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A30    world news
                Diabierna 3 December 2021

                        US defense chief slams China’s drive for hypersonic weapons


            (AP) — America’s defense                                                               program “is increasingly de-
            chief  rebuked  China  on                                                              stabilizing  for  regional  se-  The  United  States  stations
            Thursday, vowing to con-                                                               curity.” Austin said the allies  about  28,500  soldiers  in
            front its potential military                                                           remain  committed  to  a  dip-  South Korea to deter poten-
            threats in Asia and warn-                                                              lomatic  approach  to  North  tial  aggression  from  North
            ing that its pursuit of hy-                                                            Korea.                       Korea.  During  Thursday’s
            personic weapons intend-                                                                                            meeting,  Austin  highlighted
            ed  to  evade  U.S.  missile                                                           Suh  said  the  two  agreed  on  a U.S. commitment to main-
            defenses  “increases  ten-                                                             a  document  updating  joint  tain the current level of U.S.
            sions in the region.”                                                                  contingency  plans  in  the  forces,  according  to  a  joint
                                                                                                   event  of  a  war  on  the  pen-  statement.
            U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd                                                           insula  to  reflect  changes  in
            Austin’s  stern  comments  af-  although  China  insisted  it  Chiefs of Staff, said the Unit-  North  Korean  threats  and  The  alliance,  forged  dur-
            ter annual security talks with  was  testing  a  reusable  space  ed States is also working on  other  conditions,  but  didn’t  ing the 1950-53 Korean War,
            South Korea, a top U.S. ally,  vehicle, not a missile.    hypersonic  weapons.  But  elaborate on the document’s  was  tested  in  recent  years
            are a window into one of the                              there  is  worry  in  Washing-  details.                  as  then-President  Donald
            Biden  administration’s  top  “We have concerns about the  ton  that  it  is  lagging  behind                       Trump  threatened  to  pull
            foreign policy worries: How  military  capabilities  that  the  China and Russia in pursuing  North  Korea’s  nuclear  arse-  U.S. troops out of South Ko-
            should  Washington  and  its  PRC  continues  to  pursue,  these types of weapons. Rus-  nal is believed to have grown  rea if Seoul did not drastically
            partners  contain  a  Chinese  and the pursuit of those capa-  sia said Monday its navy suc-  significantly in recent years.  increase its financial support
            military that is strengthening  bilities  increases  tensions  in  cessfully tested a prospective                   for them. Trump also repeat-
            —  both  in  sheer  firepower  the region,” Austin said about  hypersonic cruise missile.  After a series of high-profile  edly  complained  of  the  cost
            and  in  confidence  —  as  it  the hypersonic weapons test,                           missile  and  nuclear  tests  of  regular  military  drills  be-
            pursues an end of American  using the abbreviation for the  Hypersonic  weapons,  which  in  2016-17,  North  Korea  tween Washington and Seoul.
            dominance in Asia?           People’s  Republic  of  China,  fly  at  speeds  in  excess  of  claimed  to  have  the  abil-
                                         the country’s official name.  Mach  5,  or  five  times  the  ity  to  launch  nuclear  strikes  Such  concerns  have  eased
            China  sees  much  of  Asia  as                           speed  of  sound,  could  pose  on  the  American  homeland.  since  President  Joe  Biden
            its  natural  sphere  of  influ-  “We’ll  continue  to  maintain  crucial  challenges  to  missile  According  to  a  2018  South  took office in January. But the
            ence. But many in the region  the capabilities to defend and  defense  systems  because  of  Korean estimate, North Ko-  alliance  still  faces  challenges
            warn of a pattern of Chinese  deter  against  a  range  of  po-  their  speed  and  maneuver-  rea has built up to 60 nuclear  such  as  Seoul’s  historical
            interference, accompanied by  tential threats from the PRC  ability.  But  some  experts  ar-  weapons.             disputes with Japan, another
            moves  to  acquire  the  weap-  to  ourselves  and  to  our  al-  gue that hypersonic weapons                       key U.S. regional ally, and its
            ons  needed  to  dominate  its  lies,” he said.           would add little to America’s  Despite  severe  economic  hesitation  to  join  U.S.-led
            rivals.  Austin’s  comments                               ability to deter war and worry  hardships related to the pan-  initiatives targeting China, its
            were directed at China’s July  The  Pentagon  released  on  that they could trigger a new,  demic, North Korea has con-  biggest trading partner.
            test  of  a  hypersonic  weapon  Monday the results of a glob-  destabilizing arms race.  tinuously  rebuffed  U.S.  of-
            capable  of  partially  orbiting  al  posture  review  that  calls                     fers  to  resume  disarmament  Austin  and  Suh  pledged  to
            Earth  before  reentering  the  for  additional  cooperation  Austin also addressed anoth-  talks,   saying   Washington  continue   trilateral   coop-
            atmosphere and gliding on a  with allies to deter “potential  er major U.S. worry: North  must first abandon its hostil-  eration  involving  Japan.  But
            maneuverable path to its tar-  Chinese  military  aggression  Korea.                   ity. The Biden administration  they didn’t elaborate on how
            get.                         and threats from North Ko-                                maintains  that  international  South Korea and Japan could
                                         rea.”                        He  said  that  he  agreed  with  sanctions  on  North  Korea  overcome tensions stemming
            Experts say the weapons sys-                              South Korean Defense Min-    will  stay  in  place  until  the  largely from Tokyo’s 1910-45
            tem  is  clearly  designed  to  Last month, Gen. Mark Mil-  ister  Suh  Wook  that  the  country  takes  concrete  steps  colonization  of  the  Korean
            evade  U.S.  missile  defenses,  ley,  chairman  of  the  Joint  North’s  growing  weapons  toward denuclearization.  Peninsula.



