Posted on 08/20/2010 10:36:37 PM PDT by Gene Eric
As much as I despise Jimmy Carter, he was right on one thing - pull the troops from SK.
Should have happened in 1976 - would have saved us billions....
The US military is still needed in South Korea, not to spread democracy but to protect it — and to prevent an Asian nuclear arms race.
South Korea’s strategic situation is dominated by China’s looming presence. Korean history has many episodes of Chinese or Japanese domination, with Koreans prone to describe their situitation as being that of a shrimp caught between whales.
From the South Korean perspective, the dangerous and crazy North Korean Chinese client state requires that a powerful and mostly acceptable foreigner (the US) be a counterbalance to Chinese influence and a guarantor of Japanese good conduct. But national pride urges South Koreans toward being able to stand on their own.
The soft aspects of troop quality, training, doctrine, and experience matter greatly and are often harder to get right than military technology and weapons. From what I have read from experts, the South Korean military is not yet up to the demands of modern communications, command, and control and a long planned handover of headquarters functions was delayed.
On the other hand, it would be relatively quick and easy for South Korea to make nuclear weapons and a missile delivery system aimed against North Korea and implicitly against China. Nuclear weapons play to the strengths of a modern industrial society in producing expensive, technology driven products.
A South Korean nuclear capability would do much to keep North Korea and China at bay as US economic and military power decline. As long as the US military is needed in South Korea though, we have a veto against a South Korean nuclear program. That means that Japan and the Republic of China do not have a clear justification for going nuclear, with follow on effects as other countries did the same in response.
In a roundabout way then, the US military presence in South Korea benefits China as well as South Korea and helps keep the world from having a dozen or so new nuclear powers.
You got me. I meant Engrish.
>> Look at how far they [Iran and NK] have advanced while “we” stand passively by.)
Yup. The issue is whether or not they’ll shake hands across the table.
>> Loyalty may very well become a forgotten commodity should the world economy continue to worsen and we are not well positioned to weather that particular storm since we owe so much to China.
Financial problems in the front door, loves (loyalty) goes out the back door.
>> OR they may have gotten an “under the table” green light
I’m sure a lot of that goes on. Sad, however, that our nuclear programs are being handicapped while the adversaries’ seem to be ignored. At least that’s the impression we’re given.
>> As much as I despise Jimmy Carter, he was right on one thing - pull the troops from SK.
Well, he managed to give away the Canal.
I was prepared to comment on your initial thoughts, but you eventually echoed my thoughts in the sentences that followed. So, I agree!
We have demonstrated the truth of one of two competing aphorisms: that great minds think alike — or that fools seldom differ.
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