Posted on 05/19/2004 1:40:53 PM PDT by areafiftyone
Following U.S. decision to shift some of its troops from here to Iraq, calls are increasing here in Korea to review its plan to send its troops to the war-torn country. Here are interviews with leaders of the two schools of opinion on the issue. - ED
Chang Young-dal, chairman of the Assembly¡¯s National Defense Committee, urged Seoul to press for the planned troop dispatch to Iraq despite the redeployment of part of United States Forces Korea (USFK) to the Middle Eastern country.
``Given the current situation, the withdrawal of the plan for an additional ROK military dispatch to Iraq would be the worst option for Korea,¡¯¡¯ Chang said in an interview with The Korea Times on Tuesday.
The four-term lawmaker went on to say, ``With the troop dispatch bill already passed in the National Assembly, the South Korean government would have no excuse for failing to send the additional 3,600 soldiers to Iraq.¡¯¡¯
His remarks came a day after the Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry announced the U.S. decision to shift about 4,000 troops of the U.S. Army¡¯s 2nd Infantry Division to Iraq, possibly stalling Seoul¡¯s plan to send its own forces.
The 56-year-old lawmaker said the U.S. forces¡¯ shift will not affect Seoul¡¯s plan to send troops to Iraq as they are two different issues. Iraq¡¯s deteriorating situation is a major variable that the South Korean government should take into consideration with regard to the troop dispatch, he added.
``Only the changing Iraqi situation in terms of security can affect our decision to send troops to Iraq,¡¯¡¯ he said.
Meanwhile, the redeployment of U.S. forces out of South Korea as decided by the U.S. government promptly raised concerns over a security vacuum on the Korean peninsula.
Asked if the pullout of part of the USFK may cause a security crisis in South Korea, Chang flatly rebuffed it as groundless speculation.
``Now that the six-way talks are underway to peacefully solve the North Korean nuke program, what they call a security crisis does not make sense at all,¡¯¡¯ the lawmaker explained.
Chang also stressed the USFK¡¯s redeployment would not seriously lower the security level in Korea, saying, ``U.S. Forces in Japan will be strengthened to fill the gap left by GIs leaving South Korea.¡¯¡¯
Some jihadis are going to be in deep kimchee.
You aint just whislin Dixie.
Those ROK dudes are tough.
Lets put them in charge of the prisons!
In 1983 I took a long cab ride across Taegu one evening. The driver was an ex-ROK soldier who had served in Vietnam.
I don't think he exaggerated the exploits of his unit, but I was certainly glad that I had never had to fight against him or his buddies. He told tales that made my hair stand up on the back of my neck.
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