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Tuesday 17 OcTOber 2017

South Korea, US begin drills amid North Korean threat Trump says ‘total
termination’ of Iran

By HYUNG-JIN KIM United States also sent four “Such military acts com- cific. The North has yet to deal still possible
Associated Press advanced fighter jets — pel (North Korea) to take carry out its threat. By MATTHEW LEE
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) two F-22s and two F-35s — military counteraction,” Lobbing missiles close to AP Diplomatic Writer
— South Korean and U.S. for an air show and exhibi- said Kim Kwang Hak, a re- Guam would be deeply WASHINGTON (AP) —
troops began five days of President Donald Trump
naval drills on Monday af- on Monday renewed his
ter North Korea renewed threat to fully withdraw
its threat to fire missiles near the United States from
the American territory of the landmark Iran nuclear
Guam. deal, while holding out the
The South Korean and U.S. possibility that fixes to the
militaries regularly conduct accord may prevent an
joint exercises, often en- American pullout.
raging North Korea, which Justifying his decision last
views such training as an week to decertify the 2015
invasion rehearsal. The lat- pact under U.S. law, Trump
est drills in the waters off said the United States had
the Korean Peninsula come been taken advantage of
amid fears of a possible in negotiations the Obama
military clash following the administration conducted
exchanges of insults and and that he was tired of
fierce rhetoric between it. He said that’s why he
President Donald Trump refused to confirm to Con-
and North Korean leader gress that the deal is in
Kim Jong Un. America’s national security
The drills involve fighter interest.
jets, helicopters and 40 South Korean Air Forces’ KF-16 fighters perform during the press day of the 2017 Seoul International Trump decertified the pact
naval ships and subma- Aerospace and Defense Exhibition at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Monday, Oct. 16, on the grounds that Iran
rines from the allies, includ- 2017. South Korean and U.S. troops launched five days of naval drills on Monday, three days after had committed several
ing the aircraft carrier USS North Korea renewed its threat to fire missiles near the American territory of Guam. violations of the deal and
Ronald Reagan, accord- (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) is receiving disproportion-
ing to South Korea’s navy. ate relief from international
Spokesman Jang Wook tion in Seoul that are to be- searcher at the Institute for provocative for the United sanctions for the conces-
told reporters the drills are gin Tuesday. Last week, the American Studies at the States, and a miscalcula- sions it made. But he did
aimed at practicing how to United States flew two B-1B ministry. “We have already tion on either side could not announce a withdraw-
respond to a potential na- supersonic bombers from its warned several times that lead to a military conflict. al from the agreement.
val provocation by North air base in Guam to South we will take counteractions Under Kim’s leadership, Instead, he kicked the fu-
Korea and improving the Korea to try to demonstrate for self-defense, including North Korea has been ac- ture of U.S. participation to
allies’ combined opera- its power against any North a salvo of missiles into wa- celerating its efforts to bol- Congress.
tional capability. Korean aggression. ters near the U.S. territory of ster its weapons arsenals “I feel strongly about what
The drills were to include North Korea didn’t imme- Guam.” and acquire the capabil- I did,” Trump told reporters
live-fire exercises by na- diately respond to the start In August, North Korea is- ity to fire nuclear missiles at at a meeting of his Cabi-
val ships and aircraft and of the drills. On Friday, the sued a similar threat, saying any target in the U.S. main- net in the White House on
anti-submarine training, North’s foreign ministry ac- its military had presented land. The North conducted Monday. “I’m tired of be-
but South Korea’s military cused the United States of Kim Jong Un with plans to its sixth and most powerful ing taken advantage of
didn’t release any photos provoking the country by launch intermediate-range nuclear test in September as a nation. This nation has
or video. mobilizing the aircraft car- missiles to create “envelop- and test-launched two in- been taken advantage of
In a possible show of force rier and other war assets ing fire” near Guam, a key tercontinental ballistic mis- for many, many years, for
against North Korea, the near the peninsula. U.S. military hub in the Pa- siles in July.q many decades, frankly,
and I’m tired of watching
Suspected US missiles kill 20 militants in Pakistan it. But the Iran deal was
something that I felt had to
be done.”
By ISHTIAQ MAHSUD quoted by name because school in Peshawar that a search operation for mili- Lawmakers now have 60
Associated Press they were not authorized killed more than 150 peo- tants in Kurram. days to snap back sanc-
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Paki- to brief media, said the ple, mostly school children. Pakistan considers U.S. tions on Iran that had been
stan (AP) — Missiles appar- number of militants present A government official, who drone strikes a violation of suspended, keep the sta-
ently fired by a U.S. drone in the compound when the also spoke on condition its sovereignty. Washington tus quo or, as the Trump
struck a militant compound missiles struck showed the of anonymity for not be- accuses Pakistan of provid- administration has suggest-
in the Kurram tribal region site was a main center for ing authorized to speak ing safe havens for militants, ed, amend or replace the
close to the Pakistan-Af- Haqqani network militants on sensitive matters, said which Pakistan denies. Iran Nuclear Agreement
ghanistan border Monday in the area. the compound targeted Foreign Minister Khwaja Review Act — which com-
evening, killing 20 extrem- The militant group used to Monday was very close to Mohammad Asif said on pels the president to reaf-
ists, two intelligence offi- have its main sanctuary in the porous border with Af- Geo Tv that at a time when firm Iran’s compliance with
cials said Monday Dande Darpa Khal near Mi- ghanistan in mountainous a new start for peace talks the deal ever 90 days. The
Five militants were initially ran Shah, the main city in terrain. He said it was not is being taken, the U.S. law’s requirements could
reported killed but a later the North Waziristan tribal yet clear whether the com- should not make any drone be broadened so that
search of the compound region. The group disap- pound was on Pakistanis strike in either Afghanistan sanctions relief for Iran is
found 15 more bodies, the peared from there after territory. or Pakistan. He said the contingent on things be-
officials said. Pakistani troops started op- The strike came a day after matter would definitely be yond the nuclear deal,
The officials, who agreed to eration following a militant roadside bombs killed four taken up in talks with U.S. such as Tehran halting bal-
discuss the attack only if not attack on an army public security troops engaged in leaders. q listic missile testing.q