2,700 Marines set to start Philippine exercise

[unhappycamper]

2,700 Marines set to start Philippine exercise
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Oct 14, 2007 11:12:03 EDT

MANILA, Philippines — More than 3,500 U.S. and Philippine Marines will launch a two-week war exercise in the northern Philippines this week, with maneuvers including mock beach and artillery assaults, officials said Sunday.

The annual exercises begin on Tuesday and involve combat maneuvers on a Philippine marine base, an army special forces camp and an air force gunnery area on northern Luzon island, local navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said.

He said no exercises were scheduled in the southern Mindanao region, where a small U.S. military contingent has separately provided counterterrorism training and weapons to troops battling al-Qaida-linked militants since 2002.

The Philippines holds several military exercises each year with the U.S, its longtime ally, under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and two other security accords.

~snip~

Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith of St. Louis was convicted of rape by a Philippine court last December. Smith, who is detained at the U.S. Embassy, has appealed the ruling.

Caculitan told local radio station DZBB that U.S. military authorities have taken steps to control their forces while in the Philippines, and said last year’s exercises were held without any incident.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/10/ap_philippinesmarines_071014/

[midnight]

1. I just have an uneasy feeling reading this.... It could be that

the Phillipines are locked into an agreement that does not bode well for the female population.

[Islander Expat]

2. Don't worry, the word is out amongst the troops here

don't screw up again.

[MaggieSwanson]

3. Welcome to DU, Islander Expat.

Are you in the Philippines as well?

:hi:

[Islander Expat]

7. Yes I am, thank you as well!

cheers,
IE

[MaggieSwanson]

9. I'm in Manila

And it's nice to know there is another DUer around.

:toast:

[Islander Expat]

10. I'm on Negros by Dumaguete, let me know if you're in the area.

Or check out our website...

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AAPhilippines/

[NYVet]

4. The last time I checked...

Members of the military were innocent of any charges until evidence was presented to the contrary.

You mind not smearing them with a broad brush and painting them to be sex fiends with no self control?

[unhappycamper]

5. I'm just pasting an article from The Marine Corps Times.

How is that a smear?

[NYVet]

6. I was replying to post # 1

by Midnight who stated.

It could be that the Phillipines are locked into an agreement that does not bode well for the female population.



that is who I was replying to, not your post.

[Islander Expat]

8. I'd say its an agreement that does not bode well for horney and stupid servicemen

they're not just going to fly off the islands again like they used to.