Seoul vows to bar U.S. strike at North Korea

International Herald Tribune ^ | July 8th, 2005 | Choe Sang-Hun

[Paul Ross]

SEOUL President Roh Moo Hyun declared Thursday that under no circumstances would South Korea allow the United States to resort to a military attack against North Korea.

President George W. Bush insists that he wants to resolve the nuclear crisis through diplomacy, but he has not officially ruled out a military option, which he has called a "last choice."

[steveegg]

I agree. After we pull out of Korea announce to the world that Japan will be handling defense responsibilities in the region...then watch the Koreans react..heh heh.

Excellent idea. I wonder how long it would take Seoul to cave.

[HitmanLV]

President Roh Moo Hyun declared Thursday that under no circumstances would South Korea allow the United States to resort to a military attack against North Korea.

Hey, I have one cirumstance that would change the prez's tune: if the NK Military rolls down into SK and launches an invasion!

Funny how the prez has a very limited understanding of 'no circumstances.'

[rbmillerjr]

"Redeploying closer to Taiwan might start a war with China, by the way."

Um no, it would be a reaction to China deploying offensive misilles and forces across from Taiwan. The Chinese deployments haven't caused a war and likewise our repositioning to Guam and Okinawa haven't either.

[wtc911]

We have plenty of partners in Asia who would love to have our protection and American dollars. Screw the S. Koreans!!

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Name them.

[Young Werther]

Have a friend who is an B-52 EWO, USAF Academy grad who teaches at Texas A&M Commerce campus, He flies B-52 missions out of Barksdale AFB LA and flew long ass-hour missions to tell a tale to the Taliban. A B-52 load of cruise missiles can do the job as well.

Land, Sea or Air the nuclear triad is ready and able to do the job!

[RetiredArmy]

Time to bring the rest of our troops out of South Korea. Let them defend their own dirt.

[MikefromOhio]

First of all, we have redeployed some of the troops stationed in Korea either this rotation or the one just completed so there is not as many US troops as there once was...

secondly, even if this idiot IS speaking for the South Korean people, and I DO NOT believe that he is, we shouldn't over-react to something this trite, conspicuous and utter stupid in the face of a KNOWN enemy.

[Rutles4Ever]

oooookay, you keep thinking that. The Chinese deployments haven't started a war because it's not in our best interest to start a war with China. I wouldn't count on us defending Taiwan, either, if they decide to invade. However, moving 20,000 troops or so towards their treasured claim on Taiwan might do the trick.

I love the cut-and-run mentality. You think we're in South Korea for the sake of South Korea?

[Jeff Head]

Not good. Very foolish IMHO as they are attempting to pacify and placate tyrants...and that cannot be done until everything you have is gone and you are either dead or a slave.

[wtc911]

TODAY, begin redeployment of ALL US troops along the Korean DMZ

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FYI, we have had no more than 250 US troops deployed along the DMZ for decades. The ROKs handle it all. But don't let the facts get in your way.

[NJ_gent]

"Some tell me again why we even bother defending these cretins?"

Because South Korea has a booming economy and if North Korea conquers them and takes all that money, their weapons programs (including nuclear weapons and ICBMs) would advance at a staggering pace. Those weapons would, in turn, be sold to anyone and everyone who wants them at a bargain basement price. That means Osama, Hamas, et al, would have nearly unlimited access to nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons, and the means to deliver them. It would also give groups like Hamas missile technology to strike Israel when and how they please.

[wtc911]

The South Koreans don't have a horse in this race.

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Possibly the most ignorant remark in weeks.

[jw777]

they couldn't stop it if they tried. booomers ready for instructions.

[CDB]

As China becomes more wealthy and influential, I would expect to see other nations in its vicinity moving into China's sphere of influence.

Good point. What's Roh's official policy re the US using ROK-based troops to defend against a PRC invasion of Taiwan? What about a NK conventional missile attack on our (vulnerable) military bases in JAPAN?

[Rutles4Ever]

Taking our ball and going home is not a great military strategy unless you're sipping espresso on the Champs-Elysees. Theoretically, the Japanese could tell us the same thing. And then we'd have no presence whatsoever in the region if we employ your strategy.

We don't need to react like a bunch of hillbillies because the leader of South Korea is senile. We'll never have a military base this close to China again. To leave would be a disaster.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

This is just gorilla dust for consumption by the homeland weenies. If we decide to take out NK, we'll make SK an offer they can't refuse.

[meandog]

Bab-boll shee-bah! (...please don't ask for the Korean translation if you have sensative ears)

[Youngman442002]

Lets pull out...we no longer need to be there..we have ICBM's and cruise missles now....no problem...

[wtc911]

There is little doubt that the ROKs could handle an NK invasion without our man power. Our force there is symbolic and for the foreseeable future a full withdrawal is not in the cards.

[NJ_gent]

"South Korea knows that the "cost" of U.S. military action against North Korea may very well be the annihilation of Seoul in a North Korean nuclear attack"

Supposedly, Seoul is well within range of North Korea's arsenal of conventional missiles and could be leveled without a single piece of North Korean equipment having to roll across the DMZ. That would negate their even having to use their nuclear weapons for anything north of Seoul. Tokyo, however, I can imagine would be hit with a nuclear weapons fairly soon. If, God forbid, they've managed to miniaturize the components for the nuclear weapons enough that they can mount them on a Tae-po Dong II, then we could see nuclear weapons capable of hitting US shores as well. That's the risk we take with any military action against North Korea. At the same time, if we don't take action, they're going to complete work on the Tae-po Dong III, which could deliver a nuclear weapon to Washington, DC. At that point, we'd be at the mercy of the North Koreans.

This is, yet again, the reason I've said all along that we should have taken care of North Korea before Iraq. North Korea was a bigger threat than Iraq before we went in, and they're a much bigger threat now than Iraq ever was.