Despite the always predictable tempertantrums from the North Koreans, the major US and Korean military training exercise Key Resolve/Foal Eagle has now begun:

This year’s exercises have been surrounded by media speculation, much of it erroneous, according to USFK officials. South Korean media reported that B-2 and F-22 aircraft from U.S. bases on Guam and Okinawa would be participating, but those reports are incorrect, according to a 7th Air Force spokesman at Osan Air Base, South Korea.

Palmer, a USFK spokesman, said reports that 26,000 U.S. servicemembers have come to South Korea for the exercise are a “mischaracterization.” He said 26,000 is the approximate number of people participating in the exercises, including those who are normally stationed in South Korea.

Originally known as Reception Staging Onward Movement and Integration/Foal Eagle, the first portion had its name changed in March 2008 to Key Resolve to reflect the changing roles of American troops on the peninsula.

Key Resolve is a command-post exercise — a computer-based simulation that focuses on bringing new troops and equipment onto the peninsula in the event of a contingency. Foal Eagle is a series of field exercises. Both exercises have U.S. servicemembers and civilians working closely with their South Korean counterparts.

As in previous years, according to a policy letter on the U.S. Forces Korea Web site, servicemembers are prohibited from drinking during the exercises.  [Stars & Stripes]

For someone that has spent more then his fair share of time working in the simcenter for these training exercises there is absolutely nothing provacative about them.  This whole exercise just tests the command and control cells within the USFK and the ROK military if hostilities were to break out and units and supplies had to brought to the peninsula from overseas.

There is absolutely nothing during this training exercise that deals with an invasion of North Korea.  The North Korean complaints are typical and are just yet another attempt by them to get a major training exercise between the US & ROK militaries cancelled in order to drive a wedge between the two allies.  This is something they have been able to do in the past for other exercises such as Team Spirit that the North Koreans were able to get cancelled by prior Korean administrations.