To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Sender: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.8 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net List-Help: List-Post: X-Subscribed-Address: rterry@idiom.com List-Subscribe: List-Id: Inayan Eskrima / FMA discussion forum, the premier FMA forum on the Internet. List-Unsubscribe: Status: OR Send Eskrima mailing list submissions to eskrima@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to eskrima-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at eskrima-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Eskrima digest..." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. 1100 members strong! Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The premier internet discussion forum devoted to Filipino Martial Arts. Provided in memory of Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay (1944-2000). http://InayanEskrima.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of the Eskrima-Digest at http://MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Today's Topics: 1. US troops in RP (Jay de Leon) 2. Question from "Wild Bill" (fwd) (Ray Terry) 3. Re: Question from "Wild Bill" (fwd) (Ray Terry) 4. Simonet silat tapes (TomMeadows) 5. Action?? (Ray Terry) --__--__-- Message: 1 From: "Jay de Leon" To: Cc: Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 10:59:13 -0800 Subject: [Eskrima] US troops in RP Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net While I am no expert on the Muslim situation, as I have posted in the past, I lived in Cotabato in Mindanao for a couple of years in the early '70's. These are personal observations about US troops in RP today, colored by my experiences of living with both Christian and Muslim brothers in the south. (1) The US troops will be initially operating in "rebel-infested areas of Basilan island & Zamboanga." As a Filipino, I can justify the presence of US forces in certain rebel-controlled areas of Mindanao, with its inhospitable terrain and support of the rebels by the local population. I cannot imagine US troops operating, say, in Pampanga province (Luzon) because an Al-Qaeda cell was discovered there. (2) I find it laughable that it has been agreed that the US troops will be allowed to carry live ammo and fire back in self-defense. Any US commander that would allow a US soldier (trainer, consultant, or otherwise) to go traipsing in the "rebel-infested" wilds of Basilan, Zamboanga, Jolo or Cotabato unarmed should be court-martialed for endangering men in his command. (3) The problem is in defining who the "enemy", or what a "terrorist" group is. There is probably no question that the Abu-Sayyaf is a terrorist, as well as a criminal or bandit, organization. I would welcome 6,000 US Marines to go hunt and finish off Abu Sayyaf and numerous outlaw groups in the south. The problem becomes complex with the armed so-called secessionist groups, like the MNLF. Are the US forces also now tasked with providing training to Philippine troops in fighting them? This is probably the area where some objections to US presence have arisen. The spectre of a US soldier shooting down a Filipino "rebel" (remember that a rebel is somebody else's freedom fighter) gives a lot of people pause, Muslim or otherwise. (4) ANECDOTE - While living in Cotabato, I saw the Libyan delegation that Khadaffi sent to the Philippines to investigate allegations of genocide (RP troops killing Muslim civilians). At that time also, there were rumors that Libyan military officers were fighting with the rebels, in addition to Libya providing financial aid to the rebels. I do not recall news of any Libyan military officer being killed or captured during combat operations, though. (5) ANECDOTE - During the pre-martial law days, one of the scariest situations in Cotabato was the fact that there were some many armed groups roaming around that it was hard to determine whether they were friend or foe, lawful authority or not, military or non-military. There was of course the Philippine army, the Philippine Constabulary, local police, private armies (usually maintained by politicians, local warlords or datus), Christian para-military units like the "Ilagas," and plain armed private citizens like myself. I usually travelled with a bodyguard, a driver and a company employee who were all armed. Many of these armed groups dressed in army fatigues, with no insignias. One evening, I went to the local club at the old Imperial Hotel with friends and guests. This club was unique--you could see children's parties, couples having a romantic dinner, businessmen entertaining clients, off-duty officers and soldiers having a drink, etc. Most men carried side-arms (one common practice was to tuck your sidearm in your waistband, and then cover it with your shirt. The idea was not to conceal the fact that you were packing, but what kind of gun you were packing. You could get killed for an expensive piece.) Here and there, you would see M-14's against the wall. As usual, it was packed, and as we were seated, we heard a commotion. It turned out an armed group was objecting to us being seated before them. The owner was trying to explain that I usually had that table and time reserved. The head of the group turned out to be an irate Muslim captain in the Phil. army, head of the security detail of a Muslim congressman who was visiting the city. When I learned about this, I went over to him and apologized and told him it was not meant as a personal affront to him. In turn, he said he knew who I was and profusely apologized. I ended buying a round of drinks (San Miguel) for him and his men. And you would have US servicemen unarmed in "rebel-infested" areas? Jay de Leon --__--__-- Message: 2 From: Ray Terry To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net (Eskrima) Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 11:41:52 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Eskrima] Question from "Wild Bill" (fwd) Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Just thought I would share this email with the list. It arrived a few days ago. My reply will follow. Ray ======================================================================== Ray: I've been on the E-digest for a while. Mostly lurking. However, recently, I have gotten some strange emails from some guy calling himself Bill Kniettinger. It appears that some other E-digest people have been emailed almost the same messages based on a thread from a couple of months ago. Have you received any mail from this guy? I am not sure what his agenda is, however, he keeps asking the same question (mostly about WEKAF) or types of questions. Anyhow, maybe I'll run into you again one of these days. --__--__-- Message: 3 From: Ray Terry To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net (Eskrima) Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 