Posted on 06/03/2010 6:40:26 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
United States and South Korea may hold additional military exercises in response to North Korea's alleged sinking of one of Seoul's warships, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday.
US and South Korean officials were discussing possibly holding special exercises, including some focused on anti-submarine warfare, in the aftermath of the sinking of the Cheonan, Gates told reporters on his plane before arriving in Singapore.
"The exercises that are being discussed in Washington and between Washington and Seoul would be some additional exercises beyond the routine exercises" regularly held with South Korea's military, he said.
Gates said there were no plans to deploy a US aircraft carrier as part of the exercises, and his press secretary Geoff Morrell said no such move was imminent -- despite some media reports.
The Pentagon last week said it planned to hold anti-submarine and naval exercises with South Korea as a result of the sinking of the naval ship.
Gates flew to Singapore for an annual Asia security conference that will be dominated by North Korea's alleged sinking of the warship in March that left 46 dead.
He said it was "important to reassure the South Koreans of our support as they face these provocations" from North Korea, which, he said, "seems even more unpredictable than usual".
President Barack Obama said Wednesday he would work with South Korea to "deter aggression" and hold North Korea accountable.
International investigators on May 20 announced their findings that a North Korean submarine had fired a heavy torpedo to sink the warship. The North has denied involvement, and responded to the South's reprisals with threats of war.
At the Singapore conference, Gates was to hold talks on the issue with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
sooo scary. Yes, more joint exercises. More leaves cancelled....oooooohh...! Very mean & scary.
More prominent CYA until we pay them off, sure.
NOT FOOLING ME.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.