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| Balikatan, PHIBLEX,Talon Vision, CARAT, RIMPAC Joint Exercises | |
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| Topic Started: Jul 14 2004, 10:24 AM (50,219 Views) | |
| Duminus | Jul 14 2004, 10:24 AM Post #1 |
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The Manila Times US Navy task force to head for RP KUANTAN, Malaysia—A fleet of five US Navy ships carrying some 1,200 military men has arrived in Malaysia for joint exercises in the South China Sea, a top official said on Tuesday. The task force has conducted similar exercises with the military forces of Singapore, Brunei and Thailand and goes on to the Philippines after Malaysia. “This is a great opportunity to get together to do navy things. There is a lot we can learn from each other,” the task force’s group commander, Capt. Buzz Little, told reporters aboard the guided-missile destroyer the USS Russell. Little said the four-day annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (Carat) exercises aimed at bolstering military ties would begin Saturday. Apart from simulating the response to air and surface attacks, this year’s exercise off Malaysia’s eastern Pahang state would feature landings with Malaysian troops riding US amphibious landing craft. The US task force comprises the guided-missile destroyers USS Russell and USS McCampbell, the US Coast Guard high endurance cutter Mellon, the dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry and rescue and salvage ship USS Salvor. Other elements include P-3C Orion patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. Carat is a regular series of bilateral military exercises with several Southeast Asian nations designed to enhance the ability of the US Navy and its allies in the region to operate together. The cooperation between Malaysia and the US comes in the wake of a dispute over reports that Washington wanted US forces to help patrol the Malacca Strait, off Malaysia’s west coast, against possible terrorist attacks on shipping. Malaysia, a Muslim country, rejected the idea of US involvement in the vital shipping lane, saying it would infringe on its sovereignty and attract rather than repel terrorism. The commander of US forces in the Pacific, Adm. Thomas Fargo, visited Malaysia last month to deny the reports, saying cooperation would focus on intelligence sharing and helping to build the capacity of countries in the region to face the threat themselves. -- AFP |
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| spraret | Jul 17 2004, 08:52 AM Post #2 |
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Link Saturday, July 17, 2004 Balikatan exercises should be moved, Pimentel says SEN. Aquilino Pimentel Jr. on Friday raised concerns that ongoing peace talks between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government would be hurt if the Balikatan military exercises will be held in MILF-infested areas. Pimentel said the plan to hold the Balikatan exercises could heighten tension and provoke clashes between the combined US-Philippine troops and the rebels. He urged the Philippines and the United States to transfer the antiterrorism training, scheduled late this week, from Carmen, North Cotabato, to a more suitable site in Mindanao. The antiterrorism exercises would reportedly be held outside the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Carmen, near an MILF-influenced area. Pimentel’s views dovetailed with those aired by the Mindanao People’s Caucus. A member of the caucus, the Suara Bangsamoro, warned that the presence of American soldiers in areas where MILF rebels operate could agitate conflict “no matter how much both sides would avoid each other.” The caucus is an association of cause-oriented groups and peace advocates promoting peace and development in Mindanao. “Our position on the Balikatan exercises remains the same. If Carmen is a war zone in the sense that Moro rebels occupy some places which could accidentally or by design be visited by Balikatan troops, then the better part of prudence is not to hold the exercises there,” Pimentel said. Any incident could trigger an MILF walkout and make it more difficult for the Moros to accept the role of the US Institute of Peace as an honest broker for peace in Mindanao, he added. Failure of the peace talks would also hurt the national economy, Pimentel warned. -- Sammy Martin, Correspondent |
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| Numbers | Jul 21 2004, 03:52 PM Post #3 |
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Website CARMEN, North Cotabato -- Eight Moro villages are said to be the sites of the joint US-RP military exercises, contrary to what has been reported that the exercises will be strictly confined in the military camp. US soldiers started to arrive Monday and at least 10 6x6 military vehicles also arrived carrying Filipino troops from the nearby town of Arakan. Col. Isagani Cachuela, chief of the Army's 602nd Infantry Brigade, said American soldiers who are part of an "advance team" also arrived in Carmen since Monday. "They are part of the security preparations... more administrative," Cachuela said, refusing to give more details for security purposes. These developments irked some residents of the identified villages, some of them even warned that they evacuate the moment they see American troops enter their villages. Akmad Magid, chair of the local youth group called United Youth for Peace and Development, said most of the residents of barangay Manarapan have already planned to flee their homes upon arrival of the US soldiers. Manarapan, one of the highly devastated villages