Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
By ERIC TALMADGE,Associated Press Writer -
Sunday, July 25
Send
IM Story
Print
BUSAN, South Korea – A massive nuclear-powered U.S. supercarrier readied Saturday for maneuvers with ally South Korea in a potent show of force that North Korea has threatened could lead to "sacred war."
The military drills, code-named "Invincible Spirit," are to run Sunday through Wednesday with about 8,000 U.S. and South Korean troops, 20 ships and submarines and 200 aircraft. The Nimitz-class USS George Washington, with several thousand sailors and dozens of fighters aboard, was deployed from Japan.
The North routinely threatens attacks whenever South Korea and the U.S. hold joint military drills, which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for an invasion. The U.S. keeps 28,500 troops in South Korea and another 50,000 in Japan, but says it has no intention of invading the North.
Still, the North's latest rhetoric threatening "nuclear deterrence" and "sacred war" carries extra weight following the sinking of a South Korean warship that killed 46 sailors. Seoul and Washington say a North Korean torpedo was responsible for the March sinking of the Cheonan, considered the worst military attack on the South since the 1950-53 Korean War.
The American and South Korean defense chiefs announced earlier in the week they would stage the military drills to send a clear message to North Korea to stop its "aggressive" behavior.
The exercises will be the first in a series of U.S.-South Korean maneuvers to be conducted in the Sea of Japan off Korea's east coast and in the Yellow Sea closer to China's shores in international waters. The exercises also are the first to employ the F-22 stealth fighter _ which can evade North Korean air defenses _ in South Korea.
South Korea was closely monitoring North Korea's military, but no unusual activity had been observed Saturday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.
North Korea, which denies any involvement in the sinking of the Cheonan warship, has warned the United States against attempting to punish it.
"The army and people of the DPRK will legitimately counter with their powerful nuclear deterrence the largest-ever nuclear war exercises to be staged by the U.S. and the South Korean puppet forces," North Korea's official news agency in Pyongyang quoted an unnamed government spokesman as saying. North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Though the impoverished North has a large conventional military and the capability to build nuclear weapons, it is not believed to have the technology needed to use nuclear devices as warheads.
Its rhetoric regarding using nuclear deterrence was seen by most as bluster, but its angry response to the maneuvers underscores the rising tensions in the region.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Wednesday, after visiting the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, that the U.S. would slap new sanctions on the North to stifle its nuclear ambitions and punish it for the Cheonan sinking.
On Friday, the European Union said it, too, would consider new sanctions on North Korea.
The North's Foreign Ministry said Saturday that Pyongyang will further strengthen its nuclear deterrent and again mentioned "powerful physical measures" in response to the U.S. military provocations and sanctions.
In an apparent bow to China, the George Washington will participate in the exercise in the Sea of Japan, but there are no plans for it to enter the Yellow Sea for the subsequent exercises.
China, a traditional North Korean ally, has voiced concerns that military drills in the Yellow Sea could inflame tensions on the Korean Peninsula and also fears exercises too close to its own shores could breach Chinese security.
The George Washington had been expected to join in exercises off Korea sooner, but the Navy delayed those plans as the United Nations Security Council met to deliberate what action it should take over the Cheonan sinking.
The council eventually condemned the incident, but stopped short of naming North Korea as the perpetrator.
__
Associated Press writer Kwang-Tae Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
French hostage rescue mission in Mali fails: ministry AFP - 19 minutes ago
Fifteen killed in mass panic at German "Love Parade" Reuters - 45 minutes ago
Stampede at Love Parade in Germany kills 15 AFP - 46 minutes ago
Putin pledges bright future to former spies in U.S. Reuters - 1 hour 13 minutes ago
Two US soldiers missing in Afghanistan: NATO AFP - 1 hour 18 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
US economy 'gradually' improving: Geithner
European governments relieved by bank stress tests
BP to start drilling off Libya
Solar drone lands after record 14 days aloft
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor in 'critical condition': publicist
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor in 'critical condition': publicist
BP to start drilling off Libya
European governments relieved by bank stress tests
Solar drone lands after record 14 days aloft
Monaco's playboy prince sets wedding date
More Most Viewed »
Parachuting donkey shocks Russian beachgoers
Paris Hilton caught with cannabis in handbag
Germany's 'Octopus oracle' keeps perfect record
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 25 July 2010 Egypt kills Sudanese migrant near Israel border
Iran, Brazil, Turkey to discuss nuclear fuel swap
Fifteen killed in mass panic at German Love Parade
|
US economy 'gradually' improving: Geithner
Turkey, Iran, Brazil to discuss nuclear swap deal
As Cubans wait, Castro to mark revolution's start
|
Putin pledges bright future to former spies in U.S.
