Drills Delayed in 'Goodwill Gesture' to North Korea
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
MILITARY MILITARY MILITARY Judge: Marines’ Navy officials say training Marine Corps dog among rights violated reforms could take more animals awarded medals by mass arrest than 16 years to evaluate for exceptional service Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 ’Bama QB Tagovailoa out for season » College football, Back page stripes.com Volume 78, No. 153 ©SS 2019 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2019 50¢/Free to Deployed Areas Drills delayed in ‘goodwill gesture’ to North Korea BY KIM GAMEL Stars and Stripes SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. and South Korea will postpone a planned joint air exercise that was criticized by the North, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Sunday. Esper said he didn’t see the move as a concession to the communist state but a “goodwill gesture” that he hopes North Korea will recipro- cate by returning to nuclear talks. The surprise deci- sion came after North Korea issued state- ments lashing out at the upcoming joint U.S.-South Korean military exercise and warning that it’s run- ning out of patience Esper for Washington to soften its denuclear- ization demands. Esper made the announcement at a news conference with South Korean counter- part Jeong Kyeong-doo on the sidelines of a meeting of regional defense ministers in Bangkok. The allies had announced plans to hold later this month what they said would be a scaled-back combined flying training event in place of the previous annual drills known as Vigilant Ace. But the North was not satisfied with the changes and warned last week that the U.S. would face “shocking punishment” if “the Weaponry-themed cards a hostile provocation is committed.” Esper and Jeong said Sunday that the decision to postpone the drill was made hit with service members after “close consultation and careful con- sideration.” No new date was announced. BY JENNIFER H. SVAN “We have made this decision as an act of Stars and Stripes goodwill to contribute to an environment KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — An ace of SEE DRILLS ON PAGE 3 spades embellished with a Russian-made SA-17 could tip a game of Texas Hold ’em in a soldier’s INSIDE favor while also helping him identify a surface-to- air missile system on the ground. Esper says ‘wealthy’ The Army has a new line of playing cards featur- S. Korea should shoulder Top: A soldier uses playing cards released by Army Training ing military weapons used by Russia, China and and Doctrine Command featuring vehicles and weapons used Iran — countries the Pentagon has identified as po- greater burden of cost for by Russia, China and Iran. Above: The ace of spades in the tential threats. US troops on peninsula Russian deck shows the SA-17, a surface-to-air missile system. The cards are proving so popular that more than U.S. Army photos SEE CARDS ON PAGE 6 Page 3 PAGE 2 F3HIJKLM •STARS AND STRIPES• Monday, November 18, 2019 MILITARY Milley declares Pacific top priority in 1st overseas trip BY WYATT OLSON to 1945. Milley touted the size and Stars and Stripes South Korea has announced it scope of America’s defense pres- is withdrawing from an intelli- ence in the Pacific, with more The Pacific is now the top pri- gence-sharing agreement signed than 300,000 service members ority for the U.S. military, Gen. with Japan in 2016. and Defense Department civil- Mark Milley said Thursday in Milley told reporters Nov. 11 ians under the umbrella of the Tokyo while on his first over- that the agreement — which U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. seas trip since becoming chair- could expire as early as this week He spoke pointedly about China man of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in — is key for regional stability and with reporters Thursday. September. security. “We need to continue to engage /Defense Department Milley was addressing a group Quarrels between Japan and with China,” he said. “China is a DOMINIQUE PINEIRO of Japanese and American re- South Korea only serve adversar- strategic competitor to be sure, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meets with porters after concluding a meet- ies, he said. [but] it doesn’t necessarily mean Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at the Kantei in ing with Japanese leaders, the “It is clearly in China’s inter- that China becomes an adversary Tokyo on Wednesday . Pentagon said in a statement. ests and North Korea’s interests in the military sense of the word The U.S. focus on the Pacific to separate South Korea from or an enemy. sweeping claims of sovereignty counterparts during the visit. region is a result of the emerging Japan and the United States,” “But having said that, it’s im- over most of the South China “I would also say that con- great-power competition among Milley said Monday. “It is in our portant that the United