-
Related
US and Philippine military officers have begun preparing for joint operations against local Muslim guerrillas, Washington's most significant expansion of its war against terror after Afghanistan.
An advance party of the over 650 US troops to be deployed here was briefed and administrative offices for the operations set up in Zamboanga, the headquarters of the Philippine southern military command, said Brigadier-General Emmanuel Deodosio.
"The main bulk of them will be coming probably starting next week," he told reporters.
The full contingent will include about 160 US special forces - including Navy SEALs, the Army's Green Berets, Marines with special operations capabilities and Air Force special forces - who will help in the fight against the Abu Sayyaf, a group Washington says is linked to Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden.
Backing them will be about 500 US support and technical personnel, Defence Secretary Angelo Reyes, a former military chief, told local radio.
The Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises formally began on Tuesday and were expected to last at least until June and could be extended until the end of the year, Reyes said.
Officially, the US forces will only provide advice, technical support and an assessment of the Philippine troops. But they will accompany local soldiers on patrol in rebel-infested areas, will be armed and authorised to fire in self-defence.
Philippine officials have gone to considerable lengths to emphasise that US soldiers will not participate in combat because of local sensitivities on the role of foreign troops.
The Philippines was a US colony from 1898 until 1946 but, for many, true independence came only in 1991 when the government asked the US military to vacate its bases here.
The constitution now bars foreign troops from the country except for transit and training.
The powerful Roman Catholic church had also disapproved of the US troop presence in the Philippines, saying it led to increased prostitution.
Renewed solidarity
But Manila has always had warm ties with the United States and has been keen to show renewed solidarity after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington which the US has blamed on bin Laden and his al Qaeda network.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo visited Washington in November and returned with promises of over $US100 million in military aid.
During that visit, President George W Bush offered troops to Manila to fight the Abu Sayyaf, but Arroyo refused, citing the constitutional bar.
Last week, US Deputy Secretary of Defence Paul Wolfowitz said the second phase of Washington's war against terror could focus on countries like the Philippines, Somalia, Yemen and Indonesia. But the Philippines is the only country so far where Washington has committed troops, albeit as non-combatants.
Reyes said again on Tuesday that the US troops would only be in a training and support role. But he added they would accompany Philippine troops on patrol on Basilan, a rugged and jungle-clad island which is a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.
"We will do the fighting, it is the Filipino soldiers who will go out and they will be assisted by the American forces in terms of advice and joint assessment and sharing of expertise and equipment," he said.
"The Abu Sayyaf is a problem of the Philippines and the United States is only helping us."
Some 5,000 Philippine troops have been fighting on Basilan for months to counter the 1,000 or so Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and rescue a US couple and a local nurse they have been holding captive for over seven months.
The government says about 50 soldiers and about 160 guerrillas have been killed on Basilan and on Jolo, an island further south where the Abu Sayyaf also operates, since June.
Although the US soldiers will always be accompanied by Philippine counterparts, there will be no special measures to keep them safe, local military spokesman Lieutenant-General Narciso Abaya told reporters.
"They can defend themselves," he said.
© Reuters
World News Video
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
-
Observers accuse both sides in Syria (0:26)
-
Man admits 'milk carton' murder (0:19)
