A Times--US, Philippines Weigh New Military Marriage

[Gloria]

from the new World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com

More headlines in my Journal



3//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Aug 23, 2006

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/HH23Ae01.html



US, PHILIPPINES WEIGH NEW MILITARY MARRIAGE

By Fabio Scarpello
(Fabio Scarpello is AdnKronos International Southeast Asia bureau chief.)



COTABATO CITY, Southern Philippines - More than 15 years after the US was forced to close its military bases in the Philippines by nationalist politicians, there are growing indications that Washington is angling to re-establish a permanent military presence here - though US diplomats strenuously deny the speculation.

The United States' behind-the-scenes role in mediating a peace deal between the Philippine government and a group of Islamic rebels and its assistance to the Philippine armed forces in chasing down another rebellious Islamic organization has, for many Filipinos, lent credence to growing speculation that the US has designs on establishing new bases on the country's southern island of Mindanao.


(SNIP)

From the United States' perspective, the concomitant rise of regional Islamic terrorism and China's growing military ambitions have fundamentally changed the region's security calculus and accentuated the strategic need for new installations in the region. And from a regional perspective, the Philippines is arguably the best fit. The Islamic-rebel-racked southern Philippines has recently emerged as a key theater in the United States' counter-terrorism campaign in Southeast Asia.

SNIP

Retired General Fortunato Abat, a former Philippines defense chief and senior envoy to Beijing, contends that establishing a US military base in Mindanao would make strategic sense for Washington on several fronts, including possible future naval interventions in the South China Sea, defending Taiwan from a preemptive Chinese attack and providing a launch pad for anti-terrorist operations in Indonesia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Furthermore, it would complete the US security arc providing additional strength to what the US has in place in Japan, Korea and Hawaii to forestall any Chinese adventurism in Southeast Asia," Abat said.

(MORE)

[ewoden]

1. Marriage is between an man and a woman. We must have a

Constitutional ammendment to use the term in such disparaging terms as to describe war mongering unions of states.

[Vidar]

4. LOL

[sofa king]

2. Psst. They're already there.

US Marines arrived in Sulu in preparation for an "exercise" in roughly January of this year, though other US forces have been in-and-out since early 2003.

Apparently, the exercise is still ongoing, since US forces were supporting Filipino combat troops just two weeks ago.

[Sherman A1]

3. Yup

been going on for some time.