Why are we risking US blood and treasure in this far away peninsula when the south Koreans are perfectly capable of defending themselves?
Because it’s not far away ... he can reach the city you live in now.
“Why are we risking US blood and treasure in this far away peninsula when the south Koreans are perfectly capable of defending themselves?”
1) South Korea doesn’t have the capability and any exchange would necessarily wipe out Seoul.
2) North Korea is threatening us, not South Korea. They are using SK as a foil.
3) There will be US treasure involved, but I doubt much if any blood will be spilled on our side. Delivering Nukes, doesn’t involve a lot of folks, and surely no ground troops, particularly after a nuclear strike.
4) I just imagine that we have a defense treaty with South Korea.
1. They’re not. NK war starts, Seoul ceases to exist in 30 minutes.
2. Rocket Man’s whole goal is to be equal to USA, ramping things up until US backs down. At some point he becomes an actual threat. Let’s not get there.
“Why are we risking US blood and treasure in this far away peninsula when the south Koreans are perfectly capable of defending themselves?”
Uh, because Rocket Boy either now has, or very soon will have, H-bombs he can put on missiles that can reach the U.S.?
The use of an ICBM threatens us. His intermediate missiles can reach Guam, a US territory.
Why are we risking US blood and treasure in this far away peninsula when the south Koreans are perfectly capable of defending themselves?
Uh, do you understand what extortion is? No, I am NOT being condescending. Your question makes me ask.
Do you understand that North Korea's system, and Kim's power, are dependent on them blackmailing other countries?
Does trying to satisfy a serial blackmailer EVER work, in the long run?
Only time, at present, and perhaps a couple allies like Russia or Iran, are needed for North Korea to perfect ICBM's with nukes. Once it has those weapons, North Korea is only as far away as the flight time of an ICBM.
Do you understand why it is incredibly dangerous to have a whole lot of medium-to-large countries (economically speaking) armed to the teeth, especially if that means being nuclear capable? (How often do Allies of Convenience later turn into enemies, especially when there are not very long term cultural and economic ties of great significance and depth? Russia, China, Iran -- the list is long. In addition, in many parts of the world there are deep hatreds between cultures, hatreds that are kept mostly "covered" now, but one or more of those civil veneers will be ripped off in a large scale manner, sooner or later.)
How is South Korea supposed to defend itself against a nuclear armed North Korea, without US help?
While there have been a few bumps in the road, by and large, S. Korea has been a good U.S. ally. What would the ramifications be, moral, and strategic (don't forget the Chinese angle), of abandoning them?
Sooner or later, Kim will have the capability to back up a demand that the US pay tribute. (For all practical purposes, the Norks have already done this, using S. Korea and our own fear of war as hostages, in the Clinton years.) But, the US is us. The money actually comes from you and me. How do you feel about being blackmailed? More important, what do you THINK about being blackmailed?
I doubt that anyone here (FR) wants a war. Some here, or near relatives or close friends, have been IN that form of hell. But, there are things that are worse, like bigger wars, later.
One last thought, one that applies here, but perhaps it pops up because it's been in my own mind a lot recently, tho' not because of FR debates. It's from Babylon 5:
"...sometimes the test is not to find the answer. It's to see how you react when you realize there is no answer."
Ponder these things deeply over the weekend, do some research, and then see what you think... God Bless.
Kim has to get the US off his back BEFORE he takes on SOKO, thus nuking the US is his plan.
Do you understand why we protect Hawaii, Guam, and Japan, and by necessity have security agreements with the Philippines? It is part of our national security strategy to maintain a credible deterrence to ANY of our enemies who would happily project power into, take resources from, and control worldwide shipping through the Asian/Pacific theater. This means we absolutely must have access to secure forward basing areas, airfields, and infrastructure to support operations in friendly (or at least non-hostile) areas including ROK. ROKA is very capable as a military force, but because of the strategic value of the peninsula, we know that other nations (China, Russia, potentially more) will provide assistance to DPRK, so we need to be there to balance the scales... at least in terms of strategic support-- having some US troops on the ground, even in an advisory role, gives us the direct situational awareness required to sustain a campaign and maintain initiative and surprise.
You do realize that his missiles can now strike most of the COTUS? But I suppose South Korea can “defend” us too.