In full combat gear, U.S. Special Forces commandos are on a campaign to win the hearts and minds of residents on this troubled island where centuries of Muslim-Christian conflicts have left deep scars and cause almost daily bloodshed. The task of these highly trained Americans is not to comb the thick tropical foliage of Mindanao for elusive terrorists such as the Abu Sayyaf but to implement a strategy many of them see as key in the global war to eradicate terrorism: Wean impoverished and backward rural populations from supporting extremist groups by giving people the opportunity for an education and basic needs such as medical care and clean drinking water. Full Story