners in the area as we can get to make sure we have our ducks in a row.”

 

The invitation for Duterte to the visit White House at an unspecified date appeared to be the latest example of the affinity Trump has shown for some foreign leaders with shaky human rights or autocratic reputations.

 

For instance, he expressed admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 presidential campaign, hosted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the White House and has had warm words for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who Trump is pressing to do more to rein in its ally and neighbour North Korea.

 

On Sunday, Trump also extended a White House invitation to Thailand Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former general who heads a military government that took power in a 2014 coup. Prayuth’s administration had strained relations with Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama.

 

“Celebrating a man who boasts of killing his own citizens and inviting him to the White House, while remaining silent on his disgusting human rights record, sends a terrifying message,” said John Sifton, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch.

 

“By effectively endorsing Duterte's murderous ‘war on drugs’, Trump has made himself morally complicit in future killings,” he said.

 

A Trump administration official insisted, however, that the invitation was not a reward to Duterte or an endorsement of his policies but a decision that engagement with the Philippines, an important longtime U.S. ally, was better than withdrawal which could “intensify bad behaviour” by Duterte.

 

“It’s not a ‘thank you’,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “It’s a meeting.”

 

The official denied a New York Times report citing administration officials saying the State Department and the National Security Council were caught off-guard by the invitation to Duterte and were expected to object internally. "We were not surprised. The guys who prepared for the call were unified on this," the official said.

 

'ON THE SAME PAGE' ON NORTH KOREA

 

Priebus made clear that North Korea was the top priority.

 

“If we don’t have all of our folks together — whether they’re good folks, bad folks, people we wish would do better in their country, doesn’t matter, we’ve got to be on the same page” on North Korea, Priebus said.

 

But taking a swipe at Trump for his invitation to Duterte, Democratic U.S. Senator Chris Murphy tweeted: “We are watching in real time as the American human rights bully pulpit disintegrates into ash."

 

Thousands of Filipinos have been killed since Duterte unleashed his fierce anti-drugs campaign nearly 10 months ago. Police say they have killed only in self-defence, and the deaths of other drug dealers and users was down to vigilantes or narcotics gangs silencing potential witnesses.

 

Human rights groups say official accounts are implausible and accuse Duterte of backing campaign of systematic extrajudicial killings by police. The government denies that.

 

Duterte was infuriated by the Obama administration's expressions of concern about extrajudicial killings after he took office last year and threatened to sever the long-standing U.S. defence alliance.

 

Duterte spoke positively about Trump, a fellow populist, after the U.S. presidential election in November, and the new administration has sought ways to mend the alliance.

 

In a summary of Saturday’s phone call between the two leaders, the White House said the two discussed “the fact that the Philippine government is fighting very hard to rid its country of drugs, a scourge that affects many countries throughout the world.” The White House statement included no criticism of Duterte’s methods.

 

(Reporting By Matt Spetalnick; Editing by Mary Milliken)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-05-01

[mamypoko]

They defended the move by saying Hitler and Pol Pot were not available.

[Jingthing]

trump has a strong pattern now of loving murderous authoritarians, not caring about human rights, and disrespecting decent leaders. People shouldn't be surprised.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Jingthing

[Mangkhut]

Why not invite Mr Kim, Mr Assad and Mr Erdogan too?

[dunroaming]

4 hours ago, Mangkhut said:

Why not invite Mr Kim, Mr Assad and Mr Erdogan too?

Well in his usual bizarre flip flopping Trump was praising Kim today so who knows what the moron will do or say next.

[elgordo38]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's decision to invite Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to Washington, saying his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea, even as the administration faced human rights criticism for its overture to Manila.

 

Yes Donald I think your onto something here. Buy him a new set of Ray-Bans and a pair of pearl handle pistols and turn him loose. Patton returns. 

[elgordo38]

1 minute ago, dunroaming said:

Well in his usual bizarre flip flopping Trump was praising Kim today so who knows what the moron will do or say next.

Yes its an endless stream going from his shit list to his hit list like in music. 

[Jingthing]

Duterte as he is a confessed mass murderer, wouldn't qualify for a regular U.S. tourist visa.

Edited May 1, 2017 by Jingthing

[mettech]

Trump is the joker and all he knows is to be on tv he will put that country right down to the ground.

His behind will be hot when the American underground movement start moving.

[Srikcir]

On 5/1/2017 at 9:15 AM, webfact said:

his cooperation was needed to counter North Korea

I'd like to hear the rationale that Duterte's cooperation is needed.

 

It's more likely that the Philippines needs US cooperation from China's encroachment in China South Sea areas claimed by the Philippines and from potential strategic blackmail by a nuclear-armed North Korea. The Philippines has the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the US which allows the U.S. military to build facilities at five Philippine bases. This not only provides the Philippines with free US military forces to protect Philippine's South Sea claims, but also assures protection from potential China and North Korea attacks against the Philippines.

[mtls2005]

He's yet to find a hard-line leader he doesn't praise? Including some who are evidently still alive.

 

He often cites "ratings" when praising folks like Putin and Duterte.

 

Calling Kim Jong-un "honorable" seems quite bizarre.

