Way Under the Radar

From The Heritage.

Bet you won't see this reported much:

Muslims hold pro-US rally in Jolo

JOLO ISLAND -- More than 1,000 Muslims staged a surprising pro-US rally Saturday in Jolo, where thousands of American and Filipino soldiers are to start a month-long joint military drills and humanitarian mission in the impoverished island, about 950 kilometers south of Manila. ...

The huge crowd gathered in downtown Jolo where many people were spotted waving hundreds of small US and Philippine flags and placards welcoming the Americans.

"We Love You America, Welcome!," one placard reads. "This is why we really want, we need the Americans to help us fight terrorism and so we may live peacefully here," said Abdulgafur Omar, a 29-year old trader.

The military exercise that sparked the rally is part of an increasingly strong relationship between the U.S. and the Phillipines in the war on terrorism.