Cobra Gold 2010 Joint Exercise Kicks Off In Thailand

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Cobra Gold 2010 joint exercise kicks off in Thailand

RAYONG: -- Feb 1 (TNA) - "Cobra Gold 2010" or CG10, the annual joint exercise among the United States and regional armed forces began in Thailand’s eastern province of Rayong on Monday.

The ceremony to launch the annual wargames was jointly presided over by Admiral Wallop Kerdphol, Deputy Chief of Thailand’s Defence Forces and US Ambassador Eric G. John at U-Tapao airport.

Apart from usual exercise between Thailand and the US armed forces, this year was the first time that Singapore, Japan, South Korea had participated in the Cobra Gold joint military exercises in Thailand held between February 1-11.

Armed forces from more than 20 countries were participating as observers.

Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint and coalition multi-national exercise hosted annually by Thailand. Cobra Gold 2010 (CG10) is the latest in a continuing series of exercises designed to promote regional peace and security. This exercise marks the 29th anniversary of this regionally significant training event.

U.S. Ambassador John earlier told a press conference that Cobra Gold is America’s “largest military cooperative effort in the Pacific” and signals “the US commitment to the security of our friends and allies in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The training is based on a "computer-simulated command post exercise (CPX), field training exercises linked to the CPX, and humanitarian and civic assistance projects," he said.

The joint activity is designed to improve the American Pacific Command’s ability to carry out joint and multi-national military operations and to improve the ability of the participating countries’ armed forces to work together.

The computer-era exercise combines Thai, US, Singaporean, Japanese, Indonesian, and South Korean participants in a coalition grouping. Thai, US, Singaporean, Japanese, Indonesian, South Korean, and United Nations military force personnel will participate in the field training modeled after the UN’s multi-national peace support operations scenario. Thailand, the US, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea will participate in humanitarian and civic assistance projects. - (TNA)

-- TNA 2010-02-01

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[animatic]

What was this thread about USA and Thailand drifting apart?

Seems pretty tight to me.

[TerraPosse]

What was this thread about USA and Thailand drifting apart?

Seems pretty tight to me.

Wait until they report the first 'friendly' fire incidents...

[Publicus]

This indeed is a long standing joint operation that regularly broadcasts to the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean rim countries the continued strong alliance between the US and (the last time I looked) the world's 13th largest military, Thailand. And it's good to see the Thai military acting as a military should, engaging itself internationally and globally beyond its onerous intrusions in Thai domestic affairs.   

It's also significant to see the new government of S Korea resuming its historically strong alliance with the US and Asean countries after nearly a decade of neglect. After a patient and forbearing 50 year US tolerance of authoritarian rule in S Korea, democracy and prosperity have at last emerged in the former Hermit Kingdom, where now newspapers print adverts with photos by civil society groups during election campaigns stating, "This Man Is Corrupt!" (In Thailand you go to jail for such an act of free speech.)

The new government of Japan is reinforcing its publicly stated commitment to the foundation of the post war alliance with the US.

The mutual wooing between Indonesia and the US of the past several years is now becoming manifest in yet another way in CG10. The US has no stronger ally in East Asia than Singapore which, but for its modest size, would be a high profile strongest ally - Singapore recently constructed an entire new dock for visiting US aircraft carriers which previously had had to anchor out in the bay because of too shallow port waters. With observer nation Malaysia included in the coalition, the vital Strait of Mallaca is more secure against pirates and terrorists alike.

The US Navy has for the past 60 years guaranteed the freedom of the sea lanes and the high seas globally, and even presently the People's Republic of China has joined in the ongoing effort to thwart Somali pirates. However, as the US just announced a USD $6bn defensive arms sale to Taiwan, at which the PRC has 1,000 aimed and ready missles, and as long as Taiwan remains an outstanding issue between the PRC and the US, we should expect the continued consensus policy that the PRC is never to be seen anywhere around Cobra Gold (except perhaps as an unwelcome distant observer). 

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Cobra Gold Home

http://www1.apan-info.net/Default.aspx?ali...pan-info.net/cg

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Also check this web site for updated news for cobra gold.

http://www.pacom.mil/web/Site_Pages/Media/...ld29Years.shtml

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The Army cobra gold site with the latest news.

http://www.usarpac.army.mil/cg10/index.asp