States, Sea, which neighboring nations straints and restraints on mili- America, China and Russia. interests to keep all three of us Japan, South Korea, Australia, contest. tary training [are] not unique “It is the No. 1 regional priority very closely aligned.” and other friends and allies in the U.S. military troops stationed to Japan,” he said. “It exists in for the United States military,” he “We’ve got to get past some region remain unified.” in Japan are essential in project- Korea; it exists in Germany; it told reporters. of these friction points in a way China’s extraordinary econom- ing power in the region, but re- exists in the continental United Milley’s weeklong trip to Japan that is helpful to the alliance,” he ic growth over the past 20 years strictions on the available types States. Things like environmen- and South Korea comes amid re- said. has resulted in the rapid expan- of training in Japan is a challenge tal issues, issues with the neigh- newed disagreements between The alliance needs to resolve sion of its military capabilities, he to maintaining readiness, Milley boring communities and towns of the two U.S. allies, disputes aris- such friction points by focusing said. said. various military bases.” ing from Japan’s occupation of on common values and security China’s growing military might He told reporters he had dis- [email protected] the Korean peninsula from 1905 needs, he said. have emboldened the nation’s cussed this topic with Japanese Twitter: @WyattWOlson Marine deserter’s mother names him in fatal shooting of her boyfriend Associated Press Hanson told a U.S. marshal that The vehicle was later found saw him in Roanoke on Thursday significant damage. she witnessed Michael Alexander near Clarendon County, S.C. , morning, Police Chief Tim Jones The search for Brown began ROANOKE, Va. — The mother Brown, 22, fatally shoot her boy- about four hours southwest of said at a news conference. Au- after someone called 911 around of a wanted Marine told investiga- friend, Rodney Wilfred Brown, Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, thorities believe Brown was driv- 4 a.m. Thursday to report that tors that she saw her son kill her Nov. 9 at a home in Hardy. where he had been stationed as a ing a recreational vehicle, which someone was tapping on the win- boyfriend, according to a federal According to the complaint, U.S. Marine until leaving his post was discovered by police nearby dows of a nearby house. Jones criminal complaint. Hanson also identified Brown’s last month. later that day. said Brown’s grandmother lives The criminal complaint filed in getaway vehicle through pictures Investigators think the Marine Law enforcement approached at that house and they believe he U.S. District Court in Roanoke, obtained from a gas station just deserter was trying to contact his the RV, but Brown was not inside. was trying to contact her and his V a., on Wednesday shows Vanessa before the shooting. grandmother when a neighbor Photos showed the RV suffered mother. T O D A Y IN STRIPES American Roundup ............ 17 Business .......................... 21 Classified ................... 19, 23 Comics/Crossword ............ 22 Faces ............................... 18 Opinion ............................ 20 Sports .........................24-32 Weather ........................... 21 Monday, November 18, 2019 •STARS AND STRIPES• F3HIJKLM PAGE 3 PACIFIC Esper urges S. Korea to increase share of costs BY KIM GAMEL reported. The two sides failed to ficial gave specific figures. Stars and Stripes reach agreement in time for the Esper also acknowledged that deadline last year but eventually South Korea has provided “a fair SEOUL, South Korea — South agreed to a retroactive stopgap amount of support” but said most Korea is a wealthy country and measure in which South Korea of the funding ended up back in should increase its share of the increased its share by about 8.2% the local economy. cost for stationing some 28,500 to some $920 million. However, U.S. troops on the divided penin- The SMA funds have been used that deal was extended for only mostly to offset the salaries of sula by the end-of-year deadline, one year, unlike previous itera- Defense Secretary Mark Esper more than 9,000 local employees tions that lasted five years. said Friday. who provide food and administra- “South Korea is a wealthy Esper also called on Seoul to tive services and other logistical country and could and should reverse its decision to cancel a needs, as well as construction pay more to help offset the cost military intelligence-sharing costs. pact with Japan before the Nov. of defense,” Esper said during a The South Koreans also point joint press conference with his 23 expiration date. The United out that they funded most of the South Korean counterpart, Jeong States fears the termination of $11 billion-plus cost of expand- Kyeong-doo, after the two sides the agreement will jeopardize ing Camp Humphreys, a U.S.