|
NATO soldiers 'reported missing' in Afghanistan
Turkish PM proposes amending sensitive army law
Congo rebels seize Indian pilot in attack on plane
|
Turkey, Iran, Brazil to discuss nuclear swap deal
|
AU says must replace Western partners with China
|
Revolt to force Japan FA boss out of office
AU says must replace Western partners with China
Putin pledges bright future to former spies in U.S.
Khmer Rouge prison chief awaits verdict
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
NKorea vows nuclear response to US-SKorea drills
Saudi cleric says Muslim women can respect veil bans
Stampede at Love Parade in Germany kills 15
India, EU in new bid to clinch free-trade deal
Court orders 'Bookseller of Kabul' author to pay damages
Search on for 2 US soldiers missing in Afghanistan
19 killed in Love Parade stampede in Germany
Mexico police find 51 in mass grave near Monterrey
|
2 US Navy service members missing in Afghanistan
China sends pandas into wild to bring up cubs
Britain's royals post family pictures online
As Cubans wait, Castro to mark revolution's start
|
Lockerbie bomber release 'wrong' but no BP link: London
BP boss could resign within days
Pandora tops 60 million users, mobile growth strong
Spain's Lorenzo takes MotoGP pole
French hostage rescue mission in Mali fails: ministry
Explosives experts in bloody dance with bomb makers
|
U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests
|
Eighteen killed in stampede at German Love Parade
|
Putin 'sings songs' with deported Russian spies
US, S.Korea stage naval exercise despite nuclear threats
Australian opposition promises fewer migrants
Eastern US cooks in summer heat, temps reach 100s
Beijing hits out at US comments on South China Sea
Floods close Chicago interstate, damage Iowa dam
US aircraft carrier leads drills with South Korea
China warns of more rain in flood-hit areas
Bangkok residents vote in Thailand's litmus test poll
Russian farmers suffer 'catastrophe' in baking heat
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on North Korea
Floods and landslides kill 10 in Vietnam: govt
Row over Cyprus air control poses safety risk
US aircraft carrier ups pressure on NKorea
U.S., South Korea start military drills as North protests
Deep in Colombian jungle, a first in eco gold
Markets to issue verdict on stress tests
China sends pandas into forest to bring up cubs in wild
Toyota expected to report sharp recovery in Q1: report
Global Weather-Celsius
Fewer Tibetans fleeing to the Dalai Lama
Children of prisoners in China given a fresh start
Quake strikes off Tonga, Samoa; no damage reported
Chinese miner goes from corporate star to villain
Iraq parliament to meet Tuesday but impasse lingers
Basque ETA rebels say region "on brink of change"
Fees for online news yet to succeed
Taliban claim to have killed one US soldier
Taliban say they're holding U.S. soldier and second killed
|
Turkey, Brazil urge Iran to be flexible on nuclear talks
BP chief likely to resign in wake of US oil spill
German police defend safety steps at music fest
|
Iran will react if ships inspected
Iran will react if ships inspected: Ahmadinejad
|
Search on for two US soldiers missing in Afghanistan
Ten wounded in bombing as Bangkok votes
|
Taliban: 1 missing US sailor dead, other captured
Taliban: 1 missing US trooper dead, other captured
Iran favors talks with EU after Ramadan
Bangkok explosion wounds at least nine: police
Japan rescue helicopter crash kills 5: report
|
Ten wounded in bombing as Bangkok votes
Iraq parliament to meet Tuesday but impasse lingers
|
Afghan gov't: Taliban kills 1 US sailor, 1 held
Australian PM Gillard on top in election debate
Japan rescue helicopter crash kills 5
Bettencourt aide denies illegally funding French party
|
Khmer Rouge victims pray at prison before verdict
Swimmers seen near China oil spill: Greenpeace
Australian opposition wins TV debate
Cloistered French nuns sign record deal
Pilgrims flock to Spain's Way of St.James
Professional vodka tasters keep Polish tipple pure
US aircraft carrier leads drills with South Korea
Floods and landslide in Indonesia kill 21: official
Salt can't shake Inception at box office
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights