Reashot Xigwin
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Let's put all images & news about exercise Cobra Gold 2013 in here.
Exercise Cobra Gold kicks off with amphibious assault
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 14 February 2013 1910 hrs
US marines participate in an amphibious assault military drill as part of the annual combined military exercise Cobra Gold 2013 at a Navy base in Sattahip, Thailand's Chonburi province.
Cobra Gold is a joint, multinational military training exercise that focuses on maintaining and improving military-to-military relationships among nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region including the US, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea and Malaysia.
BANGKOK: US and Thai military forces have staged an amphibious assault on a stretch of beach near Pattaya.
It is the first military drill to be held under this year's Exercise Cobra Gold - the largest multinational exercise in the Asia-Pacific.
The multilateral military exercise started on Thursday with a beach assault exercise involving over 300 Thai and US marines. It is the first in a week-long campaign of not only military exercises, but also humanitarian and disaster response exercises.
Many states, most of them coming from ASEAN, will participate in the week-long campaign.
There were F-18 fighter jets, Harriers, Thai parachuters and a synchronised landing of Thai and American amphibious vehicles.
The task was to secure the beach front.
Everything was highly choreographed, as observed by the generals of both countries from a vantage point on a hill miles away from the action.
While the possibility of an actual combat situation along the strip of coastline in Sattahip near Pattaya is remote, the importance of the exercise was not lost on the soldiers taking part.
Captain Adam Stiles, company commander in the 31st Marines Expeditionary Unit said: "It's an important exercise for us here. We do it every year at Cobra Gold. The importance of it is that just inner-working with our allies, the Thais, which has been a close ally for over 180 years and we continue that good strong relationship that we have with this exercise."
Cobra Gold is the oldest and also the biggest military exercise in the region.
Exercise Cobra Gold kicks off with amphibious assault - Channel NewsAsia
Second day of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 15 February 2013 2318 hrs
SATTAHIP, Thailand: The US and Thailand have been conducting annual joint military exercises for over 30 years now.
Although the nature of these drills remains largely the same, the strategic relationship between the two armies appears to be changing.
On the second day of the joint-military exercise, Cobra Gold 2013, 145 United States and Thai troops conducted a small landing boat assault on a beach strip in Sattahip near Pattaya.
After the beach landing, troops headed into the jungle, making their way to their objective, which was to seize two buildings.
These annual military exercises have a long tradition, going back to 1982.
Back then, Thailand was an essential partner to the US - as an anti-communist counterweight in Southeast Asia.
But with the end of the Cold War, the interests of all countries in the Asia-Pacific region changed.
That, along with the Kingdom's ongoing domestic political crisis, have hindered the development of Thailand's strategic partnership with the US.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said: "Thailand is an ally, a treaty ally that is dysfunctional. So, the US is not rejecting or abandoning the Thai-US alliance, but they are just looking elsewhere. And we can see that all over SEA, including Myanmar."
The exercise is yet another confidence-building measure between the troops of both countries. Thailand is a key ally of the United States now, as the two countries have been now celebrating 180 years of diplomatic relations. And while the interest of the United States in Thailand has waned over the years, this pivot towards Asia now could see an increased engagement with Thailand and other countries.
Second day of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand - Channel NewsAsia
Exercise Cobra Gold takes on a new look
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 13 February 2013 1648 hrs
(File picture) US marines evacuate a soldier during training as part of exercise Cobra Gold 2012. (AFP PHOTO/PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL)
BANGKOK: Exercise Cobra Gold - the United States military's largest exercise in the region - is underway in Thailand.
Cobra Gold, the largest and oldest multilateral military exercise in the Asia-Pacific, began as a US-Thai bilateral exercise more than 30 years ago.
It has now expanded to include regional partners as well and joining in this year are Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said: "Cobra Gold now is not what it used to be. In the Cold War, it was an anti-communist front. After the Cold War in the first two decades or so, it was more a confidence building project designed to promote military cooperation and maintain stability.
"But in the last two, three years, it has taken on a new face. It has become an US vehicle for engaging the region in military terms but also to keep some checks on China's assertiveness."
Since 1982, Cobra Gold has been hosted by Thailand, a key US ally. Over the years, the region has lost the attention of the US because of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But with the US pulling out of both countries, their recently announced and much-discussed pivot towards Asia could see an increased engagement in Southeast Asia in military terms.
The US shift in focus comes at a time of increased tensions in the Asia-Pacific.
Conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea have become a potential flashpoint, involving China and several ASEAN member states.
And moves towards Democratic reforms in Myanmar could result in a "re-balancing" of American allies in the region.
Kavi Chongkittavorn, senior fellow at Institute of Strategic and International Studies Thailand, said: "Both the United States and Myanmar have readjusted their relations so smooth and so quickly. I would say this is at the expense of Thailand, because Thailand has not yet adjusted and fine-tuned its policy after the US pivot. Many countries have made quick adjustments except Thailand because of its domestic turmoil."
This year, for the first time, Myanmar is participating in Cobra Gold, with two officers invited as observers - an indication of the US' eagerness to engage with the newly open country.
Over the next few days, about 13,000 military personnel will conduct land, air and sea exercises.
They will also be involved in humanitarian projects and disaster response.
