Posted on 11/19/2019 12:17:02 AM PST by Farcesensitive
South Korean and U.S. officials broke off talks on Tuesday aimed at settling the cost burden for Seoul of hosting the U.S. military, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said, amid a public backlash over a $5 billion U.S. demand for the bill.
The breakdown in talks was a sharp and rare public disagreement in the 66-year alliance, with each side suggesting the other was not prepared to come to a fair and reasonable compromise on sharing the costs for hosting 28,500 U.S. troops as a deterrent to North Korea.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
$5 billion demand — chicken soup for the Seoul.
We should leave then. All the years we’ve been there and they can’t pony up that small amount? We don’t need to fight another war for somebody else, they don’t even like us there. Atleast from what I’ve seen in the Winter Olympics.
We were stupid ; don’t blame the Koreans .
The public part of the negotiations...Then both sides come out with the greatest plan ever that reinforces our fantastic relationship.
America wins. S. Korea wins. They just pay a bit more. N. korea sees how it’s done.
We import stunningly vast amounts of tech products from them. If they aren’t reciprocating by picking up their entire defense tab in return the only question is why the hell not?
It’s a pure win/win and we deserve the equal compensation for the defense spending. Just like our billions to them keeps their economy of scale for high tech products going, the money they need to be paying us for defense helps us keep the economy of scale going to provide “the best military on earth.”
No matter how much they publicly whine, it’s still a big win/win.
South Korea is a VERY rich country.
South Korea’s GDP is approaching $2T. The K-pop entertainment industry spends more than $5B on artist development alone. The ROKs can easily afford an increase in what they pay for the American security umbrella.
Does S Korea really want to get into a financial showdown with President Trump?
They have a 2T dollar gdp and we are about 23T.
If we leave the 38th unguarded they die.
The best relationship money can buy?
I say we should split the difference.Though the ROK could definitely afford to pay that bill.They are no longer a third world,developing country.
>>>Time to pack up and leave.
Bring our mercenaries home.
Then maybe South Korea would like to have the EU send them trip wire forces. Oh, that’s right, the EU is not in the habit of defending anyone other than with empty words.
If we remove our forces, North Korea would attack within 72 hours. And for the people of North Korea, that may be a good thing.
And be destroyed within 96 hours. With or without us.
From the U.S. standpoint, if we see no derived benefit for being there and are there for the money they why are we there? From the Korean standpoint, is an ally you have to pay for really an ally?
+1.
South Korea today is not the South Korea of 1950. Though I doubt that planners in North Korea understand that.
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