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A2 UP FRONT
Tuesday 5 december 2017
Stealth jets, other aircraft fly in US, South Korean drills

By YOUKYUNG LEE did not confirm their par- missiles, and as President ham, a Republican U.S. diplomats and other em-
Associated Press ticipation. Donald Trump ramps up his senator from the state of bassy workers, about
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The training, held each year rhetoric toward the North, South Carolina, said he be- 28,500 U.S. troops operate
Hundreds of aircraft includ- in late fall, is not in response threatening, for instance, lieves that it’s time for U.S. in South Korea, and many
ing two dozen stealth jets to any incident or provoca- to unleash “fire and fury” military families in South come to their posts with
began training Monday as their families, who often live
the United States and South on huge, well-guarded mili-
Korea launched a massive tary bases.
combined air force exer- Also on Sunday, the White
cise. The war games come House national security
a week after North Korea adviser said that Trump will
test-fired its most powerful take care of North Korean
missile ever, an ICBM that threats by “doing more our-
may be able to target the selves.”
eastern seaboard of the “The priorities that the presi-
United States. dent’s given us to move
The five-day drill, which as quickly as we can to
is called Vigilant Ace, is resolve this crisis with North
meant to improve the al- Korea,” General H.R. Mc-
lies’ wartime capabilities Master told Fox News in an
and preparedness, South interview.
Korea’s defense ministry “If necessary, the president
said. and the United States will
The U.S. Seventh Air Force have to take care of it,
sent major strategic military because he has said he’s
assets, including an unusu- not going to allow this mur-
ally large number of the lat- derous, rogue regime to
est generations of stealth A U.S. Air Force EA-18G Growler fighter jet prepares to land at the Osan U.S. Air Base in Pyeongtaek, threaten the United States.”
fighter jets, for the annual South Korea, Monday, Dec. 4, 2017. Hundreds of aircrafts including two dozen stealth jets began NATO Secretary-General
training in the Korean Pen- training Monday as the United States and South Korea launched their combined air force exercise. Jens Stoltenberg warned
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
insula. Monday that war on the
They include six F-22 and tion, the Seventh Air Force against the country. Korea to leave the country Korean Peninsula “would
18 F-35 stealth fighter jets. said in a statement. Pyongyang will “seriously because conflict with North be catastrophic and it
About 12,000 U.S. military North Korea’s state media consider” countermea- Korea is getting close. The would have global conse-
personnel are participat- said the drill pushes the Ko- sures against the drill, and U.S. government has not quences.”
ing. In total, 230 aircraft will rean Peninsula “to the brink the U.S. and South Korea announced a formal deci- He said the 29-country mili-
be flying at eight U.S. and of nuclear war.” will “pay dearly for their sion to evacuate U.S. citi- tary alliance “is strong, and
South Korean military instal- Such language is typical in provocations,” the Korean zens from South Korea, and united, and NATO is able to
lations in the South. North Korean propagan- Central News Agency said there were no such signs in respond to any attack, in-
An official at the South Ko- da because the country on Sunday before the start the diplomatic community cluding ballistic and nucle-
rean Defense Ministry, who claims U.S.-South Korean of the exercises. in Seoul. ar attacks.”
spoke on condition of ano- drills are preparation for in- While many South Koreans An evacuation of depen- Stoltenberg added that
nymity because of office vasion. typically ignore North Ko- dents by Seoul’s closest NATO “will continue to
rules, corrected his earlier Still, always bad tensions rea’s rhetoric, some senior ally and major military de- put maximum pressure on
statement that the exercise are at a particularly dan- American officials have ex- fender could prompt a North Korea.
was the biggest ever. gerous point as North Ko- pressed worry following the panicked reaction by oth- We will continue to deliver
Some local media report rea edges toward its goal ICBM test, North Korea’s er countries, and among credible deterrence and
that B-1B bombers will also of a viable arsenal of nu- third. South Koreans. ... work with our partners in
join aerial drills, but officials clear-tipped long-range On Sunday, Lindsey Gra- In addition to American the region.”q

Mattis seeks more cooperation with Pakistan on terror fight

By LOLITA BALDOR tinue to work together and that during the meetings The official, who spoke on against Pakistan.”
Associated Press that Islamabad plays a Mattis discussed Pakistan’s condition of anonymity to Earlier, Mattis told report-
ISLAMABAD (AP) — De- key role in the struggle for role in the peace process discuss private meetings, ers traveling with him that
fense Secretary Jim Mat- peace in Afghanistan. and “reiterated that Paki- said Mattis also made it he wants to work with Paki-
tis pressed top Pakistani In brief comments be- stan must redouble its ef- clear that Pakistan must do stan to address the prob-
leaders Monday to “re- fore their meeting, Paki- forts to confront militants its part to bring the Taliban lems, adding that the U.S. is
double” efforts to go after stan Prime Minister Shahid and terrorists operating to the negotiating table committed to a pragmatic
insurgents operating in safe Khaqan Abbasi said his within the country.” with Afghanistan. relationship that expands
havens, the Pentagon said, country is committed to the A senior U.S. official said the A statement from Abbasi’s cooperation while also “re-
underscoring a long frustra- war on terror and shares meetings were “straight- office said the prime min- inforcing President Trump’s
tion with Islamabad over the same common objec- forward,” and that Mat- ister talked about recent call for action against ter-
Taliban-linked militants that tives as the U.S. tis was very specific about counterterrorism operations rorist safe havens.”
freely cross the border to “Engagement is there,” what Pakistan needs to do and said Pakistan “would “We have heard from Paki-
conduct attacks against he said, adding that they to show it is taking action continue to conduct intel- stan leaders that they do
the U.S. and allies in Af- “need to move forward against the militants. Asked ligence based operations not support terrorism. So I
ghanistan. with (the) issues at hand.” if Mattis set any timelines, all over the country.” And expect to see that sort of
Both sides released com- Mattis did not speak while the official said the urgen- it said Abbasi appreciates action reflected in their
ments saying that the U.S. reporters were present. A cy of the matter was com- “the U.S. resolve not to al- policies,” Mattis said before
and Pakistan want to con- Pentagon statement said municated. low the use of Afghan soil his trip to Islamabad.q