U.S. Military, Allies Conduct Amphibious Landing Exercises

By Newsroom America Staff at 7 Feb 2012

(Newsroom America) -- About 20,000 U.S. military members, along with personnel from eight other nations, are conducting amphibious landings at a Marine Corps base on the east coast, part of an exercise aimed at a fictional enemy that resembles Iran.

Reports said the exercise, dubbed Operation Bold Alligator, is being stages along beaches in North Carolina, near Camp Lejeune. Besides U.S. forces, hundreds of British, Dutch and French troops are also taking place in the landings, as observers from Italy, Spain, New Zealand and Australia also participated.

U.S. Marines stepped onto beaches from hovercraft, as a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship, along with vessels from Canada and France, loomed in the distance.

The Pentagon, mindful that Marines have spent much of their combat time recently in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan, said Tuesday the exercises were designed "to revitalize, refine, and strengthen fundamental amphibious capabilities and reinforce the Navy and Marine Corps role as 'fighters from the sea.'"

Dozens of ships, aircraft and minesweepers from the various nations are taking part in the exercise, which is "the largest amphibious exercise conducted by the fleet in the last 10 years," according to Adm. John Harvey, head of US Fleet Forces Command.

The Pentagon opened up the exercise to other nations for the first time this year, said officials.

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