HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
[We didn't 'fight' the Spanish-American War for nothing, of course. The Afghans are seeing history repeat itself according to the Filipino model currently as a matter of fact.] Manila may use American troops John Aglionby, south-east Asia correspondent Saturday January 12, 2002 The Guardian Manila is considering a US "battle plan" to send up to 1,000 special forces troops to help fight a long-running Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines. US media quoted "confidential sources" yesterday as saying that the deployment could comprise a full military battalion - up to 1,000 troops. However, Manila said that nothing had been decided and indicated that the assistance may be as small as a tenth of the figure touted. The Philippines president, Gloria Arroyo, stressed that any US involvement would be in a training and supply capacity, although troops would be allowed up to the frontline. She said Manila was not asking the US to fight but that it was more practical for them to be nearer the frontline. Many Filipino politicians fear the US could assume a combat role, despite laws forbidding suchinvolvement. Several dozen US soldiers have been in the Philippines for a few months, preparing for a larger force and training Filipino troops. The soldiers are operating mainly on the islands of Mindanao and Basilan. More than 5,000 Filipino troops are fighting the Abu Sayyaf Islamists as well as renegade elements of the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the southern islands. Abu Sayyaf is holding a US missionary couple and a female Filipino nurse. They have killed many captives, including an American. A US military spokesman, Lieutenant Commander Jeff Davis, said American troops were unlikely to become involved in combat. Meanwhile in Singapore yesterday, the government released a video, sketches and notes found in an al-Qaida leader's house in Afghanistan detailing possible terrorist targets in the island city state, including US military personnel, the US embassy, British and Australian high commissions, and a list of US businesses. Singapore said yesterday that the plan was ready to be implemented. � France has jailed a Frenchman of Algerian descent with links to al-Qaida, officials said. Ahmed Laidouni, 34, who had apparently trained in an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan, was arrested on Christmas Eve and jailed for violating a 1999 judicial order forcing him to report to the authorities. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send FREE video emails in Yahoo! Mail! http://promo.yahoo.com/videomail/ ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9WB2D Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
