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U.S. defense official secretly visited S. Korea, reportedly threatened to pull U.S. troops
AP ^ | 06/09/05

Posted on 06/09/2005 3:30:37 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster

Thursday June 9, 4:41 PM

U.S. defense official secretly visited S. Korea, reportedly threatened to pull U.S. troops

A U.S. defense official paid a secret visit to Seoul this week and told his South Korean counterparts that Washington might withdraw its troops if the two sides continue to disagree on various bilateral issues, local media reported Thursday.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry acknowledged the visit by U.S. Deputy Undersecretary of Defense Richard Lawless, but refused to disclose what was discussed during his meetings Monday and Tuesday.

Local newspapers reported that Lawless said Washington might have to withdraw its troops if Seoul keeps disagreeing on a range of issues, including Pentagon plans for its forces to be more flexible and potentially operate across the region. The reports in the Hankyoreh and Munhwa dailies, along with various Internet media, cited South Korean defense officials and diplomats.

The Foreign Ministry dismissed the media reports as "not being in line with the trend of close cooperation between (South) Korea and the United States."

While not directly refuting the reported comments by Lawless, the ministry said in a statement that "the Korea-U.S. alliance is not so weak that it could be swayed by comments from one or two officials."

The reports come on the eve of a Friday meeting in Washington between U.S. President George W. Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun where the two leaders are aiming to patch up strains in their alliance over differences in dealing with North Korea.

Roh has previously expressed concern that plans for U.S. troops here to be a more flexible force might unwillingly embroil South Korea in regional conflicts.

About 32,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. Washington plans to cut down the number to about 24,500 in coming years as part of a worldwide redeployment of its forces.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cnim; lawless; military; militarybases; nkorea; pullout; skorea; southkorea; troops; us; withdrawal
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To: RetiredArmy
Who is yo-yoing. Not me.

I got the impression from your previous comments that you only opposed those instances where the people we were defending were ungrateful whining appeasers. Thanks for the clarification.

61 posted on 06/09/2005 12:41:55 PM PDT by JohnnyZ (Defeat Pat DeWine, RINO Mike DeWine's son! Tom Brinkman for Congress http://www.gobrinkman.com/)
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To: whd23

I'd rather eat liver and onions for a month straight than forced to take another bite of kimchee.

Without a doubt, it's the most sickening dish around.


62 posted on 06/09/2005 12:56:44 PM PDT by Skinn_dogg
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To: Antoninus

Truth is, South Korea is all that stands between North Korea and Japan.


63 posted on 06/09/2005 1:04:12 PM PDT by OldFriend (MAJOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH.....INSPIRATIONAL)
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To: OldFriend

I was under the impression there is some body of water ......?


64 posted on 06/09/2005 1:22:46 PM PDT by JohnnyZ (Defeat Pat DeWine, RINO Mike DeWine's son! Tom Brinkman for Congress http://www.gobrinkman.com/)
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To: JohnnyZ
I think that other countries should take the advice of my mother. She told me when I was a kid, that you have to do for yourself, that you have to look out for yourself, that you cannot count on others to always be there for you, that you must be prepared to take the situation in hand and deal with it yourself. That I am responsible for my own life, my own actions and words.

Well, to me these other countries need to do that also. Assist them? Advise them? Give them aid? Yes, within reason on the aid thing. We have chosen many in the world that we thought were our friends, and they end up biting us on our fat @$$e$. We need to take a long, hard look at this throwing money at every stinking issue, both foreign and domestic, and put our money where it is going to do some good. Not go into someone's pocket or secret bank account. I just think the Koreans are capable of doing for themselves with our assistance, not us being on the front lines and them in reserve. The North Koreans are on the front line themselves these days. Are the SK's saying they are not equal? If you are not going to fight for your own freedom, do you deserve to be free?

65 posted on 06/09/2005 2:08:04 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (Two books, the Koran and Mein Kampf, advocate violence, murder and hate!)
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To: Jet Jaguar

"Let those anti-American protesters take up positions on the DMZ."

Great suggestion.

We can buy Japanese cars instead of Korean cars made in Iran or some place else as an added incentive.


66 posted on 06/09/2005 2:13:51 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 5 decades.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

"Whining cannon fodders? That would be tough to manage. Assign them as personal slaves to front-line combat troops. It is an ancient practice, but it is fair.:-)"

Is that an ancient Korean Custom?

