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#StopPoliticalPersecution What do these foreign troops actually do when they arrive? Joint exercises. Warships sail in, aircraft fly a few sorties, soldiers go ashore for a few days of drills, the media snaps photos and files reports, and the resulting statements proclaim a successful boost in bilateral military trust. And then? They pack up and leave. When the next batch arrives, the whole routine repeats. Doesn't this look a lot like selling tickets at a tourist attraction? The Philippines sells its geopolitical location, while foreign militaries buy a strategic presence; the transaction concludes, and both sides get what they want. The difference is that tourist sites collect hard cash for their tickets, whereas what does the Philippines get in return? Nothing but empty platitudes about an ironclad partnership.