U.S. Navy will maintain its grip in SE Asia
U.S. Navy will maintain its grip in SE Asia
Agencies, Singapore
The U.S. Navy plans to keep a strong presence in Singapore and
the region as a visible sign of the war on terror, a top Pentagon
official said on Wednesday.
U.S. aircraft carriers and other warships increasingly use
Singapore's Changi Naval Base for refueling and re-supply,
although no vessels and only a few hundred American military
personnel are based in the island republic.
"You will continue to see a Navy presence here in this area,"
U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Gordon England, told members of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
"The presence of our Navy here (is) an outward sign of our
ties to Singapore, and to help the stability and the security of
this area."
Singapore revealed last month it had detained 14 citizens and
one Malaysian suspected of links to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda
network, blamed by Washington for the Sept. 11 attacks on the
United States. Two have since been released.
England, who was sworn in as Navy Secretary last May, said
around 100 U.S. warships had visited the Changi facility since
its new deep draft naval pier was opened in March 2001, including
five U.S. aircraft carriers.
The pier at Changi Naval Base is one of only two in the region
large enough to berth an aircraft carrier. The other is at Port
Klang in Malaysia.
"I'm pleased with our joint commitment in this war against
terrorism," England said.
"I particularly appreciate the great job the Singapore
government did last December when this terrorist cell was broken
up here because these were people determined to do a lot of
damage right here -- not just to the city of Singapore but to our
naval people."
The 13 suspects still being held in Singapore allegedly were
plotting to blow up a shuttle bus ferrying U.S. military
personnel and to bomb U.S. naval vessels off the island state,
the government said.
"We do need a safe and secure area here, and that's a very
good sign by the government of Singapore to make this a safe and
secure area for our sailors and for those who have businesses
here," England said.
"Its important that every single nation drain the swamps that
breed terrorism."
Allies in the U.S.-led war to stamp out global terrorism must
prepare for a long and sustained campaign that could last for
decades, England said. .
Reiterating President George W. Bush's public statements that
the United States will spare no effort to fight terrorism,
England said all nations were expected to contribute to the anti-
terror campaign.
"I'll just again comment (on) what the president has said. All
nations have to cooperate in this endeavor," England told
reporters after speaking to the local American Chamber of
Commerce.
"This is a worldwide problem and all nations in the world have
to be part of this coalition to eliminate this evil in the
world."
Dozens of alleged militants have been arrested in Singapore,
the Philippines and Malaysia but no one has yet been held in
Indonesia -- the world's biggest Muslim nation -- and analysts
have described Jakarta as a weak link in the region's efforts to
counter the terrorist threat.
England declined to comment directly on Indonesia's
contributions in the global campaign against terrorism, but said
every country was expected to play its part.
"Well, I don't know specifically about their effort," England
said when asked whether Indonesia was doing its best to root out
alleged terrorist cells in its territory.
"(But) you cannot have breeding grounds for terrorists
anywhere in the world. This is a problem that you absolutely must
be successful at 100 percent.
"This applies to all nations around the world because all
nations are vulnerable to this threat."