cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/54954187
The South Korean government is sending a proposal to its parliament to approve the expansion of the Cheonghae naval unit — an “anti-piracy” naval unit currently deployed in the Red Sea.
The proposal would expand the Cheonghae Unit’s operational area to include waters in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Oman, very close to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. Iran has previously declared that the Strait and the Gulf of Oman are off-limits to foreign military vessels.
Since the start of the US-israeli war on Iran, Washington has pressured Seoul to join the war. In September, massive protests shook Seoul after word broke that South Korea could send military units into the conflict.
President Lee Jae Myung previously caved to these protests, vowing not to join the war against Iran. However, he left open the possibility to expand the Cheonghae Unit to protect the so-called “freedom of navigation” of South Korean commercial vessels.
This is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to join the imperialist war on Iran by other means. A closer look at the proposal makes this clear.
Seoul seeks to expand the Cheonghae Unit’s military assets, adding a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, mine-sweeping systems, and 75 South Korean military personnel to the unit, bringing the total to 395. The Cheonghae Unit would operate out of Camp Lemmonier, a US military base in Djibouti.
While Lee’s government currently claims the Cheonghae Unit would not enter the Strait of Hormuz, the presence of mine-sweeping units raises doubts as to whether this is true.
Any attempt to market this idea as a “non-military” mission must be rebuffed. By deploying units close to Iran’s waters during an active, illegal war that has killed thousands of people, Seoul would become a party to the war.
A vote may take place as soon as next week. Stay tuned for updates.
By: @nodutdol