President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ruled out a combat role for U.S. troops in the southern Philippines Wednesday, despite a terrorist bombing that killed 21 people, including an American missionary.
"We welcome their assistance. They have always said that they will help us in any way we want them to help us," Ms. Arroyo told reporters. "I have always said that as a matter of policy I just draw the line at ground combat where I want our soldier to do the fighting and not their soldiers."
U.S. special forces instructors are currently training Philippine soldiers in counterterrorism tactics in the city of Zamboanga, about 400 kilometres west of the scene of Tuesday's attack.
