Text Fwd: Malaysia: Military Exercise Portends NATO's Southest Asia Wing 말레이시아: 군사 훈련, 나토의 동남아 부대 예고

* Text sent from Rick Rozoff on Oct. 20, 2010

World Future Online
October 19, 2010
Bersama Padu military exercise: Nato's Future SEA Wing?
Written by Abdel Jabber

Riau Islands/Indonesia: From the Bersama Shield exercise to the Bersama Padu - both in the Malay language - it is clear that Western entities are working hard to bring Malaysia on board the future 'Nato' South East Asia wing to support Nato's expansion as a 'global' military force. The fact that the military exercises are named in Malay is an indication that the Western generals - with Nato's consent indeed - are concerned about ways to drag Malaysia into the picture.

With Malaysia's efforts to be noted by the American administration headed by President Barack Obama, the exercises could not come at a better time for the nation to implement its arm stretching strategy.

According to the Australian Defence Department, the Exercise Bersama Padu (BP10), which means 'together united' in Malay, aims to cultivate regional ties and seeks to enhance Australia's interoperability with the armed forces of Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

The exercise allows Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) nations' armies, navies and air forces to exercise and conduct combined and joint operations at an operational and/or tactical level for the defence of Malaysia and Singapore.

The FPDA was dormant for decades but is currently being re-ignited in order to give a better regional sense to aspects of Nato's push in the region. Nato's heads have already visited New Zealand and Australia in a bid to re-inforce these nations' confidence in the Western-backed global armed forces that are involved in the military offensive against the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Exercise BP10 will be conducted from 11– 9 October, with the live exercise phase conducted from 24–27 October.

Overall, the exercise will involve more than 3,000 personnel, up to 13 ships and 60 aircraft, plus various support elements.

Australian Defence Force assets involved in BP10 include HMA Ships Success, Tobruk, Toowoomba, and Arunta, one Australian Clearance Dive team, eight F/A-18s from No 3 Squadron RAAF Williamtown NSW, one Army platoon from Butterworth and around 60 support staff from across the ADF for the Headquarters.

"BP10 is a well-planned activity that aims to train and evaluate our capabilities, processes and procedures while minimising any impact on the population and within the exercise area.

"BP10 allows the RAAF to test and practise its deployment capabilities so that it can operate away from its home base.

"In addition to eight F/A-18 Hornets from No 3 Squadron participating in BP10, a C-17A Globemaster from RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland and a C-130H Hercules from RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales will provide airborne logistics support (carrying personnel, equipment and stores) for Australian Defence Force units travelling to and from BP10. The C-17A Globemaster and C-130H Hercules will not be participating in the exercise."

Source: ANS/www.defence.gov.au