`Shoulder-to-shoulder': combatting terrorists in the Philippines: more than 600 U.S. troops are training Filipinos to eradicate Muslim extremists on Basilan Island

VFW Magazine, May, 2002 by Tim Dyhouse

Officially, it's known as a "military training exercise." But make no mistake, the joint U.S.-Filipino military operation now under way in the southern Philippines is another front in the U.S. war on terrorism.

"There is no question that American soldiers will be there where they could become injured or killed if the Philippine element is attacked," said Brig. Gen. Donald Wurster, commander of Joint Task Force 510, the U.S. component of Operation Balikatan (Tagalog for "shouldering the load together").

Though the Philippines constitution prohibits foreign soldiers from fighting within the island nation, U.S. troops are exposed to the same risks they would see in combat.

"The U.S. forces face a much bigger danger because the enemy is really planning to inflict casualties on the Americans so that we will be embarrassed," said Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Teodosio, co-director of Balikatan. "The Americans are vulnerable targets by extremists. We are keeping all eyes and ears on this."

Americans who patrol with the Filipinos are supposed to stay 1,000 yards behind the local troops--a rule, the Wall Street Journal says, "likely to be overlooked."

Already, 10 U.S. soldiers and airmen have lost their lives there. On Feb. 22, an MH-47E Chinook helicopter carrying two Air Force pararescuemen of the 320th Special Tactics Squadron and eight soldiers from E Co., 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, crashed in the Mindanao Sea about 150 miles northwest of Zamboanga City. The Chinook was returning to the U.S. operating base on Mactan Island after ferrying troops and supplies to Basilan Island. Eight bodies had been recovered at press time.

"I was pretty scared after the third guy," said Air Force pararescueman Aaron Butler of 320th Special Tactics, who recovered the bodies. "It was really dark and really cold. It was just eerie down there."

After searching unsuccessfully for the other seven bodies throughout the early morning hours of Feb. 22, Butler's helicopter returned to its base.

MISSION CRYSTAL CLEAR

The total U.S. deployment in Operation Balikatan is some 660 troops. That includes 160 special ops personnel from the Navy's SEALs, the Army's Green Berets, Air Force pararescuemen and Marines. Another 500 support and technical personnel round out the U.S. contingent.

According to the New York Times, it is "probably the largest deployment of Special Forces troops (Green Berets) into a combat zone, other than Afghanistan, ... since El Salvador in the 1980s." Members are from the 1st Special Forces Group based at Ft. Lewis, Wash.

Twelve-man Green Beret Alpha teams are attached to the Filipino 10th, 18th, 32nd and 55th infantry battalions, the 3rd Marine Brigade, 1st Ranger Battalion, and the Light Reaction Company. They teach marksmanship, tactical maneuvering, command and control, communications and navigation.

"Our mission is to train, advise and assist the Philippine army so that they can go out and conduct their operations," a U.S. Special Forces sergeant identified only as "Chris" told the New York Times in February. Sgt. Chris was with a 12-man Alpha team attached to the 18th Infantry Battalion in Lamitan.

U.S. Special Forces are based in six towns and Basilan Island's capital Isabella City. Headquarters are at Camp Navarro in Babiawan. Half of the Green Berets remain at battalion headquarters. For patrolling, two advisers are assigned to each company.

ABU SAYYAF LINKED TO AL QAEDA

Basilan Island is home to Abu Sayyaf, a militant Muslim group. The 20-mile by 30-mile island is about one-third the size of Rhode Island with a population of 300,000--85% Muslim (only 5% of the entire Filipino population is Muslim).

Abu Sayyaf, described as "a strange hybrid of a criminal gang and Islamic extremists" by Thomas McKenna, a writer on Philippine separatist movements, has a core group of only 60 fighters.

Piracy, bank robbing and kidnapping (two American civilians are currently held) are Abu Sayyaf's favorite criminal endeavors. Much of the local population sees the group as a collection of violent bandits thumbing their collective nose at local police and military.

"We challenge those who say that we don't need the American soldiers to come to Basilan and fight the Abu Sayyaf themselves," said Jose Mari Bue, an editor.

Abu Sayyaf was founded in the early 1990s by one of Osama bin Laden's lieutenants, Jamal Khalifa, and initially led by Abdujarak Janjalani, a Filipino Muslim who fought with bin Laden in the 1980s in Afghanistan. The group's purported political goal is to establish a sovereign Islamic state in the southern Philippines.

"There is no question that there have been linkages between al Qaeda and activities that have taken place in the Philippines," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Navy Adm. Dennis Blair, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, agreed: "There are historical ties with al Qaeda, some current ties. It's generally a criminal organization, as well as a terrorist organization."

Green Beret medics almost came face-to-face with the Abu Sayyaf in mid-March. On three separate occasions, Americans were called in to help rescue wounded Filipinos in fighting on Basilan.