US, S. Korea open biggest drills in years amid North threats

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By KIM TONG-HYUNG

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years Monday as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat.

The drills could draw an angry response from North Korea, which has dialed up its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year while repeatedly threatening conflicts with Seoul and Washington amid a prolonged stalemate in diplomacy.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will continue through Sept. 1 in South Korea and include field exercises involving aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially tens of thousands of troops.

While Washington and Seoul describe their exercises as defensive, North Korea portrays them as invasion rehearsals and has used them to justify its nuclear weapons and missiles development.



South Korean army K-9 self-propelled howitzers take positions in Paju, near the border with North Korea, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 22, 2022. The United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military training in years Monday as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-seoul-south-korea-nuclear-weapons-bbabb0c0d727c15b0cf7f8f6d62c7934

[Alexander Of Assyria]

1. Another day another dollar for the perpetual fear mongering pro-military media artillery machine!

[soryang]

2. Exactly

Last edited Mon Aug 22, 2022, 10:36 AM - Edit history (1)

Having military maneuvers so close to the DMZ is a deliberate provocation and does look like preparation for an attack on the North. The whole concept that there is a conventional military solution to what is in fact, a strategic problem that has no solution short of nuclear war is a terrible mistake. The notion that allied forces can do pre-emptive strikes, which Yoon likes to talk about is ridiculous. if the misguided generals wanted to play with their toys, they should exercise near Ichon, Yeoju, Wonsan, etc. Some other serious information that needs to be disclosed and is much harder to come by is how close will air operations come to the DMZ, are the buffer zones north and south of the MDL going to be violated, will the US bring strategic bombers to drop "shapes" on a northward flight path approaching the DMZ, and will US aircraft carriers or SSNs disclose their presence in the East or West Seas?

Part of the problem is Yoon's profound incompetence and political weakness. He has nothing else to offer his people. He knows nothing about defense or foreign relations either. He is an authoritarian figure attempting to construct a police state based on anti-labor, anti-democratic, and red baiting tactics. His public support is in freefall. His administration and party are in a crisis right now, and the militarists are taking advantage of it.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

3. Do you agree that the US and S. Korea have every right to stage training exercises

just as Russia and China have every right to stage training exercises?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

4. See Sorang post! Ofc all sides have the right to sabre rattle in defence of their military budgets

and for domestic political gain, dutifully reported in their respective military budget loving media!

[MarineCombatEngineer]

5. I disagree with your reasons, but I can also respect it.

Have a great week and here's to hoping Benedict Donald has another horrible week.