Great Decisions | The Philippines and the U.S.

Great Decisions Virtual Discussion: 

The Philippines and the U.S.

Moderated by Ambassador (ret) Douglas A. Hartwick

Event Details

September 29, 2020 | 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm

Virtual Zoom Meeting 

Meeting login details will be shared in the registration confirmation email.

Cost: Free to Members. Participants need to purchase the Great Decisions Briefing Book.

Each session is limited to 20 participants.

How to Participate

1. Register to attend virtually

2. Purchase the Briefing Book if you have not already

3. Watch the topic video

4. Join us for the Virtual Discussion

Purchasing the Briefing Book

Participants in the Great Decisions Virtual Discussion Series will need to order the Briefing Book that covers all 8 topics. Order the book as soon as possible as it could take up to a week to receive it after purchase. The cost is $32 for the entire Briefing Book.  

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About the Topic: The Philippines and the U.S.

The Philippines has had a special relationship with the United States since the islands were ceded by Spain to the United States after the Spanish-American War at the end of the 19th century. However, since the election of Rodrigo Duterte, the country has pivoted more toward China, and away from the U.S. Duterte has also launched a large-scale war on drugs that many criticize for its brutality. What does the future hold for U.S, relations with the Philippines? Learn more about the topic by watching this video.

About the Moderator

Ambassador (ret) Douglas A. Hartwick

During his State Department career, Amb Hartwick was responsible 1997-2000 for State's Office of Southeast Asian Maritime Affairs which included Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. During that time, the Philippines was hit during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis the United States negotiated the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement. The VFA governed the rules overseeing the presence of U.S. military forces stationed or training Filipino forces in the Philippines. In 2012, as State's Office of the Inspector General's team leader for embassy inspections, he led a 12 person inspection of embassy operations in Manila.

The Great Decisions Series

Great Decisions is America's largest discussion program on world affairs. The program model involves reading the Great Decisions Briefing Book, watching the video and meeting in a Discussion Group to discuss the most critical global issues facing America today. 

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