in Carmen during the all-out-war policy of former president Joseph Estrada against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is said to be another area where US soldiers will "enter" during the exercises that is set to start on July 26. Other areas identified were Nasapian, Kibayaw, Rancho, Kibinis, Katanayanan, Ugalingan, and Limbalod. These villages are all part of what the government called as Limbalod Complex. The complex was also one of the sites of many conflicts before. Few years ago, North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol said the MILF had established a mayhem government inside the complex. It is also where the controversial Malitubog-Maridagao irrigation project is located. Rayma Katog, a resident of Kibayaw, said she might stop from going to school should her village be "encroached" by the US and RP soldiers. "Mahihirapan na akong mag-aral n'yan. Matatakot na kaming lumabas kasi talagang takot kami sa mga Amerikano... ewan ko lang kung ano nang mangyayari nito sa amin," the 15-year-old girl said. Villagers also expressed apprehension the joint military exercises could lead into a war between the MILF and the soldiers, as most of the outskirt villages of Carmen are identified as MILF areas. "Aywan lang pero parang isa sa mga sadya nila dito ay ang MILF talaga," another resident of Manarapan said. Manarapan Barangay Captain Guinaed Dalid said American soldiers visited his village at least twice in June and he was told that the village would be the venue of a humanitarian mission that includes the conduct of civic action and delivery of health services. "Sabi nila 'good!' Gusto daw nila ang Manarapan kasi passable," Dalid said. But Cachuela insisted there was no truth to reports about making the eight villages as venue of the exercises. He said the exercises would be strictly confined inside the camp. He, however, admitted that some villages of Carmen, including Manarapan, will be used as venues of the exercises' humanitarian mission component. He said the exercises have two components, military training and humanitarian mission. |
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One little two little three little four little... Behind every successful man, there is a woman And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... | |
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| MrLee | Jul 23 2004, 02:51 PM Post #4 |
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Unregistered
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ZAMBOANGA CITY - Philippine and military officials adopted preventive measures to avoid a repetition of an incident where a civilian was wounded during a live firing familiarization exercise in the joint RP-US Security Assistance Training Program in barangay San Roque, in this city. On Wednesday a civilian named Naharon Alsid, 21, of sitio San Isidro, San Roque, was accidentally hit by a bullet when he tried to cross the firing range at the training area that was being used by Filipino and American soldiers at the time. US and Filipino medical personnel treated Alsid at the training site and later transferred him to the military’s Camp Navarro General Hospital for further treatment. Attending physicians say Alsid is “safe.” more |
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| Numbers | Jul 23 2004, 04:10 PM Post #5 |
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They oughta be careful, I recall the brouhaha that followed the death of scavenging kids in Toledo City after a team of US Navy SEALs left an unexploded grenade on range. |
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One little two little three little four little... Behind every successful man, there is a woman And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... | |
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| Alamid | Jul 23 2004, 05:49 PM Post #6 |
PDFF Owner
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Hmmm...were they US Navy SEALs or Special Forces? |
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| Numbers | Jul 24 2004, 09:27 AM Post #7 |
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If memory serves me right Alamid, they were USN SEALs participating in a live fire exercise with PN SWAG elements. |
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One little two little three little four little... Behind every successful man, there is a woman And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two. A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station.... | |
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| MrLee | Jul 25 2004, 03:50 PM Post #8 |
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Balance Piston update Ralliers to greet Carmen war drills By JEOFFREY MAITEM TODAY Correspondent CARMEN, North Cotabato - Thousands of protesters are expected to gather today at an undisclosed location near the site of the joint Philippines-U.S. military training here to denounce its holding in this town, where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) reportedly maintains 1,000 heavily armed troops. United Youth of the Philippines spokesman Bobby Benito, told radio station dxMS in Cotabato City that the holding of the war drills, dubbed as “Balance Piston” is a violation to the existing cease-fire agreement between the Philippine government and MILF. The 1,900-strong MILF, however, claimed earlier that there is nothing wrong with the holding of war games here as long as participating troops would not engage in combat roles. Protesters criticized the military, particularly Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade commander