Pentagon considers operation against Filipino terror group

The United States is negotiating details of a major new counter-terror operation against Muslim rebels in the Philippines that could include involvement of U.S. special forces in combat, officials said Tuesday.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, believe they have new information showing a stronger link than previously believed between the Philippine rebels and other international terrorist groups. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's government said Monday that she had approved joint training on the island of Jolo, where some Abu Sayyaf rebels fled after the last U.S.-Filipino effort.

Continued....

[RADAR1797]

These are bad people. The Philippines may seperate into two nations, but I would rather see these rebels put down. This country is finally starting to stand on its own.

-RADAR

[Knothead]

That is going to be pretty hard to do when most all of the Philippines are of a single sect Muslim majority...I believe surrounding Malaysia is the same (Islam).

Can you say, Vietnam? Shoot, at least we can count on the Iraquis and every other fractious little Emirate to disagree about the "will of Allah"...but these guys, I dunno...

Edit: From the last paragraph:

Pentagon officials say investigations following some of those attacks have turned up information indicating there may be a stronger than earlier believed link between the Abu Sayyaf and the Jemaah Islamiyah of Indonesia.

I expect they're gonna be REAL surprised when they find out just HOW tightly-woven these guys are! It ain't just the many tiny islands of the Phillippines anymore. Just IMO, o'course.