The decision by Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to withdraw troops from Iraq so that a Filipino would be saved from possible murder, takes the global war on terror to something of an untouched realm.

While the decision certainly satisfied mainstream Filipinos, the economic imperatives of the move are undeniable.

Going by the latest headcount, some eight million Filipinos work overseas and repatriate some US$8 billion to the nation's impoverished economy. Hence, it is only expedient to give the safety of workers greater importance, instead of choosing the fashionable option of lining up behind foreign alliances.

What is intriguingly fortunate for the Philippines is how close the crisis was to its eventual withdrawal of troops. Although it was not planning on withdrawing its troops before Aug 20, Manila would have figured that an early pullout and saving the life of a citizen would have rid it of this ordeal once and for all.