August 07, 2010
Ignoring China’s protests (clcik title to entry - thank you) about large-scale military maneuvers near its shores, U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises in the Yellow Sea in the next few months will include a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Pentagon said.
“The USS George Washington will exercise in the Yellow Sea, in the West Sea,” Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters in Washington Thursday, “but I don’t have for you yet dates when that exercise involving that aircraft carrier will take place.”
The U.S. Defense Department said future drills, designed to rebuke North Korea for the sinking of a South Korean warship in March, will take place on both sides of the peninsula. The first of the exercises took place from July 25 to 28 in the East Sea and the USS George Washington aircraft carrier took part....
The Chinese Navy has been showing increasing prowess in the Pacific. It was a surprise to the USA. In recent years, Russia has launched new nuclear submarines as well. I hope this isn't going to end up being a major confrontation. It might be very tempting for Asia to rid the world of any potential for "A Return of the Neocons."
North Korea fires artillery rounds into the sea
The move comes a day after the North seized a South Korean fishing boat. Pyongyang had vowed to respond to South Korea's naval training exercises.
By John M. Glionna and Ethan Kim
Los Angeles Times
August 9, 2010
4:25 a.m.
Reporting from Yichang, China and Seoul — In a pointed example of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea on Monday fired more than 100 rounds of artillery into the waters off its west coast, according to South Korea's Defense Ministry.
The move came one day after the North seized a South Korean fishing boat and its seven-man crew that officials claimed had violated North Korea's exclusive economic zone.
In recent days, North Korea had vowed "strong physical retaliation" in response to South Korea's launching last week of five days of naval training exercises near the disputed sea border between North and South. The exercises ended Monday....
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-north-korea-artillery-20100810,0,4308176.story
