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http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc? cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=World&cat=Southern_Philippine_Conflict
Beware of spaces. Summary:
Latest Developments
U.S. Troops to Enter Philippines Combat (AP) - Hundreds of U.S. special operations troops will soon join Philippine forces in combat operations against Abu Sayyaf rebels in the southern Philippines, defense officials said Thursday. The American and Philippine governments agreed to an arrangement that will place U.S. troops in direct combat roles against the Abu Sayyaf for the first time since the U.S. military began advising the Philippine armed forces in counterterrorism tactics last year, the officials said. More...
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I'd say that this belies the "Blood for oil" arguement that many fellow UnDubyas have been making about Iraq, except for the fact that the Philippines, Vietnam and China (among others, I think) have been engaged in a variety of flag- planting and bunker-building on godforsaken coral nubbins in the South China Sea primarily to ensure that whatever oil reserves that exist there will exist under the appropriate flag.
TheWreck
p.s. - I put this out again because with all the noise about Iraq and North Korea, etc., etc., I consider THIS development INCREDIBLY important, as it commits us to a battle on a front in the War on Terrorism that has not been really put in front of the American people. I think it's good that we're actually doing something on TERROR, as opposed to some shibboleth (deserving as he might be) of some of Dubya's handlers.
TheWreck
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