THANKSGIVING FACES COLLEGE FOOTBALL Troops celebrate O-Town gets best Transfer QBs shine as the holiday with response for old Michigan, Ohio State turkey and training hits on reunion tour meet in ‘The Game’ Page 8 Page 17 Back page Fired Navy secretary: Trump has ‘little understanding’ of military » Page 2 Volume 78, No. 162 ©SS 2019 CONTINGENCY EDITION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2019 stripes.com Free to Deployed Areas Seoul: N. Korea fired projectiles into eastern sea BY KIM GAMEL Stars and Stripes SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired two rockets presumed to be from a multiple launching system on Thursday, Seoul said, in a fiery Thanksgiving message to the United States amid stalled nuclear talks. The latest weapons test came as the clock ticks down to North Korea’s end-of-year deadline for the U .S. to offer a new approach to negotiations, which broke down after a failed summit in February. The projectiles were launched at a 30-second interval just before 5 p.m. Thursday from a northeast- ern province, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff. They flew nearly 240 miles and reached a maximum altitude of 60 miles before splashing into the sea off the peninsula’s eastern coast, the military said. The South Korea millitary expressed “strong regret” about the launch, which came five days after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw an artillery fir- Cost of deterrence ing drill near the disputed mari- time boundary in the western sea. South Korea sent a strong pro- test to the North over that inci- US, Saudis negotiate funding of mission to protect against Iran dent, saying it violated a bilateral military agreement. BY MISSY RYAN Milley, in his first assault on Saudi oil facilities, which Saudi The JCS said it was maintain- The Washington Post visit to this key U.S. ally and U.S. officials said was launched by Iran ing readiness and on guard for since becoming Presi- in a major escalation of regional tensions. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — The U .S. is the possibility of more launches. dent Donald Trump’s The troops will operate additional assets negotiating cost-sharing terms with Saudi chief military adviser designed to help the Saudi military guard SEE PROJECTILES ON PAGE 6 Arabia for an expanding military mission this fall, met with Crown against Iranian attacks, including four Pa- aimed at ensuring the kingdom is protected Prince Mohammed bin triot batteries, a Terminal High Altitude from attacks on critical oil infrastructure, Salman and other lead- Area Defense system and two squadrons officials said. ers during his visit. of fighter jets. Financial responsibility for ‘ Our military … The Pentagon’s deployment of new radar, Trump authorized a the deployment has taken on unusual vis- air defense and other military assets to the boost to the relatively ibility after Trump, who has criticized al- urges (North Korea) Gulf nation was discussed during talks Milley light U.S. footprint in lies for not contributing enough to shared to immediately stop Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Saudi Arabia, from an defense, promised the oil-rich kingdom Chiefs of Staff, held with Saudi officials advisory mission that stood around 800 to a would pay “100 percent of the cost.” acts that escalate this week. force of about 3,000, following the Sept. 14 SEE MISSION ON PAGE 6 military tensions. ’ Airmen with the 210th Engineering Installation Squadron move fiber optic cable at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, on Nov. 5 . Maj. Gen. Jeon Dong Jin JOHN WILKES/U.S. Air Force South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff MILITARY: ‘Oink, Oink’: General loses star after bullying staff, mocking airman’s weight, report says Page 3 PAGE 2 •STARS AND STRIPES• Friday, November 29, 2019 MILITARY Blasts kill Spencer criticizes Trump over SEAL case at least 16 BY ROBERT BURNS He directed the chief of naval in northern AND JULIE WATSON ‘ This was a shocking and unprecedented operations to end the review pro- Associated Press cess for Lt. Cmdr. Robert Breisch, intervention in a low-level review. It was Lt. Jacob Portier and Lt. Thomas Afghanistan WASHINGTON — Richard also a reminder that the president has very MacNeil. Spencer, who was fired as Navy “The United States Navy, and Associated Press secretary for his handling of a little understanding of what it means to be the Naval Special Warfare Com- SEAL war crimes case champi- in the military . munity specifically, have danger- KABUL, Afghanistan — Af- oned by President Donald Trump, ’ ous and important work to do,” ghan officials said Thursday that Richard Spencer two separate explosions in the wrote that the commander in former Navy secretary Modly said in a statement. “In my chief “has very little understand- judgment, neither deserves the country’s north killed at least 16 ing” of how the American mili- continued distraction and nega- people, almost