source: luwaran 

January 20, 2008

The United States global war against terrorism is coming to Cagayan de Oro City and the two Lanao provinces, a report to Luwaran said. Teams of the US elite Special Forces will arrive in Cagayan de Oro City and in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte starting February 18 as part of the RP-US " Balanced Piston" Balikatan exercises.

Earlier report said these joint military exercises are slated to be held in the provinces of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, which will also commence on February 18 and will last until March 3.

Report said that a team of US soldiers has already been sighted in Camp Edilberto Evangelista, headquarters of the Army Fourth Infantry Division in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro City as early as last January 14.

Major Mitchel Anayron, public affairs officer of the Army Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) said the US soldiers were there to conduct pre-planning conferences with Army officials for the three-week exercises.

He said the US military officers are also expected to coordinate with local government officials where they will be deployed next month.

"A Philippine Army engineering brigade from Bukidnon will go with the US soldiers to construct school buildings and bridges," Maj. Anayron said.

Maj. Rodrigo Sosmeña, Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson, said US soldiers could be deployed in the Lanao areas where there is a strong presence of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Maj. Sosmeña, however, clarified the US soldiers will not be conducting war games but will be holding a series of medical missions and some engineering works.

Meantime, Khaled Musa, vice chairman of the MILF committee on information, when asked to comment on the coming of the US Special Forces said: “We hope there will be coordination so that things will go perfectly well.”

He did not elaborate.

	1. Written by Dar Al-Hekma on 21-01-2008 09:01 - Guest
	US Special Forces in Mindanao shall be staying as long as necessary to actually monitor the growing “militarism” of the Muslims in South East Asia. Mindanao is a strategic (if not a welcome) place for them to perform their intelligence and counter-intelligence in areas including Bangsamoro Land, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to name only the countries with active “Islamic Movements” at present. US Forces moving to Lanao from their base in Sulu will be to put an end to the long AFP mission in trapping the “Indonesian Trainers” frequenting in Lanao-Maguindanao area.

	2. Written by the teacher on 21-01-2008 11:30 - Guest
	to dar Al-Hekma:    you are adding agony to the sensitivity of meranao apprehensions. You know that this Militarism you are talking about is just a "Kathang Isip" of the US gov't and our gov't to justify their ever growing obsession of waging war against oil rich nation in the middle east.     THis US forces in Lanao should be warned by our leaders and freedom fighters. If they will transgress the hospitality that Meranao can afford to offer then a big trouble in little Lanao will take place.     Let's hope and pray they'll leave us alone.

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