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US starts large war game in Pacific

The US launches its largest military exercise in the Pacific in cooperation with Thailand, Japan, Indonesia and Singapore with South Korea also joining in.

The “Cobra Gold” exercise is to run until February 11 and will see soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from the six countries taking part in operations across Thailand.

At the opening ceremony in the eastern Thai province of Rayong on Monday, US Ambassador Eric G. John called the annual war game, now in its 29th year, a “multinational showcase event.”

“The US continues to view this exercise, which is our premier training event in Thailand, as an important symbol of US military commitment to maintaining peace and security in Asia,” he said.

John welcomed South Korea’s participation in the event, whose focus he described as joint peacekeeping operations and humanitarian and disaster responses.

“As Cobra Gold is the US military’s largest exercise in the Pacific region — and indeed, the largest exercise of its kind in Asia — we welcome the contributions of all the nations who will participate in the coming days,” he said.

Representatives from more than 20 countries are expected to participate, observe or support the war game, the US envoy added.

Thailand is viewed as a major ally of the United States in the Pacific region, and has been receiving US military assistance.

The Cobra Gold, one of the various military maneuvers the United States regularly holds overseas, coincides with Washington’s clandestine steps to increase the capability of land-based Patriot missiles on the territory of some of its Arab allies in the Persian Gulf region.

Military officials speaking to media on condition of anonymity have also revealed the US Navy is also upgrading the presence of ships capable of intercepting missiles in the Persian Gulf.

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