Identifying last Saturday's suicide bombers in Bali is
\nobviously essential. The more detail we have on them as
\nindividuals the better the composite portrait of potential
\nterrorists. But intelligence cannot always save us from anonymous
\nattackers whose names have never appeared on any intelligence
\nagency's watch list.<\/p>\n
While the Indonesian government is not keen on closing JI
\ndown, lest this somehow offend ordinary Muslims, the nation's
\nelite police and military are obviously committed to catching
\nterrorists. But the situation in The Philippines is not so
\ncertain.<\/p>\n
Manila's military seems unable, or unwilling, to break up
\nthese long-established insurgency and terror training networks.
\nThe attitude of The Philippines government, cursed with a corrupt
\ncivil service and faltering economy, towards terror is also
\nrelaxed.<\/p>\n
It is hard to argue with the assessment in a recent
\nInternational Crisis Group report that the Philippines is the
\nweak link in Southeast Asia's struggle to trammel terror. For as
\nlong as JI, its allies and offshoots train troops in The
\nPhilippines, the region is at risk from suicide bombers, sent to
\ntheir death from safe havens there. This is a war Canberra and
\nJakarta need help to fight. While the terror track from The
\nPhilippines is clear, the bombings will continue.
\n-- The Australian, Canberra<\/p>\n
Terrorist warnings<\/p>\n
All too predictably, following the suicide bombings that
\nkilled 22 people in the Indonesian tourist resort island of Bali
\nSaturday, warnings are now being raised about terrorist attacks
\nin the Philippines.<\/p>\n
A recent police intelligence report is even more specific
\nabout the threats. It says that the Abu Sayyaf is sending women
\non bombing missions to Metro Manila and four cities in Mindanao.<\/p>\n
Instead of merely issuing warnings, our security officials
\nought to focus on doing the many things that would attack the
\nproblem of terrorism at its roots.<\/p>\n
For instance, they should sit down with their counterparts
\nfrom Indonesia and Malaysia to find out how they can stop the
\nexchange of terrorism know-how, resources and personnel.<\/p>\n
Congress should also pass an anti-terrorism law, minus those
\nhighly repressive and ambiguous provisions that could be invoked
\nto persecute the political adversaries of the administration.<\/p>\n
But first, they should learn to use intelligence information
\nintelligently and not to mistake talk for action.
\n-- Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila<\/p>\n
Iraq Slips Away<\/p>\n
Iraq stands less than 10 days away from a momentous vote on a
\nnew constitution, the first of a series of events that in the
\nnext several months will make or break the U.S.-backed attempt to
\nunite the country under a new political system. A successful exit
\nfor U.S. troops, or a deepening military quagmire, hangs in the
\nbalance. Yet serious discussion of the Iraqi political process in
\nWashington seems to have faded to a whisper.<\/p>\n
There are many flaws in the proposed constitution, but the
\nmost serious is its facilitation of a de facto partition of Iraq
\ninto several mini-states.<\/p>\n
Iraq is risking a civil war, and Americans are not likely to
\nsupport the further sacrifice of lives in defense of a Shiite
\nIslamic republic, or a rump state of Kurdistan.
\n-- The Washington Post, Washington DC<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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