U.S. debates Philippines options

About 100 U.S.-trained Philippine commandos prepare to leave Jolo for more training. Story Tools FACT BOX Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) The ASG is the most violent of the Islamic separatist groups operating in the southern Philippines. Some ASG leaders have studied or worked in the Middle East and allegedly fought in Afghanistan during the Soviet war. Leadership The group split from the Moro National Liberation Front in the early 1990s under the leadership of Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani. His younger brother, Khadaffy Janjalani, took over as nominal leader of the group after Abdurajak was killed by police in 1998. Activities Engages in kidnappings for ransom, bombings, assassinations, and extortion. Although from time to time it claims that its motivation is to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, areas in the southern Philippines heavily populated by Muslims, the ASG now appears to use terror mainly for financial profit. Strength Believed to have a few hundred core fighters, but at least 1,000 individuals motivated by the prospect of receiving ransom payments for foreign hostages allegedly joined the group in 2000-2001. External Aid Largely self-financing through ransom and extortion; may receive support from Islamic extremists in the Middle East and South Asia. Source: U.S. State Department

MANILA, Philippines -- The U.S. and the Philippines are re-examining their options in the fight against Abu Sayyaf rebels after plans for joint military exercises were frozen.

The U.S. was to send more than 1,000 troops to the southern Philippines in a deployment that could involve combat. But that plan was shelved on Friday as controversy erupted in the Philippines over the wording and exact nature of the operation.

Philippines Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, returning to Manila after talks with his U.S. counterpart Donald Rumsfeld, said both countries were debating how the U.S. could assist in the offensive against the Abu Sayyaf within the framework of Philippine legislation.

The Philippine constitution prohibits foreign forces from engaging in such a role, unless allowed by a treaty.

Reyes said the two sides would "consider other options" while working to resolve limiting legal and constitutional issues.

"We're not going to do anything that will violate our constitution and our laws," he told reporters.

Announcing the plan last month, Philippine officials described an "exercise" focused on "increasing our ability to protect ourselves against terrorist threats."

But days later, a Pentagon spokesman used different terms and made it clear combat would be involved. The U.S. was to send Special Forces troops to the Abu Sayyaf stronghold on the southern island of Jolo, to be joined later by support troops.

U.S. troops would "actively participate," the spokesman said.

The U.S. role was set to extend beyond the scope of training exercises it has conducted in the Philippines in the past. During a relatively successful six-month anti-terror training mission last year in Basilan, U.S. forces were based a long way from the front lines.

The Pentagon's description of the joint exercise caused a furore in the Philippines, with newspapers, politicians and left wing groups accusing the government of violating the constitution and affronting the nation's sovereignty.

This reaction led to the embarrassing about face from both Washington and Manila.

Reyes said more emphasis would now be placed on reshaping the Philippines armed forces' ability to counter terrorism and would involve improving intelligence information, communication and tactical mobility.

The Philippines would prefer to use the term "training exercises," Reyes said, while Washington still wants to call the exercises "combined operations."

The U.S. says, "you can never have training, and it can never be an exercise if it is done in a hostile area, where the chances of being exposed to hostile enemy fire is high, or even probable, or even miniscule," Reyes said.

Reyes argued that in the Philippines, training needed to involve a test mission in which troops were sent to a hostile area and participated in combat operations.

During the exercises in Basilan last year, the Abu Sayyaf were largely banished from the island. However, two factions of the Muslim extremist group fled to Jolo.

Philippine military officials have said they underestimated the number in Abu Sayyaf's rank. They believe there are almost 400 guerillas on Jolo, and less than 100 on Basilan.

Philippine operations against the Abu Sayyaf are continuing.

Story Tools		Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

EU 'crisis' after summit failure • Iran poll to go to run-off • 40 million credit cards exposed • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues