US exercise begins amid Thai-Cambodian clash
The US has begun their exercise named Cobra Gold in Thailand near the site of actual bullet-launchings between Thai and Cambodian forces along their common border;
The U.S. Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1stMarine Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, is deployed in Korat, about 180 miles west of the clashes.
U.S. boots are on the ground in this Buddhist, Southeast Asian ally, while a shooting feud between Thailand and Cambodia has killed at least seven people and wounded dozens more.
During the past four days, Thailand and Cambodia attacked each other’s jungle-based positions with artillery, mortars, rocket-fired grenades and other weapons, pausing on occasion before shooting again.
They fought for at least one hour Monday after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said, “We need the United Nations to send forces here and create a buffer zone to guarantee that there is no more fighting.”
The border dispute seems to be about a sliver of land between the nations dominated by a high cliff upon which is perched a temple, a strategic position for Thai troops.
Also complicating the exercise are threats against US forces made by Red Shirts, pro-democracy, anti-government protesters who have threatened to disrupt the exercise to protest US presence in Thailand.
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Thai red shirts are Commies.Pro-democracy? lol. Not unlike the Muslim Brotherhood but different agenda.
Cambodia wants UN troops to provide a buffer zone? Oh, I’ll bet the UN is just going to fall all over themselves in their haste to comply with THAT request!
Well, things sure a lot more interesting since my last Cobra Gold involvement back in the mid 90s.
Used to be the most dangerous things you faced were: too many Thai peppers in the Pad Thai you were eating, the beer wasn’t cold enough, or the gal in the local bar who was hanging on you like a cheap suit wasn’t really a girl…and no, that never happened to me, but it has sure happened to a lot of US personnel over the years.
And yeah, I’m sure Cambodia is requesting that the UN send in a PKF…I guarantee you that the Thais are beating their asses like a rented mule in every single engagement.
#2 PN: you bet, under two conditions. You know who foots the bill; and there are plenty of unprotected, outcast-type females available.
@ #4 DaveO: I see. Now THERE’S a reason to go “protect” a country if I ever heard one. Nothing more satisfying than spreading a little “protection” among those outcast-type females…