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April 29, 2014

Obama Defends Foreign Policy During Philippines Visit 
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President Obama has wrapped up his tour of Asia with a stop in the
Philippines. Speaking in Manila, Obama issued a defense of his overall
foreign policy, saying his critics had failed to learn from what he
called the "disastrous decision" to invade Iraq.

President Obama: "Typically, criticism of our foreign policy has been
directed at the failure to use military force. And the question I think
I would have is, why is it that everybody is so eager to use military
force after we've just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to
our troops and to our budget?"

In the Philippines, Obama was met by hundreds of protesters angered by a
10-year pact to revive the U.S. military presence in the Philippines.
The deal arrives more than 20 years after popular protests forced the
U.S. to leave its bases. On Monday, protesters destroyed the barrier
outside the presidential palace and burned effigies of Obama and
Philippine President Benigno Aquino.

 

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