- continued -

The Afghan people's liberation from an extremist regime that turned their country into a base for a murderous terrorist organization has given hope to a new generation. Here, an American paratrooper of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) walks with children in the village of Esmail Karaze.

"The United States is providing military and other assistance to the Philippines against the Abu Sayyaf Group, a criminal terrorist organization in the southern Philippines with links to al-Qaida. This group has taken many hostages and has brutally murdered and mutilated defenseless noncombatants.

"U.S. assistance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) includes training, equipment, intelligence, maintenance support and temporary advisors. U.S. helicopters will provide tactical airlift for U.S. and Philippine forces training on Basilan Island. U.S. Naval Special Warfare forces will concentrate their training efforts in the maritime and littoral areas of southern Mindanao and Air Force Special Operations aircraft will provide tactical air support for Army and Navy Special Operations Forces training with the AFP.

"We should not underestimate the complexity of this worldwide campaign. The terrorists hold the advantages of small size, international mobility, unmonitored funding, secrecy, and flexibility. They can take advantage of the freedoms of our governments and citizens and areas of the region where government control is weak. The key to their defeat is a sustained, unprecedented, relentless, cooperative effort among all the countries in the region against the common threat."