US, Filipino troops start drills near disputed sea

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_PHILIPPINES_US_MILITARY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-04-16-05-51-14

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- Nearly 7,000 American and Filipino troops began annual military exercises Monday that will include combat drills near disputed South China Sea waters.

U.S. and Philippine officials stressed that China, which in the past has protested military exercises involving American forces near the contested region, was not an imaginary target in the drills.

They said the Balikatan - Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder - exercises would mostly focus on humanitarian missions and disaster preparedness but would also include combat maneuvers including the mock retaking of an oil rig supposedly seized by terrorists near the South China Sea.

Asked if China should be alarmed, U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Curtis Hill said in a news conference that the exercises would not focus on any nation as an adversary.

[dipsydoodle]

1. "would not focus on any nation as an adversary " my foot.

Presumably that means Switzerland and Luxembourg need not be too concerned.

[xchrom]

2. +1