If so, maybe we can help arrange that some tough ROK Marines end up with one or two personal slaves.


67 posted on 06/09/2005 2:15:34 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 5 decades.)
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To: freedomson

This thread has more great replies for the S Koreans who hate us.

"After delivering the ultimatum he dropped on the table a recipe for 'bark soup' and walked out the door."


68 posted on 06/09/2005 2:17:19 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 5 decades.)
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To: Grampa Dave

What would the USA lose if the North over ran the South after we left / made clear that we were not going to come to the Souths defense? I suspect pulling out could be good in the long run. It might get the South and or the Japanese to put more into defense and offset the growing threat from China. Anyone care to share some thoughts on this?


69 posted on 06/09/2005 3:13:46 PM PDT by LongViewSC
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To: LongViewSC

I can't share today. I'm watching my 4 year old grandson. He lets me have about 5 minutes every two hours to do what I want to on the computer.

Ping me in July sometime when something comes up.


70 posted on 06/09/2005 3:31:51 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 5 decades.)
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To: cherokee1

"Any body know how to say "snivel"in SGook?"

mi-an-ham-ni-da

so velly velly sorry......close enough


71 posted on 06/09/2005 6:07:08 PM PDT by Vn_survivor_67-68
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To: q_an_a

Ummm.....

We lost 51,000 troops to fighting in Korea....

Over 500,000 Koreans died saving themselves from the Commies

You want to ask about price again, for freedom that is?

They know that price quite well....at least the last generation did...


72 posted on 06/09/2005 6:29:53 PM PDT by RaceBannon ((Prov 28:1 KJV) The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.)
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To: Grampa Dave
Re #67

I was talking in general terms. In ancient days, warriors were the top of food chain. They owned personal slaves naturally. Whiny losers are more useful as slaves, doing laundries, cooking foods, and gathering firewood, not as panicked cannon fodders.:-)

By the way, sorry to here that your grandson would not let you give little computer time. That is why I cannot see you here as often as it used to. Too bad, I hope you get your own computer soon.

73 posted on 06/09/2005 7:39:05 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
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To: xrp

Okay, no more posting without pictures.


74 posted on 06/10/2005 4:44:42 AM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: FierceKulak
Sorry dude, but American protestors look more like this:


75 posted on 06/10/2005 4:50:01 AM PDT by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: xrp

Cabbage and garlic? Are you sure she isn't German? /joke


76 posted on 06/10/2005 5:11:31 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

"By the way, sorry to here that your grandson would not let you give little computer time. That is why I cannot see you here as often as it used to. Too bad, I hope you get your own computer soon."

The little guy is back home now, and I have my computer back. Also, every 5 minutes, when he is here, "Papa, I need help. Papa, come here. Papa fix this. No complaints that is the reality.

This trip he came in my office when I was checking a spread sheet on our ETF funds. He knows his alphabet and numbers at age 4. He hadn't seen decimal points, $ signs and % signs. So we discussed these. About 20 times yesterday, he want to see the "signs" yesterday.

His Dad picked him up yesterday evening and we all went out to dinner. He took the menu and showed his Dad $ signs and decimal points. Then he wanted to know why there were no % signs. His Dad couldn't believe he knew what any of the 3 were. I told him to put all 3 of them down in different places and ask him to point to each one. So our son used the kids's placemat with the crayons given to him.
He got every one right.


77 posted on 06/10/2005 9:32:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (The MSM has been a WMD, Weapon of Mass Disinformation for the Rats for at least 5 decades.)
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To: OldFriend
He thinks whining and appeasing will keep him safe from the madman in charge of North Korea.

They always do.

78 posted on 06/10/2005 10:08:23 AM PDT by processing please hold (Islam and Christianity do not mix ----9-11 taught us that)
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To: Vn_survivor_67-68

You sure?---I think you just ordered Kim Chee.---


79 posted on 06/10/2005 10:46:33 AM PDT by cherokee1 (skip the names---just kick the buttz)
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To: TigerLikesRooster

South Korea has too many infiltrators and agitators from North Korea.


80 posted on 06/10/2005 1:28:04 PM PDT by ex-Texan (Mathew 7:1 through 6)
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