DIPLOMACY has many faces, but it all boils down to either advancing or protecting one's national interest. Allies and enemies come and go. History tells us that allies turn into enemies and vice-versa. Thus, the saying, "There are no permanent friends nor enemies, only permanent interests." In the interim, alliances are often unwieldy due to clashing national interests, but fighting with allies, as Churchill said, is better than fighting without any.
For instance, many Filipinos lost their confidence in America given instances in the past where it failed to stand by the Philippines. In World War 2, the Philippines fell to the Japanese because the US was caught napping in Pearl Harbor. It failed to dispatch crucial reinforcements and fresh supplies that led to Japan's occupation in a matter of six months.
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