|
Phillipines Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/020115/1/2axsq.htmlhttp://sg.news.yahoo.com/020115/1/2axsq.html
Tuesday January 15, 10:43 AM
US troops in mission to
crush bin Laden allies
in Philippines
More than a
decade after
the Philippines shut two American
bases, US troops are returning -- for a
mission to neutralize militants allied with
terror suspect Osama bin Laden.
Some 650 US troops are to join
counter-terrorism war games which
began Tuesday on a low-key level on
the southern Philippines, hotbed of the
Abu Sayyaf group.
The exercise, called Balikatan
(Shoulder-to-Shoulder) 02-1, will
include operations against the Muslim
gunmen holding hostage an American
couple and a Filipina nurse in Basilan
island.
Arriving in batches, the US forces will
join local troops in the operations as
"observers" but will be armed and
allowed to return fire if attacked,
officials say.
The six-month exercises are believed
to be the first of their kind since 1999,
when the Philippines ratified a Visiting
Forces Agreement that paved the way
for resumption of large-scale joint
exercises.
Previous war games were held under a
premise of aggression by "imaginary"
enemies, Defense Secretary Angelo
Reyes said. But the September 11
terrorist attacks in the United States
allegedly masterminded by bin Laden
have thrown the two countries
together.
"The previous Balikatans (were
premised on) a hypothetical external
aggression, not the global threat -- and
this is an international threat -- of
terrorism," Reyes explained.
"The threat is terrorism. Terrorism has
struck at the land of the United States.
It can strike in the southern provinces
of the Philippines so this is a threat that
is being addressed."
The maneuvers, which could last until
the end of 2002 if needed, are
expected to be in "full speed" by
mid-February, when the bulk of 650
US soldiers are flown in, he said.
The exercises will see the use of a
C-130 transport plane, helicopters and
night-fighting equipment.
American soldiers will be housed in a
camp in the southern city of
Zamboanga and will be under the
direct supervision of a Filipino
commander.
They can protect themselves
individually under fire, but "unit
responses to any threat or safety of
American forces would have to be
under the control of a Filipino
commander in the area," Reyes said.
"We want to neutralize the Abu
Sayyaf, we want the safe recovery of
the remaining hostages," he added.
Military spokesman Brigadier General
Edilberto Adan said a number of US
soldiers would arrive in the coming
weeks to inspect logistics.
"We are just in the first phase, the
preparations. The next phase, the
execution (of training) will be in
February," he said.
US soldiers are aware of the risks and
"if they sustain casualties, they have
already factored that in their planning,"
Adan said.
The war games have been on the
drawing board since October, when an
initial batch of US military advisers
visited the south.
It was later approved by President
Gloria Arroyo, who a month later
received a pledge from President
George W. Bush that his government
would support Manila in its war against
the Abu Sayyaf.
Manila-Washington ties have not been
this warm since 1991, when the last
American soldiers marched out of
Clark Airbase and Subic Naval base
north of Manila, after the Senate voted
to end their lease.
The bases were once considered the
most strategic US military facilities in
Asia, and their closure strained ties
between the allies.
In 1999, however, the Philippine
Senate ratified the Visiting Forces
Agreement that allowed for the
resumption of large-scale joint training.
The Burnham couple, of Kansas, were
snatched by the Abu Sayyaf along with
dozens of other hostages last year. A
third American, Guillermo Sobero, was
beheaded along with more than a
dozen Filipino captives.
|
|
