It is easy to forget that one of our early fronts in the war on terror after the September 11, 2001 attacks was in the Philippines. We quietly helped stomp on al Qaeda elements operating within the Moslem separatists' war.
That war may end with the main resistance group (the humorously named MILF) agreeing to stop fighting in exchange for greater autonomy for their region:
The Philippine government and Muslim rebels agreed on a deal to end a 40-year conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people, President Benigno Aquino said on Sunday, paving the way for a political and economic revival of the country's troubled south.
The agreement begins a roadmap to create a new autonomous region in the south of the mainly Roman Catholic country before the end of Aquino's term in 2016, giving the Muslim-dominated area greater political powers and more control over resources.
One can hope this works and that the new local government partnered with the national government can stamp out those Moslem groups that try to keep the war going.
UPDATE: Thanks to Stones Cry Out for the link.
