Should we pull out of North Korea?

[RandomGuy]

I say yes. I see no reason that really compels us to stay.

It is a huge waste of money.

[Marcus Bryant]

Were we not last in the North a half century ago?

[mrsmaalox]

North Korea? Oh I see--typo :)

[RandomGuy]

Were we not last in the North a half century ago?

Aw crap. :bang

[Winehole23]

I say yes. I see no reason that really compels us to stay.

It is a huge waste of money.Does Seoul still want us there?

Does South Korea even need us anymore?

[The Reckoning]

Does Seoul still want us there?

Does South Korea even need us anymore?


the koreans i know say its a waste of space because South Korea has compulsory service anyway. they arent too happy with American soldiers being everywhere either.

[mrsmaalox]

the koreans i know say its a waste of space because South Korea has compulsory service anyway. they arent too happy with American soldiers being everywhere either.

I've never heard anything like that. It's not like they are "occupied". I believe South Koreans would miss the American soldiers :greedy

[JoeChalupa]

I believe we should stay and my opinion is based on simply how I feel that if we were to leave we'd find ourselves back there sooner rather than later.

[JoeChalupa]

Same way that I feel that we'll be in Iraq and Afghanistan for many more years.

[Winehole23]

Same way that I feel that we'll be Iraq and Afghanistan for many more years.You're working the metaphor the wrong way, JoeC.

SECDEF Gates wants us to look at our commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan as if they were Korea in 1950. It makes no obvious sense to suggest that Korea is like Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009.

Is there some subtler take you have here, or just vibes?

[JoeChalupa]

You're working the metaphor the wrong way, JoeC.

SECDEF Gates wants us to look at our commitment to Iraq and Afghanistan as if they were Korea in 1950. It makes no obvious sense to suggest that Korea is like Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009.

Is there some subtler take you have here, or just vibes?

No. I just don't feel we should leave South Korea especially considering the current situation with North Korea. Simple as that.

[LnGrrrR]

You know, I voted yes, but on second thought, I should've voted no. I don't want to be forced into a short tour over there. :D

[Wild Cobra]

No. I loved my tour in Korea. Great people, and I didn't see any of them wanting us out. Great strategic positioning as well.

[JoeChalupa]

No. I loved my tour in Korea. Great people, and I didn't see any of them wanting us out. Great strategic positioning as well.

:tu

[Darrin]

I say yes. I see no reason that really compels us to stay.

It is a huge waste of money.

The Chinese don't want the region to be de-stabilized. They hold most of our debt. We'll need their help out of this financial crisis. That's the reason we can't leave.

Should we?

I don't think so. We've played a large role in the political situation of the region. As Africa's current political atmosphere has much to do with the European Nations that attempted to conquer the continent, we believed the domino theory, started two international wars in the area, and assasinated leaders and quelled dissention.

It is our mess to clean up. That's another reason not to leave.

[Winehole23]

No. I loved my tour in Korea. Great people, and I didn't see any of them wanting us out. Great strategic positioning as well.I thought we were there for the Koreans. My bad.

If they asked us to leave, you'd be ok with that? We've sorta been moving in that direction for five years (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10249-2004Oct5?language=printer) now.

[Winehole23]

A historical precis (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/11/AR2006091100877_pf.html) of the US-Korea tie.

[antimvp]

we left a long time ago

http://www.warchat.org/pictures/korean_war_map_chinese_movements.jpg

[LnGrrrR]

No. I loved my tour in Korea. Great people, and I didn't see any of them wanting us out. Great strategic positioning as well.

I'd rather fill my short tour requirement in Moron, Spain; Guam; or the Azores though :)

[RandomGuy]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/dprk-dmsp-dark.jpg

Find North Korea in this picture.

Hint: look for the area with no electricity.

North Korea isn't as much of a threat to the economic powerhouse of the South as it was 50 years ago.

China wouldn't let them invade, no how, no way.

[Wild Cobra]

I'd rather fill my short tour requirement in Moron, Spain; Guam; or the Azores though :)
I'll bet the Azores (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lajes_Field) would be great. Used to talk to the birds there that have the really long copper colored tails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_EC-135).

I liked the hot spicy food Korea offer, the mountain hikes on Palgongsan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palgongsan), the beauty of the land. Even though I was Army, I was stationed at K-2 (Taegu) and a Rock-Topper at the top of Palgongsan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palgongsan). Both Air Force bases. Because the south sides of the mountains in Korea were holy, no roads, only trails. It was almost as fast to hike up and down the mountain then take a bus or taxi to Taegu than drive more than an hour. Didn't have to wait for the daily run that way either.

