Let their leaders run their mouths. People's minds are made up already. They either love us or hate us, and stunts like this don't change that.
Posted on 07/08/2005 8:14:09 AM PDT by 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."
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Okay, time to start pulling out. Make no secret of it. Leave a note behind saying "call us when you're ready to be serious."
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I've spent time there (including in the DMZ) doing research on the topic and I've seen the Org Charts. Nobody I know underestimates the NK forces. Their capabilities and numbers are well know. Their deficiencies are also well known. The conventional wisdom in both US and ROK military circles is that the first 48 hours would be all NK but that would be it. This is of course talking about conventional warfare. If NK goes nuclear with a first strike it wouldn't matter whether we are there or not anyway.
"and China wouldn't tolerate us putting any large numbers of troops of equipment on or near Taiwan."
Wow, we have some real fear of China on here. I respect there abilities but what exactly would China do? They can't project force anywhere except for possibly Taiwan...and they would lose horribly there in a naval and air battle with US forces.
Let their leaders run their mouths. People's minds are made up already. They either love us or hate us, and stunts like this don't change that.
in last months edition of the atlantic there was a nice piece on a north korea war game. in fact it was pretty scary.
The first flash will be the NK's destruction of Soul. If they do it with their nukes, the Robust Earth Penetrator (gad, how I love that name) will be part of the answer. Otherwise, non-nuke cruise missiles and lots of em.
Ok. Time to pull out. Let's move all our bases to Taiwan.
China tests ballistic missile submarine
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
China's military has launched the first of a new class of ballistic missile submarines in what defense officials view as a major step forward in Beijing's strategic weapons program.
The new 094-class submarine was launched in late July and when fully operational in the next year or two will be the first submarine to carry the underwater-launched version of China's new DF-31 missile, according to defense officials.
"When fully operational, it will represent a more modern, more capable missile platform," said one official familiar with reports of the new submarine.
A second intelligence official said building submarines is a top priority of the Chinese, and the Type 094 will be "China's first truly intercontinental strategic nuclear delivery system."
It may be true, but let me withhold judgement until I hear from a source other than the IHT.
This is great, coming on the heels of Rohs "fence-mending" visit with Bush. You have to give him credit, though - he sure knows how to burn his bridges!!
"The Taiwan Relations Act will not shoot down an ICBM headed for Seattle."
Your point is a weak deflection. You said we wouldn't defend Taiwan if attacked...We have agreements with Taiwan to defend them if attacked by China period.
Regarding your deflection...the US doesn't cower to threats of nuclear war...our counter strike would put China into the stoneage. Even the CCP isn't that stupid.
That article was from December 3, 2004
"Certainly they can defeat the poverty stricken Nks."
I don't know about that. The North has been spending virtually all of its money on the military and starving the citizens. The South has been spending all of its money and foreign aid building factories to make automobiles and electronics. It's typical of what countries do when the US helps them: They are willing to take the money and be nice to the US as their economy starts to grow. When things are going fairly well, they are still willing to take the money but they feel free license to criticize the US and vote against the US in the UN. Once their economy is really rolling along, they are still willing to take US money but they are completely adversarial and essentially enemies of the US.
Best bet is to let 'em duke it out then take out whoever is left standing. Japan could use a little more space.
There are certain strategic advantages to maintaining a presence in Korea but they are fading daily. We don't have enough ground troops there to act as anything more than a tripwire and haven't for decades. We don't really need airfields. Ports of call, however, still present an advantage, as do intelligence assets. So it isn't an entirely altruistic deployment.
It is, of course, possible that at some point in the future China will employ military assets to eliminate an economic rival, but that is not terribly likely inasmuch as South Korea really isn't that direct a rival (yet) and the costs in trade loss with a dismayed West may prove prohibitive. In any case South Korea will diminish as an economic rival anyway just as soon as reunification takes place as they will bear the brunt of the staggering rebuilding costs. What China wants there can be obtained without rolling any armored divisions or taking the concomitant risk of a larger conflict. And their focus is very much on Taiwan.
My guess is that a quiet, staged withdrawal might be in everyone's best interest. North Korea's principal value to the Chinese in its current state is its ability to annoy the U.S. and its regional allies. I do not think Europe takes the nuclear proliferation threat seriously enough to even factor in this. Our strategic objective here should be to make North Korea cost the Chinese more than it's worth. At that point reunification will seem a viable option, especially if it's on the South Korean dime. And personally I would not give the Koreans a penny of aid in that regard - it's their country, their project, their problem. All IMHO and subject to vigorous debate, of course.
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What makes you think Taiwan, where we currently have zero bases, would want us?
Anybody read the South Korea-US mutual defense treaties of late? Anymore need to keep these alive any further?
The communists, amateurs and kids have indeed taken over South Korea.
Is this one of yours?
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