Given the current geopolitical and strategic outlook in the Asia-Pacific region, this year's Cobra Gold could be more anticipated than before.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/1253975/1/.html
Exercise Cobra Gold kicks off with amphibious assault
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 14 February 2013 1910 hrs
US marines participate in an amphibious assault military drill as part of the annual combined military exercise Cobra Gold 2013 at a Navy base in Sattahip, Thailand's Chonburi province.
Cobra Gold is a joint, multinational military training exercise that focuses on maintaining and improving military-to-military relationships among nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region including the US, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea and Malaysia.
BANGKOK: US and Thai military forces have staged an amphibious assault on a stretch of beach near Pattaya.
It is the first military drill to be held under this year's Exercise Cobra Gold - the largest multinational exercise in the Asia-Pacific.
The multilateral military exercise started on Thursday with a beach assault exercise involving over 300 Thai and US marines. It is the first in a week-long campaign of not only military exercises, but also humanitarian and disaster response exercises.
Many states, most of them coming from ASEAN, will participate in the week-long campaign.
There were F-18 fighter jets, Harriers, Thai parachuters and a synchronised landing of Thai and American amphibious vehicles.
The task was to secure the beach front.
Everything was highly choreographed, as observed by the generals of both countries from a vantage point on a hill miles away from the action.
While the possibility of an actual combat situation along the strip of coastline in Sattahip near Pattaya is remote, the importance of the exercise was not lost on the soldiers taking part.
Captain Adam Stiles, company commander in the 31st Marines Expeditionary Unit said: "It's an important exercise for us here. We do it every year at Cobra Gold. The importance of it is that just inner-working with our allies, the Thais, which has been a close ally for over 180 years and we continue that good strong relationship that we have with this exercise."
Cobra Gold is the oldest and also the biggest military exercise in the region.
Exercise Cobra Gold kicks off with amphibious assault - Channel NewsAsia
Second day of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 15 February 2013 2318 hrs
SATTAHIP, Thailand: The US and Thailand have been conducting annual joint military exercises for over 30 years now.
Although the nature of these drills remains largely the same, the strategic relationship between the two armies appears to be changing.
On the second day of the joint-military exercise, Cobra Gold 2013, 145 United States and Thai troops conducted a small landing boat assault on a beach strip in Sattahip near Pattaya.
After the beach landing, troops headed into the jungle, making their way to their objective, which was to seize two buildings.
These annual military exercises have a long tradition, going back to 1982.
Back then, Thailand was an essential partner to the US - as an anti-communist counterweight in Southeast Asia.
But with the end of the Cold War, the interests of all countries in the Asia-Pacific region changed.
That, along with the Kingdom's ongoing domestic political crisis, have hindered the development of Thailand's strategic partnership with the US.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said: "Thailand is an ally, a treaty ally that is dysfunctional. So, the US is not rejecting or abandoning the Thai-US alliance, but they are just looking elsewhere. And we can see that all over SEA, including Myanmar."
The exercise is yet another confidence-building measure between the troops of both countries. Thailand is a key ally of the United States now, as the two countries have been now celebrating 180 years of diplomatic relations. And while the interest of the United States in Thailand has waned over the years, this pivot towards Asia now could see an increased engagement with Thailand and other countries.
Second day of Exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand - Channel NewsAsia
Exercise Cobra Gold takes on a new look
By Saksith Saiyasombut | Posted: 13 February 2013 1648 hrs
(File picture) US marines evacuate a soldier during training as part of exercise Cobra Gold 2012. (AFP PHOTO/PORNCHAI KITTIWONGSAKUL)
BANGKOK: Exercise Cobra Gold - the United States military's largest exercise in the region - is underway in Thailand.
Cobra Gold, the largest and oldest multilateral military exercise in the Asia-Pacific, began as a US-Thai bilateral exercise more than 30 years ago.
It has now expanded to include regional partners as well and joining in this year are Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, said: "Cobra Gold now is not what it used to be. In the Cold War, it was an anti-communist front. After the Cold War in the first two decades or so, it was more a confidence building project designed to promote military cooperation and maintain stability.
"But in the last two, three years, it has taken on a new face. It has become an US vehicle for engaging the region in military terms but also to keep some checks on China's assertiveness."
Since 1982, Cobra Gold has been hosted by Thailand, a key US ally. Over the years, the region has lost the attention of the US because of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But with the US pulling out of both countries, their recently announced and much-discussed pivot towards Asia could see an increased engagement in Southeast Asia in military terms.
The US shift in focus comes at a time of increased tensions in the Asia-Pacific.
Conflicting territorial claims in the South China Sea have become a potential flashpoint, involving China and several ASEAN member states.
And moves towards Democratic reforms in Myanmar could result in a "re-balancing" of American allies in the region.
Kavi Chongkittavorn, senior fellow at Institute of Strategic and International Studies Thailand, said: "Both the United States and Myanmar have readjusted their relations so smooth and so quickly. I would say this is at the expense of Thailand, because Thailand has not yet adjusted and fine-tuned its policy after the US pivot. Many countries have made quick adjustments except Thailand because of its domestic turmoil."
This year, for the first time, Myanmar is participating in Cobra Gold, with two officers invited as observers - an indication of the US' eagerness to engage with the newly open country.
Over the next few days, about 13,000 military personnel will conduct land, air and sea exercises.
They will also be involved in humanitarian projects and disaster response.
Given the current geopolitical and strategic outlook in the Asia-Pacific region, this year's Cobra Gold could be more anticipated than before.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/southeastasia/view/1253975/1/.html
