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U.S. troops in Japan take part in ship inspection exercises targeting N. Korea
From Geostrategy Direct...requires subscription....U.S. troops stationed in Japan are participating in an 11-nation ship inspection exercise this week near Australia. The U.S. Marines Third Expeditionary Brigade stationed in Okinawa joined the exercises along with 10 other allied nations. The goal of the exercises is to develop procedures to halt shipments of weapons of mass destruction and missiles by challenging ships at sea, the Japanese-language Okinawa Times reported last week. Although not publicly stated, the intended target of the exercises is North Korea. Earlier this year, Australia detected and caught a North Korean cargo ship carrying high-quality heroin off its coast. Last December the Spanish navy challenged a suspicious North Korean ship off Yemen and discovered Scud missiles. The exercises are part of the Proliferation Security Initiative that President Bush announced in May. In addition to the U.S., Japan and Spain, other participating countries include Great Britain, Australia, France (for the entertainment value), Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Poland. Bush administration officials emphasized the initiative was not intended to impose a blockade against any nation but is merely aimed at interdicting illegal exports. North Korea has warned that it would consider a blockade as an act of war. The screws are being slowly tightened on the Norks. Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-09-17 |
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