USS George Washington to Arrive in Busan Wednesday

USS George Washington to Arrive in Busan Wednesday

english.chosun.com

The U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington will steam into Busan Port on Wednesday in time for the "two plus two" meeting of the foreign and defense ministers of South Korea and the U.S.

On board a military aircraft bound for Seoul with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell on Monday said the carrier will lie at anchor at Busan Port from Wednesday to Sunday.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Mod Edit: Review This Link: Instructions for the Breaking News Forums: Copy The Exact Headline

[edit on 7/20/2010 by semperfortis]

Pardon me if this is already being discussed in another thread. I do remember seeing that the US and South Korea would be hosting war games, but did not know the exact involvement. Is this scary news? Or "just normal" wartime exercises?

I truly fear for our people in that region, as well as all others in close proximity.

english.chosun.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Big Trouble in Little Chi

Yes, I picked up on this via the BBC earlier this evening, link to article but didn't see a thread...quote: "The US and South Korea say they will begin a major military exercise aimed at sending a message of deterrence to North Korea on 25 July.

The four-day exercise, in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), will involve 20 ships, 200 planes and 8,000 personnel. "

I don't know if it's 'normal' for such exercises to be accompanied by such politically significant meetings by senior state officials though? Seems they're at least mixing in some strong messages for someone amidst all of these 'routine' exercises?

[edit on 20-7-2010 by curioustype]

[edit on 20-7-2010 by curioustype]

Well China just held and exercise a few days ago. Looks like this will be somewhat of a "response" even though it has been planned.

They should build 10000 more and have 10 of them at every ocean bay'd city in the world for total world security.

US puts new sanctions against N Korea

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Washington will impose new sanctions on North Korea and has warned of serious consequences if it again attacks the South.

The United States and South Korea are to stage about 10 joint naval military exercises in coming months as a deterrent to North Korea, Seoul's Defense Ministry said.

The exercise starting Sunday involves about 20 ships including the 97,000-ton aircraft carrier USS George Washington and some 200 fixed-wing aircraft.

North Korea has denounced the July 25-28 drill as "very dangerous sabre-rattling" aimed at igniting a nuclear war.

NKorea warning of nuclear war... again. China doesn't like that war game either.

Yeah, if remember correctly, China 'warned' the US not to send a carrier to the area and inflame tensions.

Will be interesting to see how China reacts. It is interesting for the fact that this carrier deployment seemed on the tipping point of happening and, in my view, caved in to political pressure.

Seems that has changed, and its now going to be a BIG production, F-22's and all the bells and whistles.

Maybe they just wanted to take the time to put on a really good show? Maybe they didn't cave, but just took the time to respond in force.

//Seems like its getting hotter on that side of the rock?//

Found a link for 'Invinsible Spirit', going to be a 'Really big show'.

U.S.-Korean Defense Leaders Announce Exercise Invincible Spirit

SEOUL, South Korea, July 20, 2010 – The United States and South Korea today announced a series of military exercises designed to send a strong, clear message to North Korea to stop its provocative and warlike acts.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Republic of Korea National Defense Minister Kim Tae-young released a joint statement on the exercises following meetings here.

The first in a series is a combined maritime and air readiness exercise named Invincible Spirit. About 8,000 U.S. and ROK military personnel will participate. The exercise is in response to the unprovoked attack on and sinking of the South Korean frigate Cheonan off the west coast of the peninsula. Forty-six South Korean sailors were killed in the North Korean torpedo attack on the vessel.

“This is the first in a series of ROK-U.S. combined naval exercises that will occur in both the East and West Seas,” the two defense ministers said in their joint statement. To Americans, the East Sea is the Yellow Sea and the West Sea is the Sea of Japan.

“These defensive, combined exercises are designed to send a clear message to North Korea that its aggressive behavior must stop, and that we are committed to together enhancing our combined defensive capabilities,” the statement continued.

Navy Adm. Robert F. Willard, the commander of U.S. Pacific Command, put the exercises in context for reporters traveling with Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Willard said the exercise will begin at the conclusion of the Two-plus-Two meetings between the U.S. and Korean ministers of defense and foreign affairs.

Willard called the attack on the Cheonan “heinous.”

The exercise does include the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group and ROK Navy ships. Aircraft will come from the U.S. Seventh Air Force, the George Washington’s Air Wing, the ROK air force and ROK anti-submarine aircraft. The exercise will include F-22 Raptor aircraft training for the first time in the theater, he said.

Over 150 aircraft, including those Raptors.

[edit on 21-7-2010 by ErEhWoN]

Well the US placed sanctions on NK today and just a few weeks back, NK said sanctions would lead to war. Personally, i think NK was lying and the US just called their bluff. Military exercises with the south start on Sunday...we'll see if NK puts their money (or lackthereof) where their collective mouths are or if they are just blustering again.

Check N Korea. Next -your move.

Political pissing contests start wars and kill millions of people. Times are already hard and resources stretched. Confrontations are a high stakes game with civilizations being risked by petty politicians. Intimidation does not work especially with North Koreans, they might not have a delivery system for their nukes but if the US and South Korean Navies offer such a large fleet in an accessible Korean harbor.....Pearl Harbor again