The tiny island state emerged relatively quickly to affirm support for Washington's war on terrorism after the September 11 attacks, while stridently pointing out it was not aiming at any one race or religion.

Singapore -- with Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, off its southern shores and a history of prickly relations with northern neighbor Malaysia -- has had its own troubles with race tensions since independence in 1965.

"It is because we are economically dependent and therefore we have to show we are supportive," said Chandra Mohan, president of the Roundtable, a government-sanctioned, non-partisan political discussion group. "When America calls the whole world reacts."

But some Singaporeans are asking whether the government needed to be so forthright.

They say the United States has yet to prove its prime suspect Osama bin Laden was behind the attacks and Singapore's posture could trigger negative reaction from less moderate elements.

"Why draw attention to yourself?" a retired banker asked, noting rising anti-American sentiment in Indonesia.

ALREADY IN SPOTLIGHT

An agreement to allow the US military to keep a facility in Singapore since the early 1990s has already placed the island in the spotlight as an obvious friend of Washington.

Defense Minister Tony Tan said on Wednesday (Oct 3) that US planes and ships had been making more transit stops in Singapore as Washington prepares its response to the attacks.

The United States is also a key market for trade-driven Singapore's exports, particularly electronics.

For the past three decades, Singapore has viewed the United States as a key stabilizing force in the region. But as an open economy with a multi-racial population, it also wants to keep on good terms with as many players as possible.

"What Singapore has done has obviously been very sensibly to distinguish between terrorism and Islam," said Melina Nathan of the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies in Singapore.

"The last thing Singapore will want to do in the wake of a terrorist attack is to suddenly reverse its view of regional order, that the US plays an important role and it will assist the US as far as possible."

"WE HAVE TO STAND UP"

The debate, which continues as the United States prepares for a widely expected strike against Afghanistan for harboring bin Laden, was fueled by the Singapore government's painstaking explanations this week of its policy to support global anti-terrorism efforts.

"Do we stand up for international law and order and peace and security from terrorist attacks or do we lay low in order to avoid attracting attention and to avoid raising a delicate problem which may challenge our society?" said Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

"I think we have no choice, we have to stand up."

Lee noted neighboring governments were worried about radical groups like the Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, Laskar Jihad in Indonesia and Kumpulan Mujahideen in Malaysia.

As officials stress the need for harmony among the Chinese, Malay and Indian communities, schools have stepped up vigilance against racial remarks after the government alluded to cases of "inappropriate behavior" between Muslim and non-Muslim students.

An estimated 15,000 Americans live on the island of four million people and about 15 percent of its population is Muslim.

But Eleanor Wong, a playwright and former current affairs television presenter, said it was not clear whether Singapore would align itself with Washington when governments explore the root causes of terrorism and how to deal with them.

"The Singapore response is a no brainer, not so much siding with the US but an outrage against the acts," she said.

"The bigger picture is the one that is sensitive. In those issues there are many view points that have become entrenched, and bitterly so, over the years."