 

While he did well at his sparsely attended rally on Harrisburg; he didn't light anything on fire AFAIK. He did bracket that with a series of interviews in which he came across as a bit, well, crazy. Not sure why Princess Ivanka doesn't shelter him more? Hopefully there are some medications which can keep him relatively cogent.

[Rhys]

.....45 heard about eating chicken embryo...

[funandsuninbangkok]

Duterte has 80% approval of populist in Philippines. 

 

Trump called Prayut same day. Headlines all around, love and kisses between old friends

 

Obama's pivot to Asia consisted of speaking loudly and carrying a tiny stick. 

 

Meanwhile China grew stronger 

 

Trump is a different kettle of fish. Sometimes goldfish, but I think also shark. 

 

Seems the North Koreans have noticed the change. No more nuke tests. 

[ilostmypassword]

27 minutes ago, funandsuninbangkok said:

Duterte has 80% approval of populist in Philippines. 

 

Trump called Prayut same day. Headlines all around, love and kisses between old friends

 

Obama's pivot to Asia consisted of speaking loudly and carrying a tiny stick. 

 

Meanwhile China grew stronger 

 

Trump is a different kettle of fish. Sometimes goldfish, but I think also shark. 

 

Seems the North Koreans have noticed the change. No more nuke tests. 

This was from an interview with Fox & Friends on April 18

Asked what would happen if North Korea were to test another missile – as it has vowed to do – Trump cryptically replied: “We’ll find out.”

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/04/18/north-korean-official-vows-frequent-missile-tests-as-tensions-escalate.html

Now we know: nothing

[funandsuninbangkok]

OK tough guy -  what would you do?

[ilostmypassword]

9 minutes ago, funandsuninbangkok said:

OK tough guy -  what would you do?

 

Substantively what Trump has done is nothing. Which is what Obama is accused of.

But since you ask me what I would do, I would negotiate with the Chinese. The US withdraws from South Korea in exchange for China cracking down on North Korea.

At the same time, it has to be recognized that much of the problem for North Korea stems from their terrible economy. There have been lots of improvements there that have mostly gone unnoticed in the West. I think it's a fair guess to say that the more prosperous they become, the more they have to lose and the less threatening they will be. So maybe time will take care of this problem.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/world/asia/north-korea-economy-marketplace.html

 

 Like this

[Jingthing]

Defending the indefensible. trumpism in a nutshell.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/what-trump-sees-in-philippine-president-rodrigo-duterte?intcid=mod-latest

 

Quote

 

WHAT TRUMP SEES IN PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

...
One of the key lessons of McCoy’s book is that U.S. indiscretions in the Philippines inevitably have a boomerang effect on our own country. Today, Human Rights Watch is correct when it says that Trump, in finding common ground with Duterte on the drug war, has “made himself morally complicit in future killings.” The President’s embrace of a campaign of violent repression by the latest Philippine strongman holds chilling implications for Trump’s war at home.

 

 

[funandsuninbangkok]

19 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

 

Substantively what Trump has done is nothing. Which is what Obama is accused of.

But since you ask me what I would do, I would negotiate with the Chinese. The US withdraws from South Korea in exchange for China cracking down on North Korea.

At the same time, it has to be recognized that much of the problem for North Korea stems from their terrible economy. There have been lots of improvements there that have mostly gone unnoticed in the West. I think it's a fair guess to say that the more prosperous they become, the more they have to lose and the less threatening they will be. So maybe time will take care of this problem.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/30/world/asia/north-korea-economy-marketplace.html

 

 Like this

You recommend US pulling out of Korea?

 

Man! You spend your whole day slagging Trump on the net as stupid and then here's your stuff.  Silly idea. Waist of time talking.   Moving on. 

[ilostmypassword]

48 minutes ago, funandsuninbangkok said:

You recommend US pulling out of Korea?

 

Man! You spend your whole day slagging Trump on the net as stupid and then here's your stuff.  Silly idea. Waist of time talking.   Moving on. 

Thank you for your cogent analysis.

[heybruce]

On 5/2/2017 at 7:00 AM, funandsuninbangkok said:

OK tough guy -  what would you do?

Regarding North Korea?  Continue the Obama policy.  This is what the Trump administration (the grown-ups) is doing while Trump makes confusing statements.

 

On North Korea, China, Obama Care, ISIS, and all other important issues, Trump is following a three step plan:

 

1.  Get elected by promising that solving all these problems will be easy for a smart man like him.

 

2.  Get into the White House and announce nobody knew how complicated these problems were.

 

3.  Follow Obama's policies.

[Jingthing]

Update on this.

Duterte ain't going.

I reckon he doesn't want to deal with the protests in the U.S. if he did visit.

 

 

Quote

 

DUTERTE REJECTS TRUMP'S INVITATION TO WHITE HOUSE: 'I'VE SEEN AMERICA AND IT'S LOUSY'

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte reacted with his trademark candor to a U.S. lawmaker who promised to lead a protest against the firebrand leader should he visit the White House.

 

Duterte vowed he will never visit "lousy" America in his remaining time as president, or even afterward.

"I've seen America and it's lousy.... It would be good for the U.S. Congress to start with their own investigation of their own violations, of the so many civilians killed in the prosecution of the wars in the Middle East," he said, according to Reuters.

 

 

 

http://www.newsweek.com/duterte-rejects-trumps-invitation-white-house-ive-seen-america-and-its-lousy-640334