DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING BRIEFER: ADM. CRAIG QUIGLEY, SPOKESMAN PENTAGON BRIEFING ROOM, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA 1:30 P.M. EDT THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2000 Q: Sir, there are some reports in the Philippines press about some special forces in the country now possibly joining some anti-terror or hostage rescue operations. Are there any U.S. forces in the Philippines now? How many? And why are they there? Quigley: Yes, but we need to be real clear about there being two separate events going on. On the one hand, whatever activities the Philippine government feels are appropriate in order to try to gain the release of the hostages that are being held by the terrorist groups. That's over here. Over here, there is an ongoing Special Operations Forces training activity going on in a completely separate part of the Philippines, long-scheduled, for over a year. I think it's the third or fourth one of its type this calendar year that we have going on for training of U.S. Special Operations Forces, in conjunction with the Philippines. This is not being done to train the Philippine Special Operations Forces, although there is certainly a side benefit of that, of them being present and training along with our forces. But this is primarily being done, because of the climate and the geography and the landscape that you find in the Philippines, as a very good training ground to provide the training for U.S. Special Operations Forces. Let me see if I have a number here. Q: (Off mike) -- Philippine forces -- Quigley: Approximately 200. Q: (Off mike.) Quigley: Two hundred U.S., yes. Q: Oh, okay. How long have they been in the country? Quigley: I think it will last -- it's already started, and I think it will last about 45 days. Q: What kind of training are we talking about? Quigley: Special Operations training. Q: The whole gamut? Quigley: The whole gamut, mm-hmm [affirmative]. Q: And you're saying that this other thing, which is separate, doesn't involve Americans? Quigley: Absolutely correct. Q: But are the Philippine Special Forces part of this U.S. -- involved in this U.S. training exercise? Quigley: Yes, they are, as there always are. Q: Right. I just want to be clear on this. So U.S. forces there are in fact training Philippines Special Forces. Quigley: Only as a by-product, Barbara. They're there principally to receive the training for themselves, for U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel. But there -- while they are doing that, there are also Philippine Special Forces personnel there as well. And there is an advantage to sharing some of that knowledge and training that's going on. Q: Can you tell us that the U.S. military has ruled out any assistance to the Philippines military or government in going after the rebels? Are you saying -- Quigley: I'm saying I have no knowledge of the government of the Philippines' intentions as to how they plan on resolving the hostage situation. My hope is that the terrorists will release the hostages immediately. But I have no knowledge of how the Philippine government plans on doing that; it's an internal security matter for them. Q: Is there some area -- Q: But would we entertain a request to allow the troops that are currently -- Quigley: I'm not going to go down that road. That's for them to decide. Q: How many Philippine soldiers are benefitting from this training? Quigley: It's a couple of dozen, I want to say, but I don't have an exact figure, Pam. [Approximately 100]
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