Trump Admin. to End Major ROKUS Military Exercises

Two U.S. defense officials told NBC News that the Trump Administration will be announcing the end of two major ROKUS military exercises – Key Resolve and Foal Eagle. Last year, following the first Trump-Kim summit in Singapore, President Trump cancelled the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise citing the $14 Million cost, and “provocative” nature to the DPRK. Like Freedom Guardian, Key Resolve is largely a computer simulated exercise that overlaps with the larger ground, air, and naval readiness exercise: Foal Eagle. Both of these exercises are defensive in nature, and meant to maintain combat readiness in the event of a DPRK invasion.

From 2008 to 2010 I participated in the annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises. These exercises are crucial to maintaining joint readiness and identifying gaps in war planning. Further, these exercises are defensive in nature and should not be viewed as a provocation to the DPRK. In fact, in addition to maintaining readiness, these exercises serve as a deterrent to the DPRK and strengthen the ROKUS alliance. These exercises usually coincide with the end of the DPRK’s Winter Training Cycle, offensive in nature, which has not been cancelled. Thus, it is perplexing that President Trump would announce the cancellation of the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military exercises.

This announcement comes a month after the ROK agreed to spend nearly $1 Billion to offset the cost of stationing US troops. However, this was a one year agreement and cost sharing negotiations are due to start up again this year. President Trump has repeatedly called on allies to spend more and expressed distaste for protecting wealthy nations. The message to South Koreans is that the US no longer cares for the relationship forged in blood, and that the security of the Peninsula has taken a back seat to the president’s Nobel Peace Prize aspirations.