[Wild Cobra]

I thought we were there for the Koreans. My bad.

If they asked us to leave, you'd be ok with that? We've sorta been moving in that direction for five years (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A10249-2004Oct5?language=printer) now.
I haven't paid too much attention to that. I don't know the current need for us there, but we have so much there already.

Rumor I heard says we used to have a SR-71 based at Osan Airbase more than 20 years ago, maybe more than 30. Probably something newer and secret hiding someplace in S. Korea now.

The S. Koreans have an excellent Army and Marines corp. We have little overlap with their capabilities. We compliment them. I think their government is actually happy that we maintain the costs of a really nice digital fiber optics communications backbone, Radar bases, Nice Air Force bases with K-2 in Taegu being long enough to land the shuttle on. I'm sure they like the infusion of money from the military presence as well.

Should we leave if asked. Absolutely. I simply don't think they will. There may be public pressure, but our presence is beneficial to both nations.

[Wild Cobra]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/images/dprk-dmsp-dark.jpg

Find North Korea in this picture.

Hint: look for the area with no electricity.

North Korea isn't as much of a threat to the economic powerhouse of the South as it was 50 years ago.

China wouldn't let them invade, no how, no way.
Wow....

There are now six specks of light!

[Winehole23]

Foreign Policy in Focus (http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/5111).

[Nbadan]

Should we pull out of North Korea?

That's not a typo..

[FaithInOne]

Noninterventionist =/ issolationists

[ChumpDumper]

It's a dicey situation, because the North Koreans are about as close to a brainwashed populace as you can get. Get 20 million cult members, isolate them completely, starve them and make them live in squalor, blame their plight on foreigners and arm them to the teeth -- makes for a volatile situation.

It's going to take a couple of generations to get the north back to any semblance of normalcy after reunification.

[CubanMustGo]

It's a dicey situation, because the North Koreans are about as close to a brainwashed populace as you can get. Get 20 million cult members, isolate them completely, starve them and make them live in squalor, blame their plight on foreigners and arm them to the teeth -- makes for a volatile situation.

It's going to take a couple of generations to get the north back to any semblance of normalcy after reunification.

+1

There was a documentary of some 'doctors without borders'-type group that was actually allowed to go into NK, film the trip, and do some restorative work (maybe it was dentists instead of doctors) on needy North Koreans. After the work was done and the people got to see the results, they were literally bowing and kowtowing ... to a picture of li'l Kim that was in the room.

I don't see l'il Kim allowing reunification b/c I don't see him ever letting the people of NK realize what a ride they've been taken on the last 40-50 years.

[RandomGuy]

It's a dicey situation, because the North Koreans are about as close to a brainwashed populace as you can get. Get 20 million cult members, isolate them completely, starve them and make them live in squalor, blame their plight on foreigners and arm them to the teeth -- makes for a volatile situation.

It's going to take a couple of generations to get the north back to any semblance of normalcy after reunification.

This country literally has people starving on the streets. Not exactly a recipe for a military powerhouse.

Even so, does ANYONE actually think that China would really let them attack one of China's main trading partners?

I have yet to see much in the way of valid reasoning for why we should stay in South Korea.

[ChumpDumper]

This country literally has people starving on the streets. Not exactly a recipe for a military powerhouse.Their military is not starving.


Even so, does ANYONE actually think that China would really let them attack one of China's main trading partners?Well it comes down to whether one thinks there could be a point where NK would ignore China. I personally think they are crazy enough.

[Winehole23]

Who's next in line in the DPRK after Dear Leader kicks?

[ChumpDumper]

Who's next in line in the DPRK after Dear Leader kicks?Nobody knows. He has three sons and a son-in-law who is an army general, but there are also theories that the party won't continue the dynasty.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSSEO30011320080910

[RandomGuy]

Their military is not starving.

Well it comes down to whether one thinks there could be a point where NK would ignore China. I personally think they are crazy enough.

Their army isn't starving, but it isn't really well-fed either. Look at the soldiers in any of the newest footage. All uniform, and skinny as a rail, down to the generals.

The ruling regime there knows that China is the kingmaker. Any stalinist police state's ruling regime has its own #1 interest in survival at heart.

China would squash them like a bug, or simply pull the plug on aid, depriving the military of the privledges they enjoy.

They may be crazy, but they aren't stupid enough to cross the Dragon.

[ChumpDumper]

Depends on who's calling the shots.

[Winehole23]

Irrationality and crazy are real too, but these have been overhyped IMO. Brinksmanship is the foreign policy style of North Korea.