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The military of Singapore serves primarily as a deterrent to potential invaders of the island. Singapore has mutual defense' pacts with several allies that it militarily cooperates with, such as those in the Five Power Defense' Arrangements. Singapore uses the concept of Total Defense', which classifies defense' into five aspects. Besides the military, the other four aspects of Total Defense' are civil defense', which is carried out by the Singapore Civil Defense' Force, and concepts of 'economic defense', 'psychological defense', and 'social defense' The military of Singapore comprises various armed forces collectively known as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Various agencies of the Ministry of Defense' (MINDEF) and some private companies also play a supporting role. The military of Singapore is one of the most modernized in Asia, with its current standing reflecting the continued emphasis of the government on military defense'— military expenditures dominate the annual government budget. The recent uses of unconventional warfare and terrorism have elevated the other aspects of Total Defense' The Gurkha Contingent, which is part of the Singapore Police Force, is also a counter-terrorist force. Singapore's defense' resources have been used for international humanitarian aid missions. These missions included United Nations peacekeeping abroad in areas such as Kosovo, Kuwait and East Timor, and participating in the multinational force in Iraq. Before independence, Singapore suffered bomb attack during the Konfrantasi campaign sponsored by Indonesia under President Sukarno. More recent threat comes from the militant organization Jemaah Islamiyah, which plotted the foiled Singapore embassies attack in 2001. |
Singapore Information: Inside
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