{"id":103961,"date":"2017-05-24T22:36:01","date_gmt":"2017-05-25T02:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=103961"},"modified":"2017-05-24T22:36:01","modified_gmt":"2017-05-25T02:36:01","slug":"trump-said-to-praise-great-job-in-philippine-drug-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2017\/05\/24\/trump-said-to-praise-great-job-in-philippine-drug-fight\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump said to praise ‘great job’ in Philippine drug fight"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Trump<\/a>
Trump has met with several authoritarian leaders since taking office in January, offering few critiques of their records on democracy, the rule of law and protecting essential freedoms. (Photo: Gage Skidmore\/ Flickr<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WASHINGTON \u2013 President Donald Trump praised the\u00a0Philippines’ president for an \u201cunbelievable job\u201d in a fight against illegal drugs that has left thousands dead and drawn condemnation from American lawmakers, according to a leaked transcript of their telephone conversation last month.<\/p>\n

Trump’s discussion with Rodrigo Duterte is likely to reinforce the impression that Trump is sidelining human rights concerns in his foreign policy. Trump has met with several authoritarian leaders since taking office in January, offering few critiques of their records on democracy, the rule of law and protecting essential freedoms.<\/p>\n

The transcript of the April 29 call was first posted by The Washington Post. It is marked confidential and is contained under a cover sheet from the\u00a0PhilippineForeign Ministry. Neither the\u00a0Philippine\u00a0government nor the White House verified the transcript, but they didn’t dispute its contents either.<\/p>\n

It also shows the leaders discussing the North Korean threat, with each referring to the North’s ruler, Kim Jong Un, as a \u201cmadman.\u201d In an unusual disclosure of the movements of U.S. military assets, Trump revealed the U.S. had two nuclear submarines in the region. He said the United States didn’t want to use them.<\/p>\n

Democratic lawmakers criticized Trump for his reported comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday’s reporting leaves me even more concerned by President Trump’s strange fascination with dictators, his support for the extrajudicial killings central to President Duterte’s ‘drug war,’ and his recklessness with sensitive information,\u201d said Rep. Eliot Engel, top-ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.<\/p>\n

Twelve Democratic senators, led by Sen. Ed Markey, wrote to Trump Wednesday calling for him to denounce the \u201cmurderous\u201d anti-drug campaign and delay any visit by Duterte to Washington until there are improvements in his human rights record.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Philippines\u00a0declined to comment on the transcript Wednesday. The Foreign Ministry noted that the unauthorized disclosure and use of illegally or inadvertently obtained government documents is not permitted under\u00a0Philippine\u00a0law. A White House official said he could not confirm or deny the accuracy of leaked documents, especially those purportedly from a foreign government.<\/p>\n

At the time of the call, Trump raised hackles in Washington by inviting Duterte to the White House. Since Duterte took power in June, his anti-drug campaign has killed between 7,000 and 9,000 suspected dealers and addicts, according to human rights groups. The State Department has voiced concern over extrajudicial killings, and U.S. lawmakers have pushed for restrictions on arms sales to\u00a0Philippine\u00a0police in response.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,\u201d Trump said in the phone call, according to the transcript. \u201cMany countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duterte responded that drugs are a \u201cscourge\u201d of his nation. Trump then added: \u201cI think we had a previous president who did not understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n

President Barack Obama had criticized Duterte’s drug fight, prompting the\u00a0Philippine\u00a0leader to refer to Obama as a \u201cson of a whore.\u201d The insult derailed a planned meeting between them. Strains also grew as Duterte sought warmer ties with China and threatened to end the U.S.-Philippine\u00a0military alliance.<\/p>\n

In the call, Duterte described\u00a0Southeast Asian\u00a0nations feeling \u201cnervous\u201d over North Korean rockets and warheads. He offered to call Chinese President Xi Jinping to urge Beijing to use its leverage with Pyongyang. Trump, who hosted Xi at Trump’s Florida resort in April, described Xi as a \u201cgood guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

John Sifton, Asia advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, criticized the contents of the conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrump’s celebration of Duterte’s record is nothing short of horrifying,\u201d Sifton said. \u201cIt is an endorsement of the mass killing of the\u00a0Philippines’ poorest and most vulnerable.\u201d<\/p>\n

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