June 27 to August 1

Rim of Pacific 2024 War Games

The U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) war exercises will take place in and around the Hawaiian Islands from June 27 to August 1. This is the 29th biennial RIMPAC and will involve 29 countries and more than 25,000 personnel. The U.S. Navy boasts that this is the world's largest international maritime military exercise. Participating armed forces are coming from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, South Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Vessels involved will include three submarines, 14 land-based units and more than 150 aircraft. Aircraft will include F-35 Lightning II fighter jets (infamously deployed by Israel to bomb Gaza), P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance planes and V-22 Osprey tiltrotors, which will operate out of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam and Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Oahu.

Drills planned for RIMPAC 2024 include the sinking of a vessel, "multi-domain warfare in a range of scenarios from anti-submarine warfare, multi-ship surface warfare, multinational amphibious landings, and multi-axis defence of the carrier strike group against live forces," a U.S. Navy press release states.

On June 2, the Department of National Defence announced that "[HMCS] Vancouver will depart from Esquimalt for Hawaii to take part in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 before proceeding to Operation HORIZON in the Indo-Pacific. HMCS Vancouver will be joined on RIMPAC 24 by HMCS Max Bernays, Motor Vessel Asterix and a shore-based contingent of approximately 300 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members."

RIMPAC is vehemently opposed by peoples around the world, who are organizing various actions calling for it to be scrapped.

The Malu 'Aina Center for Non-Violent Education and Action in Hawaii issued a call to action on June 1 that stated: "RIMPAC usually involves the sinking of ships (and harm to marine life) by bombing and shelling in Hawaiian waters, onshore military beach assault landings, bombing, shelling, and troop training at the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii Island and possibly other areas, as well as human trafficking with military troops entering tourist areas. Canceling the RIMPAC War Games Now & Forever will be a Peace victory for all!

"If RIMPAC goes forward, extensive protests are planned. Presently protests are scheduled for Saturday, June 22 from 10:00 am till noon in Hilo on Kamehameha Ave near the Mo'oheau Bandstand, Saturday, July 6 from 10:00 am till noon at the Pohakuloa Main Gate, Saturday, July 20 from 10:00 am till noon fronting the Kamehameha Statue on Hilo Bayfront. Please pass the word! Mahalo."

Besides the dangers to the natural and social environment posed by these war exercises, Israel's participation is also a matter of concern.

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) argues New Zealand's participation shows complicity in war crimes and that withdrawing would be a symbol of solidarity and show that New Zealand takes the prevention of genocide seriously, Te Ao Maori News reported on June 13. "We are calling on our government to withdraw from the exercise because of Israel's industrial-scale slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza," PSNA national chair John Minto said. "Why would we want to join with a lawless, rogue state which has demonstrated the complete suite of war crimes over the past eight months?"

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Malaysia has issued a petition that calls on the Malaysian government "to immediately withdraw from the RIMPAC 2024 military exercise to protest against the participation of the Israeli military in that exercise."

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This article was published in

Volume 54 Number 37 - June 18, 2024

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/MS543712.HTM

Website:  www.cpcml.ca   Email:  editor@cpcml.ca