The Pentagon announced that another large-scale military...

The Pentagon announced that another large-scale military exercise in Honduras will begin Feb. 11. U.S. tanks will be sent there for the first time, and as many as 4,500 U.S. troops will take part. The exercise, Big Pine III, is the fourth large joint maneuver by the two nations in two years. It will last about three months. U.S. officials say the Big Pine exercise is intended to bolster the Honduran military and intimidate Nicaragua. The Hondurans agreed to Big Pine III despite reports that some Honduran officers want to reduce the American military presence in their country.