Col. Isagani Cachuela, for his “Gestapo-like tactics in ordering” mayors not to grant permits to rallies against the training. In reaction, Philippine and U.S. Army officials assured the people that there is nothing to worry with the military exercises, which will start tomorrow, as it would be held only inside the military camp. Army Col. Efren del Prado, Sixth Infantry Division spokesman, told Today the military exercises would be held at Camp Lucero, the headquarters of the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade. Also, North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol, a known critic of the MILF, said on Saturday that U.S. Army Capts. Carl Fetch and Andrew Louis, whom they invited during a session of the provincial lawmakers, made the assurance that the training would only focus on enhancing the skills of Filipino and American soldiers. But Catholic priest Fr. Peter Geremia, coordinator of the Tribal Filipino Program of the diocese of Kidapawan, described Balance Piston as “not a gesture of peace but a provocation.” At the same time, he asked why the “small-scale training” should be held in Carmen if it only involves a small group of soldiers. Besides Carmen, similar military exercises will be held in Subic and Zamboanga City. Del Prado said he could not yet give details of what exactly will happen tomorrow as he and his counterpart in the U.S. Army have not yet discussed issues concerning the Balance Piston. The Balance Piston, involving some 20 U.S. Special Forces from Okinawa, Japan, and 160 Filipino soldiers will last for three weeks. link |
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| Alamid | Jul 26 2004, 11:22 AM Post #9 |
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Mr. Lee, I have noticed that you have become PDFF's resident reporter. Care to become a registered member? :beer: |
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| Ka Rondo | Jul 27 2004, 03:52 PM Post #10 |
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DESPITE RP TROOP PULLOUT.... US counterterror training starts By Roel Pareño The Philippine Star 07/26/2004 ZAMBOANGA CITY — US Special Forces have started training some 240 Filipino soldiers in anti-terror tactics and marksmanship, military officials in Mindanao said yesterday. Maj. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, Southern Command information officer, said 30 members of the US Special Forces started training last week two companies from the 6th Army Division based in Central Mindanao. "The US Special Forces will enhance the marksmanship capability of the Filipino soldiers," he said. "The main focus of the training is really on anti-terror capability." Bacarro said six companies or around 720 soldiers will receive the training by the end of the year. The training is seen by some observers as part of the Philippine government’s attempts to restore its anti-terror credentials after reaping condemnation from the US for pulling out its humanitarian contingent from Iraq last week to save the life of kidnapped truck driver Angelo de la Cruz. Brigade commander Col. Isagani Cachuela said the training showed the resolve of the two countries to confront the threat posed by Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), widely regarded as the Southeast Asian proxy of al-Qaeda, the group behind the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the US. "There is a serious effort to thwart terrorism so we have to prepare ourselves through training," he said. Mindanao has in recent years been a concern of the US, which claims to have evidence of terrorist training camps here. Millions of dollars in aid are being funneled into Mindanao to convince the impoverished Muslim minority to turn toward economic development instead of supporting the extremists. A report two weeks ago by the Brussels-based think tank International Crisis group warned that the JI was using ties with the more moderate Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to train replacements for members arrested in Indonesia after the October 2002 Bali bombings. The report claimed that weak policing made Mindanao attractive to "‘lone wolf’ operators and cells of various jihadist organizations." The MILF denies having links with the JI. Spokesman Eid Kabalu says his group is observing a ceasefire with the military for the past year and that the military exercises with the US are not an issue for the rebel group. In the former MILF stronghold of Carmen, North Cotabato, at least 20 US personnel will start today the holding of joint training exercises with the Armed Forces. AFP spkesman Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero said the US military personnel will join the "Balance Piston" joint military exercises along with their counterparts from the Philippine Army and Marines. Lucero said at least 150 Army personnel of the 39th and 40th infantry battalions will participate in the maneuvers aimed at enhancing inter-operability between the two armed forces. Two other platoons from the 6th Marine Battalion of the Philippine Marines are expected to join the exercises. Lucero said the joint exercises are considered a small-scale maneuver compared to the RP-US Balikatan annual event, so it can be held at the 602nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Carmen. The town is a former stronghold of the MILF, which prompted the Armed Forces to set up an Army brigade headquarters there after overrunning several secessionist camps. Lucero added security measures are in place for the holding of Balance Piston. — With reports from Christina Mendez, AFP 
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