Duterte Says Buying U.S. F-16 Jets ‘Utterly Useless’
U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falconse approaching \"armada\" that President Donald Trump touted last week was still thousands of miles away.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Manila, Philippines (AP) -- The Philippine president is opposing an offer by the U.S. defense chief and other top American officials to buy F-16 fighter jets, saying such an acquisition would be "utterly useless" because his country needs lighter combat aircraft to fight insurgents.
President Rodrigo Duterte scoffed Thursday night at the offer he said was made in a letter by Defense Secretary James Mattis, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, which came after he was slammed by the U.S. for his deadly crackdown on illegal drugs.