M1A2 Abrams Tank
As part of a previously announced ‘military re-balance’ to East Asia after more than 10 years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States said on Tuesday that it will send 800 additional soldiers, 40 Abrams battle tanks and about 40 Bradley fighting vehicles to South Korea. The battalion of troops and M1A2 tanks along with the Bradley armored fighting vehicles are from the 1st U.S. Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood, Texas and will be deployed for a nine-month deployment starting February 1.
A Pentagon spokesman said the personnel would remain for nine months but when they depart, they would leave their equipment behind to be used by follow-on rotations of U.S. forces. “This addition of forces to Korea is part of the re-balance to the Pacific. It’s been long-planned and is part of our enduring commitment to security on the Korean peninsula,” Army Colonel Steve Warren said. “This gives the commanders in Korea an additional capacity: two companies of tanks, two companies of Bradley’s,” he said.
Technically still at war with Communist North Korea since the 1950-53 Korean conflict, the United States has maintained some 28,000 troops based in South Korea. The deployment of additional U.S. troops comes at a time of raised tensions on the Korean peninsula after North Korea executed the powerful uncle of young and unpredictable leader Kim Jong Un last month which is the biggest upheaval in years within the ruling dynasty.
On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met in Washington with South Korean Foeign Minister Yun Byung-se to discuss the shared commitment to security in the region. “The two discussed the importance of maintaining a robust combined defense of the Korean Peninsula as a strong deterrent against provocations from North Korea,” Pentagon spokesman Read Admiral John Kirby said in a statement.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted military officials as saying that the new U.S. troops would be deployed in North Gyeonggi Province which is just south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas.
President Obama announced a strategic re-balancing of U.S. priorities toward the Pacific in late 2011 while ending the direct U.S. military involvement in Iraq and announcing plans to wind down the long U.S. engagement in Afghanistan. Since the announcement of that so-called “pivot” in foreign, economic and security policy, the Philippines, Australia and other parts of the region have all seen increased numbers of U.S. warships, planes and troops.
Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicle
