Posted on 10/19/2006 1:37:01 AM PDT by medscribe
The chief presidential secretary for security Song Min-soon on Wednesday said South Korea would be the greatest victim in a war on the peninsula due to the "absurdity" of the security structure. The U.S., on the other hand, "has fought more wars than any other nation in the history of its establishment and survival,” Song said. The presidential aide made the remark at a forum titled “The 21st Century Northeast Asia Future Forum”, organized by the JoongAng Ilbo and the Hyundai Research Institute, when asked how to resolve the difference between Seoul’s focus on preventing war and Washington’s on deterring nuclear weapons. Song urged “the right balance between Seoul's and Washington's North Korea policy considering that difference.”
The remarks seem to imply a call for greater weight to be given to South Korea’s position in the crisis on the peninsula caused by Pyongyang's nuclear test. They reflect a perception in the ruling Uri Party that the U.S. is primarily responsible for the North’s nuclear test and that sanctions against the North could lead to war. "I suspect that the U.S. does not have any comprehensive North Korea policy, and the Bush administration has a tendency to move at the whim of its aides and the North’s actions,” he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Korea Alexander Vershbow said even when the UN Security Council increases pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear test, it will not lead to a second Korean War.
Addressing a meeting at Korea Press Center, the envoy said the UNSC resolution is not a complete embargo against the North but aims to “help” it move in a positive direction. Vershbow stressed the resolution allows humanitarian aid to the North to continue and thus help the North Koreans. He added U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her planned visit to Seoul on Thursday will call for active participation of U.S. allies in preventing North Korea from conducting illegal activities. Rice "will talk to the South Korean government about our request to join with others to expand cooperation through the Proliferation Security Initiative,” he added.
Then defend yourselves; its only been 53 years (and probably several trillion US dollars) since the armistice, what are we doing with 30,000 troops guarding these wealthy ingrates to begin with?
Spoken like a guy whose popularity has taken a huge hit thanks to recent events. Stay out of this one, Ruh-Roh. We'll call you if we need you.
I'm sure most Americans would be happy to leave this to South Korea and its other friends (China) in the neighborhood. We've had enough of the world's ingratitude and have our own priorities. Bring our troops back from the DMZ.
Shame on the South Koreans for allowing 23 million fellow Koreans to live as slaves for 53 years by propping up the Kim regime so as not to disrupt your prosperity. A prosperity in no small part aided by the US nuclear and military umbrella.
Americans would not allow 23 million Americans to be enslaved. We are morally superior to you, Mr. Song. You disgust me.
Ditto.
Time to pull our troops and let the S Koreans defend themselves. Ingrates and fools.
HOw about bring those troops home and reposition them on our oen southern border?
If it were not for the ability of terrorists to access nuclear weapons technology from such a rogue state, I would happily leave socialist South Korea to twist in the wind.
Socialists need a dose of reality to mature to adulthood.
We could clean up Baghdad in a month.
I like that.
We could make baghdad a better place in about a minute.
I was watching a show the other day about the Korean War and it stated that there were less than 100 miles of paved roads in the entire country in those days. Then take a look at Seoul's skyline today.
Pretty much what you would expect - after all, "the only reason that North and South Korea are not one Chosun (as is inevitable) is the United States." /s
...other priorities....
"HOw about bring those troops home and reposition them on our oen southern border?"
...for instance. I'd much rather have my tax dollars go toward preventing a nuclear attack through the southern border than protecting ingrates in South Korea from the consequences of their own appeasement of the north.
Why should he "stay out?"
Let Koreans deal with Korean problems.
We have NO BUSINESS being on the Koeran peninsula.
zactly
We have NO BUSINESS being on the Koeran peninsula.
If We weren't there, the Commies would have taken over SK a long time ago. You don't have a problem with that?
South Korea has twice the population and 50 times the economy of the north.
They can get along fine without us.
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