It Still Keeps the Men Happy. posted by Richard Seymour

The United States on Tuesday refused a Philippine request to hand over four Marines charged with rape, provoking anti-American protests in the capital and the Muslim south, where U.S. troops began annual counterterrorism training of Filipino soldiers.

In a letter to the Philippine government, the U.S. Embassy invoked the bilateral Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows large-scale U.S. training in the country, and vowed to keep the Marines in its custody during an upcoming trial.


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Zaynab Ampatuan, deputy head of the left-wing Muslim group Suara Bangsamoro, said the local Muslim community ''should not allow U.S. troops to train Filipino troops to run after suspected terrorists. No other suspects are being arrested except (Muslims).''
The protesters carried streamers ''Never again to gang rape,'' and ''U.S. troops out now.''