Posted on 11/20/2005 12:26:18 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
Blow to US as S Korea makes Iraq troops cut
By Anna Fifield and Caroline Daniel in Busan, South Korea
Published: November 19 2005 02:00 | Last updated: November 19 2005 02:00
South Korea yesterday revealed plans to withdraw about a third of its 3,200 troops from Iraq, an embarrassing diplomatic blow to President George W. Bush only a day after he thanked Roh Moo-hyun, his South Korean counterpart, for helping "democracy flourish" in the Middle East.
As the two leaders attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation summit in the South Korean port city of Busan, the South's defence ministry confirmed that a bill on the troop deployment would be submitted to the national assembly next week.
The assembly is required to approve the extension of the Zaytun deployment in northern Iraq beyond the end of the year, and it is understood the bill will call for the forces to be reduced by about 1,000 troops.
Ban Ki-moon, the South's foreign minister, said the issue was "very sensitive".
"We are currently in a situation where we have to get the approval of the national assembly to extend their stay . . . we will comprehensively take into consideration the situation in Iraq, interims of politics and progress, the social situation and security," Mr Ban said at the Apec summit. "We have a principle that we will be extending the stay of troops in Iraq. As to the size of the troops that will stay in Iraq, we are currently reviewing that issue."
The South's defence minister advised the ruling Uri party of the plan last week and Mr Roh's spokeswoman said consultations were now taking place. The deployment has been unpopular in South Korea, with the government facing calls to bring the troops home.
The news came less than 24 hours after Mr Bush, following talks with Mr Roh near Busan, thanked "the people of this wonderful country" for their contribution.
The way the information on the South Korean troops came out appeared to surprise US officials, who said they had not been formally notified of any reduction and who tried to suggest it was not an official decision.
"We know they remain committed to the mission and the need to seek an extension from the national assembly in order to keep the forces there," said Stephen Hadley, national security adviser. "I just got off the phone with the foreign minister . . . and he said South Korea remained committed to the mission to support the Iraqi people and he is seeking an extension from the national assembly so forces can remain in Iraq."
Additional reporting by Guy Dinmore in Washington
S. Korean government repeatedly attempted to arrange the second inter-Korean summit, and elicit approval of U.S. The latest attempt occurred apparently this fall, which reportedly fell apart according to Segye Ilbo, because U.S. stuck to the position mentioned above. Roh himself publicly commented recently that he cannot expect to have another inter-Korean summit, on or before Feb. 16 next year, as some news reports have alleged. Incidentally, Feb. 16 is Kim Jong-il's birthday. So Roh is blocked to use what he believes one of his last political aces. Furthermore, Bush is making a broad sustained political offensive against N. Korea. This includes repeated emphasis on human right and freedom in N. Korea and China, measures to choke off money conduit to N. Korea from outside, and blocking N. Korean or Iranian planes carrying WMD components from flying over Central Asian nations.
All these are quite frustrating to Roh's government. Still, Roh went along with Bush's rhetoric of mutual friendship and cooperation during their APEC summit. However, he now turned around and stabbed Bush in the back in less than 24 hours after the summit, with the surprise announcement of pulling back 1,000 out of 3,000 S. Korean troops deployed in Iraq. This really stings Bush because Bush is in a kind of jam on troop withdrawal domestically. Whatever is left of mutual understanding would be gone with this move. I don't think that Bush will choose to forget this. Now there is no love lost between them, from my point of view.
Roh does live up to my impression of him as a twisted low-life weasel. He always gets back to his opponent this way.
Ping!
You may find this interesting.
It almost makes you want to just withdraw the US forces from S. Korea and let the insane N. Korean dictator take them over.
Well, Roh's term actually ends in a year before those of Bush. He can't be very comfortable now - just sitting there thinking Bush has nothing to lose to move him (and an ally who could be his potential successor) into political troubles.
Yank our troops. 50 years is too long with little thanks.
The South Korean leftist "students" may probably respond "Sure, be my guest!" and party.
The decision may suit both of you - the Koreans happy to see "the Yankees gone", and you are happy to be able to de some defence cooperation works with real allies and with hands less tied on the North Korean issue.
I think from what I read concerning Korean comments, they will probably publicly celebrate over your decision to withdraw all troops from Korea if it becomes reality. "Sure, be my guest!" seems to be what they are thinking.
"leftist "students" may probably respond "Sure, be my guest!" and party. "
Sure,until they actually see what's really like to live under a communist dictatorship.
No problem. We'll just remove our 35,000 from South Korea.
Ruh-Roh
President Roh of SK has become the new chirac.
On President Bush's list, Roh is now "deep in the kimchee"....
From my understanding of how the Chinese Communist regime dealt with their fellow travellers from the pre-Communist-on-the-mainland era, the top 10 to 15 "student" leaders will get lavish inconsequential "consultative" positions, or perhaps superficially-important roles like Communist mayor of Seoul (with real power in the hands of a real KWP cadre, likely titled in the style of the Party Secretary of Seoul). The rest will probably be dead or sent to "labour-reform" camp following a Cultural Revolution type of "mass movement".
Given that North Korea copies whatever actions the Chinese Communist Party does the scenario is not entirely implausible.
Well, are U.S. forces in South Korea to protect South Korea, or are we there to have a base for defending Taiwan, or what? South Korea ought to be able to defend itself by now. We're not going to launch an attack or take any assertive, much less aggressive action against North Korea (and I think the North Korean government knows that better than we do). I don't think the U.S. is really prepared to defend Taiwan from an outright attack by China. So what do we have to gain by being in South Korea?
What I heard among non-US realpolitik circles is that if the US withdraws from South Korea, it will be perceived by the People's Republic of China that it can go ahead and making the whole of East and South East Asia as its sphere of influence. It may then try to politically control various Asian countries using informal means like "using trade and economic ties as a weapon to wring concessions in governmental policies" to places like Thailand or South Korea or Japan, "using aid, military exchange to further influence those in power" for cases like the Philippines and Malaysia.
In other words, there are some in the US diplomacy circle that fear the PRC will then act and make other East Asian states as its puppet states in all but name.
When Rumsfeld offered to withraw US troops about two years ago, there was a burst of capital flight, the students shut up, and the government was begging the US to stop talking like that.
South Korea is a very psychologically insecure country.
And how many Americans died to keep South Korea free?
Its been clear for years that it was time to go. We have far better uses for those troops.
He was always Chirac, or worse. Its just that few people pay attention to South Korea.
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