LF: U.S. May Begin Airstrikes Against ISIS in Philippines

The authority to strike ISIS targets as part of collective self-defense could be granted as part of an official military operation that may be named as early as Tuesday, said the officials. The strikes would likely be conducted by armed drones.

If approved, the U.S. military would be able to conduct strikes against ISIS targets in the Philippines that could be a threat to allies in the region, which would include the Philippine forces battling ISIS on the ground in the country's southern islands.

The U.S. military has been sharing intelligence with the Philippines for years, according to Pentagon spokesperson Capt. Jeff Davis, who called it a "steady state."

"We have had a consistent CT [counterterror] presence in the Philippines for fifteen years now," he said.

There is a small U.S. military presence on the ground supporting the counter-ISIS fight, called Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with visiting U.S Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during a meeting at the presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on Aug. 7, 2017. Erik De Castro / Reuters

In Manila on Monday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the U.S. was providing the Philippines government with "intelligence capabilities" in the fight against ISIS, including "some recent transfers of a couple of Cessnas and a couple of UAVs (drones) to allow to them to have better information with which to conduct the fight down there."

"We're providing them some training and some guidance in terms of how to deal with an enemy that fights in ways that are not like most people have ever had to deal with.

"I see no conflict at all in our helping them with that situation and our views of other human rights concerns we have with respect to how they carry out their counternarcotics activities."

A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone sits armed with Hellfire missiles and a 500-pound bomb in a hanger at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan March 9, 2016. Josh Smith / Reuters file

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have linked Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to more than 1,400 extra judicial killings while a public official. The UN said that Duterte, as mayor of Davao City, had done nothing to stop extrajudicial killings.

Duterte has denied any role in the killings — while expressing support for them — but has also said he personally killed some suspected criminals, a claim his spokesman called an exaggeration.

Last month, the vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs endorsed the idea of naming the mission in the Philippines, saying that naming it would provide more funding.

Former Assassin Ready to Testify Against Duterte 0:57

"In every case where we see the resurgence of terror networks," said Gen. Paul Selva in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, "particularly in the fragile areas of the southern Philippines, I think it's worth considering whether or not we reinstate a named operation, not only to provide for the resources that are required, but to give the Pacific Command commander and the field commanders in the Philippines the kinds of authorities they need to work with indigenous Philippine forces to actually help them be successful in that battle space."

Another illegal war without congressional authorization. The neocons jihad against anywhere expands onto a new front.

Trump and Tillerson seem to get along well with brutal Banana Republicans. (4 images)

well this is not surprising since the US is the most brutal banana republic of all

banana republic; failed or near failed state, indebted and unable to pay its debts

The US is not close to being a failed state. We are indebted, yes, as are all advanced nations. Our level of debt is not breaking our budget. Japan's level of debt is not breaking theirs, and they are more than twice as indebted as we are, as a percentage of their GDP.

We certainly could use some fiscal discipline, but a banana republic unable to pay our debts? Not hardly.