RP next Afghanistan?

U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, who is a member of the US Senate Foreign Committee, has come out with the statement that the Philippines could be the next Afghanistan. Unquestionably, there is a war against the Abu Sayyaf. But that is limited to a very small sector in Mindanao. There is sporadic terrorism in Luzon and the Visayas, but it is the type of terrorism that is occurring in almost all parts of the world —- including the United States.

It is, however, true that the situation in Mindanao is going from bad to worse. Only last Tuesday, there were bloody clashes in Jolo where 23 people died, mostly soldiers. Some people have expressed the fear that the presence of American troops in Basilan may convert the Philippines into another Vietnam. Americans are concerned about the situation because there is an American couple being held hostage there. But the RP-US military exercises being conducted there cannot result into another Vietnam.

The real problem in Jolo centers on the policemen who are loyal to jailed former Governor Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. They refuse to leave Jolo and surrender their firearms unless the Marines and Army Scout Rangers are withdrawn. It is a case of the police now giving orders to the Armed Forces.

Definitely, the Philippines is not another Afghanistan nor will it be another Vietnam. What is a fact is that Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda were already active in Jolo long before they waged an undeclared war against the United States last Sept. 11. In the case of Afghanistan, the Talibans were in control of the whole country. The United States forces had to bomb different sectors all over the country. That cannot be said of the Philippines. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is very much in control of the whole country. The problem is that what passes for news is generally bad news. No news is good news so it is never reported.

The only thing the statement of Sen. Brownback proved is that the Abu Sayyafs have given us a very bad world image. And that is because we are now in the Information Age. Terrorism is a world problem. But it should never be blown out of proportion. It is hard to believe that because of the destruction of the World Center with the use of hijacked planes, many no longer want to travel by air. As a result, major airlines have gone bankrupt.

We must face problems. But we must never exaggerate them. Next to instilling and manipulating fear, the purpose of all terrorism is maximum publicity. One of the things, therefore, that we can do to combat terrorism is not to give it undue publicity.