[nathanbedford]

3000 troops amout to about 2% of America's committment in Irak. What does this huge contribution cost us? We have 38,000 troops on the line and nearby in Korea, one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints.

It certainly costs us a great deal of leverage in dealing with the South Koreans. It might cost us freedom of action on the penninsula. We need all the leverage we can get to keep the radical left under control in South Korea so that they do not undermine our negotiations with the north.

Is this measly contrubution worth the cost just so we can report that we have one more nation on board?

[toddst]

Is this measly contrubution worth the cost just so we can report that we have one more nation on board?

I'm guessing the final number of SK personnel will be higher AND perhaps 5,000 will be combat troops. The SK's can't afford not to make a significant committment and risk our reducing US troop levels in Korea IMO.