10 U.S. Stealth Fighters Deployed to Korea for Training

[cthrumatrix]

10 U.S. Stealth Fighters Deployed to Korea for Training

The Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that ten U.S. F-117A stealth fighters would be deployed to a U.S. airbase in the southern part of Korea to take part in military training that will last several months.
An official with the Ministry said, “On Wednesday and Thursday, F-117A aircraft will move to Korea from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and will engage in military training in Korea for several months.”

This would be the fourth time that stealth fighters have been deployed to Korea since 1993, 1996, and 2003, when those planes participated in U.S.-ROK joint military exercises such as the Foal Eagle (FE) exercise or the Team Spirit (TS) exercise. In that sense, it is quite rare for stealth fighters to be deployed to Korea when large training exercises are not in progress.

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200406/200406290031.html

This represents 20% of all of our stealth fighters.

[Whoa_Nelly]

1. It's military muscle

Korea is already a controversial hotbed of instability. BushCo AKA Rummy, will continue to work toward keeping it that way.

Iraq is Sovereign! Another threat needs to be brought out into the "open" so the US may continue to engage in the War on Terror! </sarcasm>

[ewagner]

2. Agree

F-117s have become the newest version of "Gunsboat Diplomacy". The mere presence of these weapons is a not-so-subtle reminder of what COULD happen. I suspect there is some sort of impasse in negotiations right now and the F-117s are there to remind N.Korea that there is muscle behind our position.

Public announcement of the deployment only adds strength to the argument that it's a negotiating tactic.

[teryang]

5. US "muscle" compared to China?

The area north of the DMZ is within the Chinese sphere of influence. Tens of thousands of Chinese troops died in just the last days of war before the Armistice was signed at Panmoonjam to defend that border.

10 aircraft are not strategically significant without nukes. Nukes would result in WWIII. In a conventional conflict in N.Korea, the Chinese would fare even better than the last time. Surgical strikes on N. Korea could result in missile attacks on Taiwan's strategic targets opening a two front war.

[Suspicious]

7. "10 aircraft are not strategically significant without nukes."

These two articles are saying a full squadron (12-24 aircraft).

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200406/kt2004062917155511960.htm

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200406/29/200406292341030939900090309031.html

The chief mission will be for pilots to familiarize themselves with the Korean Peninsula's geography. In case of war, the Stealth jets' aim is to neutralize North Korea's air defense system.

That's a bit unsettling.

[teryang]

8. There is a big difference between 24 and 12

...but not 12 and 10. A tactical deployment of 12 typically results in an opready rate of 9-10 if your lucky. Twenty four of these aircraft is a formidable tactical threat but most targets of interest in Korea are underground limiting their impact in strategic terms.

The issues in Korea are really strategic. Any conventional war in Korea will result in war with China. Our leadership is under the same material delusions that it was in 1950.

[Suspicious]

9. "There is a big difference between 24 and 12...but not 12 and 10"

Very true.

Any conventional war in Korea will result in war with China.

That's what worries me. I know someone who has family in S. Korea.

[teryang]

18. Me too

I have friends and my wife has family in Korea. I have a great affection for the people and its culture. It is a beautiful country and its people are extraordinarily talented, friendly and polite. I love Seoul.

I firmly believe that the sunshine policy of the south would bring about the peaceful removal of the DMZ and ultimately reunification without firing a shot. I believe that it could happen in a relatively short time. Commerce, cultural and political exchange between the two parts of the one country will result in the mutual recognition of the great benefits of unification.

[average_american]

3. The N. Koreans are gonna LOVE this

Way to push the peace agenda there, GW.

You know, if we don't get the situation under control in N. Korea ASAP it's going to turn that whole country into a nuclear Wal-Mart for terrorists.

:eyes:

Dumb. Very dumb.

Trying to accomplish through bullying what can be done with a little foreign policy and a kept promise for a power plant.

[ewagner]

11. Couple of things to consider

First, Kim Jong Il (hope I got that right) is a paranoid dude under THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES! This will only make him crazier (if that's possible).

Second, China will not stand for a pre-emptive strike on N. Korea's nuke sites.....Taiwan will definitely be in play, and, further, the Chinese Foreign Minister may well ask Bush* again, Are you willing to trade Taiwan for Los Angeles?

[average_american]

15. You got that right

If Dubya messes with N. Korea, they are messing with China.

Kim Jong is gonna go postal. That's a given. The N. Koreans were making up their own reasons to feel threatened before this. An overt display like this one is going to do nothing to calm tensions in the region.

I gotta ask whose brain-child sending the bombers over there was? I don't know for sure, but I'd wager a guess and say Rummy. Sounds like his type of slimy tactic.

[Snow]

17. It could be in response to NK's sword-rattling at the talks in Beijing,

where they're making noise about testing a nuke. General perception is that NK will stall things till bush et al are out of office. Leading, no doubt, to ads from the republicans about how Kim Jongil loves Kerry for president.

[hansolsen]

4. Cheney thinks big -- October Surprise?

Time to take out Korean Nuclear capability, right before election. Take all eyes off Iraq, make Bush look strong. Stranger things have happened.

[theHandpuppet]

6. I can just see the bubble...

... over shrub's head now...

"Darn it, invading Eye-raq didn't bring on the rapture... maybe Ko-rea will work!"

[tlcandie]

10. Job security! Gotta keep those terra warnings coming and wars hot-keyed!

The more terra and wars, the more they probably think the people will want to keep them in office because noone else will face up to the task of killing!

[Loonman]

12. So we can shoot a rocket right up Kim's ass

If he tries anything funny.

[Tripmann]

13. Oh dear - does north korea have any oil reserves??

Theres a BIG difference between taking out Saddam with his crippled defence capability/years of containment and taking out Kim Jong Il.

North Korea is a nation of military ferocity. Hand to hand combat wise they would probably break any other nations soldiers to pieces.

But thats not how war is fought anymore, is it monkeyboy??

Tripmann

[Snow]

14. Actually, it seems they do....

check this:
http://www.kimsoft.com/1997/nk-oil3.htm

This plane deployment is odd - wonder how it relates to the US troops that were pulled out & sent to Iraq a month or two back. That was plainly a threat to get Korea moving on sending combat troops to Iraq, and they appear to have done so. So are the F117's a continuation of the quid-pro-quo? Or is there another game going on?

[cthrumatrix]

16. Let's not forget there was previous discussion that we have 10 of our

aircraft "battle groups" on exercise...or so they say.

By all accounts, there seems to be alot of activity.