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BY JED JALECO DEL ROSARIO
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Sunday, October 22, 2017
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SO NOT too long ago, President Rodrigo Duterte badmouthed a bunch of European Union (EU) leaders after they criticized his war on drugs…again.
It’s become almost predictable now. The EU or some Western leader disses Duterte, and the President disses them back. Some people may still find such exchanges shocking or perhaps even entertaining, but they are getting old and predictable.
Angry rants are a big no-no in diplomacy (unless it’s façade or a risky but calculated move). It may work once or twice due to shock value but do it repeatedly and people become inured to it.
With that caveat out of the way, my position is that the drug war is a local issue and Westerners have no say on what we do in our own country. Regardless of what you think about Duterte’s drug war, it is a domestic issue, and he is right to tell the EU to mind its own business.
Now, having said that, if Duterte really wants to get back at the EU, he shouldn’t be badmouthing it. Instead, he should go through the diplomatic route and praise people, countries and organizations the EU opposes.
A few good examples include Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Austria’s Sebastian Kurz and if he wants to really anger them, Donald Trump.
If, for example, Duterte were to make an official visit to the United States and sing praises to Trump and American nationalists while he’s there, he will probably anger more of his Western critics than with his usual angry speeches; bonus points if he can get Fil-Ams to turn out in large numbers.
I’m not saying this should be policy per se but if Duterte is determined to retaliate against his administration’s Western critics then this is one of the best ways to do it.
A lot of Filipinos may not know this but a large segment of the Western right admires Duterte for his angry strongman nationalism, and unlike their globalist counterparts, are generally indifferent towards the domestic policies of foreign countries. So making common cause with them is not just a good way of retaliating against his critics, it also offers tangible political benefits
Today, nationalist right-wingers in the Western world are rising and slowly growing in numbers. They are still a small minority but the trends seem to be going in their favor. In other words, if Duterte wants to get back at his Western critics – many of whom are on the left to center left of the political spectrum, then one way to do it is to make common cause with his Western supporters. It’s also a good way to engage in a little tit for tat. “You interfere in my domestic issues then I will interfere with yours.”
Having said all that, I need to emphasize that this is just one of many options that Duterte has with regards to his Western critics. There are plenty of other options, and I believe he’s better off just ignoring them. However, if he’s dead set on retaliating then this is one of the best options available. (jdr456@gmail.com/PN)
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