US, Israel prepare for major joint military drill
US troops and equipment have
begun arriving in Israel ahead of what a senior air force officer on Wednesday called "the largest
exercise in the history of the longstanding military relationship between the US
and Israel."
He did not give precise dates, saying only that it would begin towards the
end of October or early November and last "about three weeks."
Lieutenant General Craig Franklin told journalists in a telephone briefing
that the drill, "Austere Challenge 2012" (AC12) was defensive and unrelated to
the Iran nuclear crisis, other Middle East developments or elections in the
United States and Israel.
"While the scenario is driven by the overall situation in the Middle East,
AC12 is not related to any specific current event," he said. "AC12 is not
related to national elections nor to any perceived tensions in the Middle East."
