But what surprises will the MILF have waiting for them there? From CNN, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- The Philippines has begun pulling its troops out of Iraq, a move seemingly being made to satisfy demands by kidnappers of a Filipino hostage.Eight of the 51 Philippine humanitarian troops in Iraq have already left the country, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert said early Wednesday.
"The Foreign Affairs Ministry is coordinating the pullout of the humanitarian contingent with the Ministry of National Defense," Albert said in a statement.
"As of today (Wednesday), our head count is down from 51 to 43."
The United States has protested the action, saying giving in to terrorist demands should not be an option.
The sharks have scented blood and will be moving in for a kill...Wait for feeding frenzy.
Ongoing links between Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could put the peace process in the southern Philippines at risk.
(apparently this is a big news item at the moment, so hence l will post it here.
SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES BACKGROUNDER:
TERRORISM AND THE PEACE PROCESS
13 July 2004
Pdf version
http://www.crisisweb.org//library/documents/asia/south_east_asia/080_southern_philippines_backgrounder_terrorism_n_peace_process.pdf
Word Version
http://www.icg.org/home/getfile.cfm?id=1309&type=word
Southern Philippines Backgrounder: Terrorism and the Peace Process
Asia Report N°80
13 July 2004
http://www.icg.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&id=2863
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Singapore/Brussels, 13 July 2004: Ongoing links between Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could put the peace process in the southern Philippines at risk.
Media release for the same article
http://www.icg.org/home/index.cfm?l=1&id=2863&m=1
The Phillipines is a country made up of around 80 million people, the majority of which is roman catholic (85Pct),the muslim population is around (5Pct) . The country is made up of over 7,000 islands that stretch for 1,100 miles north and south. The Phillipines are named for King Phillip 11 of Spain by the explorer Ferdanand Magellan.
Following the Spanish American war, Spain ceded the Phillipines to America. And in 1934 congress gave the Phillipines their independence but this did not become official until after the war with the Japanese. The U.S.. maintained a military presence up until 1992 at Subic bay. The
Phillipines Government has been struggling with the Muslim militant insurgents for decades in the Lower archapelago Islands and in particularly the area of Western Midanao where the Muslims want to establish an independent Islamic state. Over 120,000 have died from these Muslim rebellions .
The Government signed a cease fire in 1996 with these Muslim separatists but extreme groups like the MILF and Abu-Sayaf continue to commit terrorist acts against the Phillipine people using kidnapping.extortion,assassination,bombing, ETC. American troops along with Phillipino troops are fighting Abu`Sayef (ASG) as a part of the battle against terrorism. Both the MILF and the ASG have ties to Al`quaida.
With little effort, Islamism has captured a base from which to launch an attack throughout the Pacific. I'm sure they believe the rest of us will cave in as easily…but they're mistaken.