US and Philippine Marines simulate an amphibious landing during a joint drill at the beach in San Antonio, Zambales province on October 23, 2011. Press TV
U.S. Sends F/A-18 Warplanes To Philippine Military Drills -- Reuters
(Reuters) - Washington is this week deploying a dozen F/A-18 fighters to the Philippines, the first time it has sent so many of the aircraft there, to take part in annual military drills with a close security ally amid rising tension in the Asia-Pacific region.
The presence of the warplanes is not connected to tensions on the Korean peninsula, a Philippine army spokesman said.
"These exercises were planned more than a year ago, well ahead of what is now happening in the region," Major Emmanuel Garcia said.
The United States plans to send a missile defense system to protect Pacific island Guam, where it has a large military base, after North Korea threatened to launch nuclear attacks on the North American mainland over disagreements on its atomic program.
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My Comment: Everyone is saying that this exercise is not in anyway connected with the tensions on the Korean peninsula .... of course .... no one in the region is believing that.