Cobra Gold Kicks Off

[eric1000]

BANGKOK, May 13 (Xinhuanet) -- Thailand and the United States on Thursday morning started their annual joint military exercise Cobra Gold in northeastern Thailand.

This year's exercise, one of the largest involving with the United States forces in the Pacific Command, was designed to improve participating troops combat readiness and combined-joint interoperability, said a statement issued by the US Embassy to Thailand.

It's also aimed to enhance security relationships and "demonstrate the US resolve to support the security and humanitarian interests of US friends and allies in the region," said the statement.

"Multi lateral exercises such as Cobra Gold are essential to help us train and work together to defeat those terrorists and eliminate their networks in Southeast Asia and around the world," the US ambassador Darryl N. Johnson was quoted as saying.

This year's exercise to be held from May 13-27 would focus on cooperation in conducting peace enforcement operation and humanitarian and disaster relief operation.

The United States and Thailand have taken the annual military exercise since 1980's and Singapore became a participant in 2000.

The Philippines and Mongolia also took part in this year's Cobra Gold, which was participated by approximately 13,500 US service members and 6,000 from the Thai forces. Enditem

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strange they are all farting around in the northeast when there is a terrorist uprising in the south !

dont have they have a compass or are they sh1t scared of something ...

or maybe cobra gold is just one big pissup for the boyscouts !

[caughtintheact]

strange they are all farting around in the northeast when there is a terrorist uprising in the south !

dont have they have a compass or are they sh1t scared of something ...

or maybe cobra gold is just one big pissup for the boyscouts !

It would be helpful if you learned to think a bit before posting such idiotic comments. If the U.S. troops were here to fight in the south, that's where they would be. But this is a sovereign country and their presence in the south would have to be formally requested by the Thai government.

[Up2U]

Basically it is a compromise - instead of all the Issaan girls coming to Pattaya, the GI's have gone to Issaan.

CITA - agree with you wholeheartedly. The Thais are trying to keep this as a domestic matter and to invite the Boys-from-the-Bush in would escalate matters to a ridiculous extent.

[Padkapow Guy]

strange they are all farting around in the northeast when there is a terrorist uprising in the south !

dont have they have a compass or are they sh1t scared of something ...

or maybe cobra gold is just one big pissup for the boyscouts !

I hope you wiped after a stupid comment like that.