Art of drills: 10 NATO war games that almost started armed conflicts
by alethoRT | February 28, 2014
The
world’s largest military alliance seems annoyed about Russia’s “lack of
transparency” over military drills at a very “delicate time.” NATO,
however, has its own long history of war games all over the globe.
Western
politicians have leveled criticism at Russia for planned drills on its
own territory, seemingly glossing over the many joint military exercises
Western powers, namely the US and NATO forces, have conducted on
foreign soil over the years.
South Korea
This
week, US and South Korean forces began their annual joint military
drills, which will last until mid-April. The Foal Eagle exercise is
conducted near Iksan and Damyan, South Korea.
The
drills prompted a stern reaction from North Korea, which slammed the
exercises as “a serious provocation” that could plunge the region into
“a deadlock and unimaginable holocaust.”
Israel
The
US joined Greece, Italy, and Israeli forces at Ovda air base in
southern Israel for the ‘Blue Flag’ air-training drills in November
2013. The drills were called the “largest international aerial exercise
in history,” by Israeli news outlet Haaretz.
According
to Israel National News reports the exercises are geared towards
“simulating realistic engagements in a variety of scenarios, based on
Israel's experience with air forces of Arab armies in previous
engagements.”
Poland and Latvia
NATO’s
‘Steadfast Jazz’ training exercise was held in November 2013, in Latvia
and Poland. The drills included air, land, naval, and special forces.
Over
6,000 military personnel from around 20 NATO countries and allies took
part in the largest NATO-led drills of their kind since 2006.
Bulgaria
In
October, NATO also held anti-aircraft drills in Bulgaria, along with
the Greek and Norwegian air forces. The exercises were held to test
responses in conditions of radio interference, according to the
Bulgarian Ministry of Defense.
Persian Gulf
In May 2013, the US joined
40 other countries in the Persian Gulf for maritime war games. The US
Navy said the mass exercises are aimed at “enhancing capability to
preserve freedom of navigation in international waterways.”
The
drills provoked a sharp response from the Iranian government who voiced
concerns at how the maneuvers came in the run-up to the Iranian
elections.
Japan
In
August 2012, US Marines joined Japanese troops for military drills in
the western Pacific. The drills were held in part in Guam, a US holding,
just as an old territory dispute reemerged between Japan and China over
islands in the East China Sea.
“China
will not ignore hostile gestures from other nations and give up on its
core interests or change its course of development,” the Chinese
Communist Party stated in response to the drills, warning the US and
Japan not to “underestimate China’s resolve to defend its sovereignty.”
Jordan
The US joined
16 other nations in May 2012 for military exercises in Jordan near the
Syria border. The 'Eager Lion' drills included 12,000 soldiers from the
participating countries, Turkey, France, and Saudi Arabia among them.
Denying
accusations that the violence in Syria had nothing to do with the
drills, the US claimed it was “designed to strengthen
military-to-military relationships through a joint, entire-government,
multinational approach, integrating all instruments of national power to
meet current and future complex national security challenges.
Vietnam
In
August 2010, the US Navy joined Vietnamese forces for drills in the
South China Sea, to the dismay of China. Sovereignty claims in the South
China Sea have long been a subject of debate and animosity among
Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, and Malaysia, though China’s
territorial declarations have been the most aggressive.
Ukraine
Ukraine welcomed
a fleet of NATO warships for a two-week period of military drills in
July 2010. Operation 'Sea Breeze-2010' focused on joint anti-terror
exercises, despite Kiev’s decision not to enter the NATO alliance. Some
3,000 international military personnel were said to be a part of the
drills.
Ukraine
began hosting the Sea Breeze exercises in 1997, as part of its
commitment to join the alliance. In 2009, the Ukrainian parliament voted
against the drills, curtailing then-President Viktor Yuschenko’s
efforts to seek NATO membership.
Georgia
In May 2009, 15 NATO countries held a series
of controversial military exercises in Georgia less than a year after
it launched an offense against its breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Russia called the maneuvers "dubious provocation” saying it may
encourage the country’s regime to carry out new attacks.
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