Russia and North Korea’s Defense Pact Is a Told-You-So Moment in Asia
New York TimesJun 20
US Aircraft Carrier Arrives in South Korea
Image copyright: US Navy/Handout/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Theodore Roosevelt, the US' nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, arrived in Busan on Saturday to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea and Japan.
The drills, called Freedom Edge, would reportedly ensure that the three nations are "ready to respond to any crisis or contingency." They will include anti-submarine warfare and air defense exercises.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The US and its allies have been forced to step up their military exercises to cope with Russian and North Korean threats to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. Theodore Roosevelt's arrival is part of an international effort to project unity in the face of Putin's threat to supply weapons to North Korea and advance its nuclear and missile technologies.
Establishment-critical narrative
The three-nation reckless military drills off North Korea's coasts are an attempt to blackmail and threaten a sovereign state and are akin to rehearsals for an invasion. While the US cites North Korean "threats" as a pretext for its military presence in the region, it's clear its sole intention is to encircle, contain, and encroach China and Russia.