11:43:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Eskrima] Re: Question from "Wild Bill" (fwd) Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net And the response. ========================================================================= Hi xxxxxxx, Yes, this wildbill jerk is a total and complete nut case. No joke. Ignore him, steer clear of him, don't have anything to do with him, is my advice. He is one complete and total idiot, imho. There are AT LEAST a dozen others that I know that feel similarily. Pass the word... Take care. --__--__-- Message: 4 From: "TomMeadows" To: Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 15:08:22 -0800 Subject: [Eskrima] Simonet silat tapes Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Greetings, Regarding the comment "... sometimes i have found that occasionally you will find men that have done much in the martial arts or have been training within the scope of the male ego, have problems understanding that its just not a good thing to be all tuff and toss chicks around and use them as their tools in public, in the training hall, on video or in books" . - Ms J. I have both of the Simonet silat video tapes and I am not in a position to comment on their technical or historical accuracy. I reviewed on of the tapes this morning and I do wish to comment positively on his choice of demonstration partners. At the Inosanto Academy one of the first lessons you learn is that it is just as important to learn how to feed techniques as it is to receive them. The experienced students hook up with a good partner who can feed them properly and the speed of learning is greatly increased. It can easily take a year or more to develop this kind of training rapport with a partner. These skills become critically important when doing demonstrations because if you want to present the techniques with speed and power, your partner has to be precisely positioned for self preservation during the demo. The second most critical demonstration skill is to position yourself correctly following the execution of a technique. A knee to the groin will normally bend someone over. If your partner does not bend over when you demonstrate the knee, then he then will be out of position for the follow-up headlock and your presentation of flow goes down the toilet. If you look at the Simonet tapes, he is coming in very hard, and if his partner were an inch out of position she would be taking some pretty hard hits. Her physical response and positioning to his techniques is perfect with regard to positioning herself for the next technique. As a "receiver" or training "dummy " she does a very good job. I've been dropped in sparring by at least two women and I know women can fight. I didn't feel that it would "look bad " when I sparred with them in public, and I would do the same in a video presentation. Simonet's decision to use Addy Hernandez was based on her skills and her quality as his training partner. Frankly the observations about it "looking bad" to see a man hit a woman, or using a training partner that is shorter are completely invalid and do nothing but perpetuate the ignorance of the masses. The argument is just as valid as saying " I know you're my training partner but you're black, but I want the tape to sell in the south and they just wouldn't understand, so I am going to use someone else !" . Addy Hernandez is fit, appropriately dressed, and technically qualified. Anybody that can't over her gender or height in the tapes is a wee bit of an undeveloped human being and not an ideal marketing target in any event. Tom Meadows, a short stocky male --__--__-- Message: 5 From: Ray Terry To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 19:55:10 PST Subject: [Eskrima] Action?? Reply-To: eskrima@martialartsresource.net US troops might not see action in Philippines RAJU GOPALAKRISHNAN MANILA, JANUARY 18: Philippine officials, dismayed by mounting criticism of US troops joining operations against local Muslim guerrillas, said on Friday that American troops might not go out in the field at all. Presidential advisor Eduardo Ermita told reporters the Philippine and US Governments were still reviewing a programme for exercises and could decide against allowing joint patrols, although such patrols are currently planned. In any case, it would be at least three months before any US soldier joined a patrol in rebel-infested territory, other officials said. Although officially non-combatants, the deployment of hundreds of US troops represents Washington's biggest expansion of the war against terror after Afghanistan. Despite government protestations, there has been widespread speculation that the US troops would be involved in fighting the Abu Sayyaf, a militant group linked to Osama bin LadenUs Al Qaeda network and infamous for kidnapping. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo reiterated in an interview with CNN that US troops were in the Philippines to provide training, and not to flush out Abu Sayyaf guerrillas. But Vice-President Teofisto Guingona, who has denied rumours he was resigning from his post as foreign secretary over differences with the President, said he still had some reservations on the issue. "I fully support President Arroyo in the objective of rescuing the remaining hostages of the Abu Sayyaf," Guingona told a local radio station. "But I also expressed some of my concerns." The Abu Sayyaf, based mainly on the rugged and jungle-clad southern island of Basilan, have been holding a US couple and a local nurse hostage there for over seven months. Some 650 US troops, including 160 special forces, will participate in exercises with the Philippine military on Basilan and in nearby Zamboanga city at least until June and possibly until year-end. The exercises were formally launched earlier this week and some US soldiers have already landed on Basilan. Opposition politicians and Left-wing groups here have said the move violates the Constitution, which does not allow foreign troops in a combat role in the country. Former senator Francisco Tatad has said it has made the Philippines "a virtual extension of Afghanistan" and that Arroyo could be impeached for treason. "People might think the soldiers are there for combat, but they are not there to do combat, they are there to do training...the joint military exercises are intended to be mutual training," Arroyo said in her interview. "The overwhelming majority of the people support it...because the people want to see an end to the Abu Sayyaf problem." (Reuters) --__--__-- _______________________________________________ Eskrima mailing list Eskrima@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/eskrima Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2002: Ray Terry and the Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply. Remember 9-11! End of Eskrima Digest