Not all have been successful. Since 2002, US SOF units have sought to help the Philippine armed forces defeat the Abu Sayyaf. Fallon told a Senate committee, however, that the southern Philippines "remain a sanctuary, training and recruiting ground for terrorist organizations."
To enhance cooperation, Fridovich invited leaders of Asian SOFs from 22 nations along with academic specialists, counter-terror experts, academics and intelligence analysts to Honolulu for a weeklong conference last month.
Among them were representatives from China, with which the US has sought to expand military exchanges.
A conference report asserted that terrorists and the West often compete for the support of deprived people.
"Finding a way to get there first," the report said, "and give people a leg up without creating resentment and before the terrorists can influence them appears to be a key challenge."
The summary stressed effective counter-terrorist communications but added: "If we do not appreciate the complexity and richness of the values and concerns of the people with whom we are communicating, we will miss the mark."
Richard Halloran is a writer based in Hawaii.
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