all of them women tary works. tive attention that recent events and young girls. A roadside bomb struck a ci- The extraordinary accusation and others of rules and practices.” have evoked.” vilian vehicle going to a wed- came in an opinion piece pub- “worked to Last week, Trump tweeted that Modly said his decision should lished on The Washington Post’s keep it front Gallagher must be allowed to not be interpreted as loosening the ding Wednesday evening, killing website Wednesday evening, and center in keep his Trident pin, the medal standards he expects of SEALs. at least 15 people — six women, three days after he was fired. the media.” that designates a SEAL member. He said ongoing efforts will con- six girls and two infants, as well Spencer called Trump’s inter- After The Navy had planned to let an tinue to address problems within as the male driver, according to vention in the case of Navy Chief Gallagher administrative board review the the SEAL community, which has Nasrat Rahimi, an Interior Min- Petty Officer Edward Gallagher was acquit- question starting Monday, but had numerous allegations of mis- istry spokesman. He said two “shocking” and unprecedented. ted of most eventually Esper decided to stop conduct in recent months. other civilians were wounded in Spencer was fired Sunday by charges but that process and let Gallagher “Navy uniformed leaders have the blast in the northeastern Kun- Defense Secretary Mark Esper convicted of retire as a SEAL, as Trump had my full confidence that they will duz province. for working a private deal with posing with Spencer ordered. continue to address challenging Hours later, a gunfight and ex- the White House to ensure that the corpse of Earlier Wednesday, the Navy cultural issues within the Naval plosion at a security checkpoint Gallagher be allowed to retire an Islamic State extremist in Iraq, announced that it had canceled Special Warfare community, in- killed at least one policeman, said without losing his SEAL status. he submitted his request to retire. the peer review boards for three still good order and discipline, Mohammad Nooragha Faizi, a In his Post article, Spencer ac- In Spencer’s telling, that raised SEAL officers who supervised and enforce the very highest pro- police spokesman in the northern knowledged his mistake but also three questions for the Navy, in- Gallagher during the Iraq de- fessional standards we expect Sari Pul province. asserted that Trump’s actions cluding whether Gallagher should ployment that gave rise to the war from every member of that com- He said militants in a vehicle were detrimental to the military. be allowed to retire at his current crimes charges. munity,” he said. carrying explosives were stopped Spencer said Trump had in- rank. The military jury had said Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Portier was Gallagher’s platoon at the checkpoint Thursday morn- volved himself in the Gallagher he should be demoted. Modly said the case was becoming commander and was charged ing, then opened fire to cover their case “almost from the start,” by Trump, who had tweeted sup- a distraction for the commando with failing to report the kill- escape. Faizi said they apparently telephoning Spencer even before port for Gallagher and stated that force, known for its quiet profes- ing of the captive. He denied the detonated the explosives remote- the SEAL’s court-martial started his case had been “handled very sionalism but recently roiled with charges and they were dropped ly after getting away, although an to ask that Gallagher be moved badly from the beginning,” short- controversy. after the jury acquitted Gallagh- investigation was ongoing. out of confinement at a Navy brig. circuited the Navy’s administra- The decision was the latest er of murder. The Interior Ministry blames Spencer said he resisted Trump tive review of Gallagher’s status twist in the Gallagher matter. Portier’s attorney, Jeremiah the Taliban for the two attacks. because the presiding judge had by ordering Spencer to restore Trump has made no mention of Sullivan, said Portier was happy The insurgent group has not decided that confinement was Gallagher’s rank. the three SEAL officers also or- to learn he would be allowed to commented. important. Nonetheless, Trump “This was a shocking and un- dered to be reviewed. All three keep his trident, a pin designating The Taliban today control or ordered Spencer to transfer Gal- precedented intervention in a had overseen Gallagher during SEAL status. hold sway over half of Afghani- lagher from the brig to the equiv- low-level review,” Spencer wrote. his 2017 deployment to Iraq. “Lt. Portier is extremely grate- stan, staging near-daily attacks alent of an enlisted barracks. “It was also a reminder that the But Modly said there were bet- ful for the unwavering support of that target Afghan forces and Spencer said he believes president has very little under- ter ways to address any “failures President Trump,” Sullivan said.