                         Despite migrant deaths, Iraqi Kurds still seek out smugglers


                                                                      the  smuggler  who  arranged  seeking to move to the West.  where  Zana  would  deposit
                                                                      for  his  brother’s  journey.  “I  Although  northern  Iraq  is  money.
                                                                      know him, I know his fam-    more  prosperous  than  the
                                                                      ily here, I have all their phone  rest  of  the  conflict-scarred  That night, Zana spoke to his
                                                                      numbers,” he said.           country, growing unemploy-   brother by phone just before
                                                                                                   ment  and  frustration  over  midnight.  He  asked  about
                                                                      In  Ranya,  a  town  of  about  corruption is forcing many to  the weather, the boat and the
                                                                      400,000  in  Iraq’s  Kurdish-  consider the risky journey to  others with him.
                                                                      run region, the plight of the  Europe.
                                                                      migrants seems to be a topic                              “The  boat  is  not  good,”  he
                                                                      that  everyone  knows  some-  About  28,000  Iraqis  left  for  recalls that Twana replied, ex-
                                                                      thing about.                 Europe  in  2021,  with  about  plaining it was too small, and
                                                                                                   7,000  from  the  Raparin  dis-  there were 33 people waiting
                                                                      Those  who  want  to  get  out  trict that includes Ranya and  to cross — too many for the
                                                                      ask local travel agents to con-  the nearby town of Qaladze,  vessel.
                                                                      nect them with smugglers in  said Baker Ali, head of a lo-
                                                                      Turkey and elsewhere. Those  cal association of refugees re-  They  spoke  again  at  2:05
            (AP) — Shoes pile up out-    their  fear  that  18-year  old  who  have  returned  from  turning from Europe.       a.m.  on  Nov.  24.  In  a  four
            side the Mamand home in  Twana  Mamand  may  have  failed  attempts  hang  around                                   minute  call,  Twana  laughed
            northern  Iraq  from  rela-  drowned  along  with  at  least  the  main  park,  eager  to  try  Twana  had  tried  and  failed  and  joked,  telling  his  older
            tives and friends who have  26  others  when  their  flimsy  again.  At  the  police  station,  five  times  to  cross  the  Eng-  brother they would be dock-
            streamed  inside  to  offer  boat  sank  near  the  French  officers  say  they  can’t  stop  lish Channel from Calais be-  ing  in  an  hour’s  time.  Zana
            solace  as  they  anxiously  coast  last  week.  They  had  the smugglers.             fore he boarded a small boat  was tired, and asked his sister,
            await news of the family’s  been bound for Britain with                                on the evening of Nov. 23.   Kala, who lives in the U.K.,
            young son, who was lost at  hopes of starting new lives.  Many victims of the English                               to stay online.
            sea  somewhere  between                                   Channel tragedy are believed  The  routine  was  the  same:
            France and Britain.          Zana  Mamand,  33,  wiped  to be Iraqi Kurds, who seem  Ahead  of  each  attempted  In  his  last  message,  Twana
                                         away tears and vowed to take  to  make  up  the  majority  of  crossing,  smugglers  would  said the engine wasn’t work-
            Most  are  afraid  to  articulate  revenge against the family of  Middle  Eastern  migrants  select a travel office in Ranya  ing.
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