When some claim that President Bush shouldn't have started this war, state the following:

2/7/7 | unknown

[syriacus]

[3,000 is a] lot of American dead

I agree. 3,000 American deaths is a lot.

And 30,000 deaths under Truman in 30 months in Korea is 10 times that lot

[syriacus]

And 30,000 deaths under Truman in 30 months in Korea is 10 times that lot

I forgot to mention that many of the 30,000 who died under Truman were drafted.

[syriacus]

Germany declared war on us. Iraq didn't/

Did Korea declare war on us before we fought for South Korea's freedom from the dictator Kim Il-sung?

[do the dhue]

I forgot to mention that many of the 30,000 who died under Truman were drafted.

I never thought of that. Good point.

[freedomdefender]

Did Korea declare war on us

Yes. Read your history. North Korea invaded South Korea. American troops were already in South Korea, The North Koreans attacked them and pushed them to the south of the peninsula. MacArthur launched what amounted to, as much as anything, a resuce operation for those American troops.

[do the dhue]

What about the fact that over 30,000 were killed in two years and 3,000 are killed in Iraq in four years?

We are in the heart of the ME. They burn my flag and hate my guts there. I will not allow our media and others make it look like our Troops are failing in Iraq. Yes, every one of those lives lost is a precious lose to the family. It could be a lot different though.

The fact remains that we have to secure Baghdad. The rest of the country is pretty much stable. Hopefully, this surge will work.

I believe it will. We are going to sweep areas. Then start placing some of the 350,000 Iraqi Troops (with some US embedded) in the areas that we sweep. The terrorist will move somewhere else and we will have to continue to hunt them down.

IF I was in charge, I would order another 100,000 Troops to the Iranian border. Then I would find a General that mirrored Patton. Then I would ask 'Patton' to give me a reason, if the Iranians didn't.

[lepton]

Also that we were just under a cease fire from the first time.

...and that *from 1998*, it was our official government policy, passed by Congress and signed by the President to remove Hussein from power by whatever means necessary.

[lepton]

True, if there had been 35 cops killed in Detroit during the month. The relevant number for comparison is the total number of people killed in Iraq during January, not the number of Americans.

That depends upon what they are arguing. If they are fussing about the number of soldiers dead...well, as of late 2004, the mortality rate for a soldier in Iraq was about what it was like to be 38 here in the U.S. just living in towns where teenagers drive.

[do the dhue]

...and that *from 1998*, it was our official government policy, passed by Congress and signed by the President to remove Hussein from power by whatever means necessary.

I knew that Hussein broke the cease fire agreement, but I did not know about that. That is interesting.

[lepton]

Not really. The talking point against our being there is "3,000 dead troops," not "X number of dead Iraqis." Even if one claims they are concerned with Iraqi dead, their point is hollow because our exit from Iraq would ensure a greater number of Iraqi deaths.

Plus, there's the hypocrisy factor. As Limbaugh asked when he compared our 821 servicemember deaths to Philadelphia's 406 murders, will Arlen Specter hold hearings on why over 400 Americans lost their lives in a city of 1.5 million?

How about noting that Giuliani winning election over Dinkins saved about 5,000 lives in just Giuliani's first term. Voting Democrat in NYC is more dangerous than the whole of Iraq.

[Mr. Silverback]

Excellent point!

[syriacus]

Did Korea declare war on us Yes. Read your history.

I'm beginning to collect a small library on the Korean Conflict. Can you recommend any good books?

I've just finished reading one book on Korea which was recommended by another Freeper(America's Tenth Legion, by Shelby Stanton) and am currently reading two others (one is by the Center of Military History of the United States Army Ebb and Flow: November 1950-July 1951)

The US had withdrawn all but a small number of troops from South Korea by 1949.* .

* from: Dean Acheson, Present at the Creation: My Years at the State Department

"In accordance with resolutions of the United Nations sponsored by us at the request of the Pentagon to get our remaining divisions out of Korea, all foreign troops (that is, Soviet and American) were to leave Korea and did so by mid-1949. For our part, only an advisory group of about five hundred officers and men remained to complete equipping South Korean forces."

In 1948, Truman had approved a US policy to avoid becoming "so irrevocably involved in the Korean situation that an action taken by any faction or Korea or by any other power in Korea could be considered a 'casus belli' for the United States."

That policy was interpreted by North Korea as a sign that the US would not protect South Korea.

The North Korean invasion of South Korea was not a declaration of war on the US

[do the dhue]

Voting Democrat in NYC is more dangerous than the whole of Iraq.

LOL true too And it is dangerous to vote Demoratic anywhere outside of NYC too!

[syriacus]

MacArthur launched what amounted to, as much as anything, a resuce operation for those American troops.

500 troops can be rescued without going to war.

[freedomdefender]

The North Korean invasion of South Korea was not a declaration of war on the US

The North Koreans -- who invaded the country without provacation -- had US troops hemmed in at the South of the Peninsula and facing slaughter. If that's not a "declaration of war," I don't know what is.

[freedomdefender]

in international law, an act of war is the equivalent of a declaration of war.

[do the dhue]

I'm all in.

Good post

[do the dhue]

Did North Korea come right out and declare war on the US?

[Grizzled Bear]

d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.
_________________________________________________________

Sorry. The US was involved in Viet Nam back in the 50s. President Truman supported France's involvement $75 Million along with 8 C-47s.

In Aug 50, we sent the Military Assistance Advisory Group.

By 1952 the US supplied 1/3 of the cost of the French Military effort.

Kennedy may have prolonged the war but he didn't start it.

[syriacus]

The North Koreans -- who invaded the country without provacation -- had US troops hemmed in at the South of the Peninsula and facing slaughter. If that's not a "declaration of war," I don't know what is.

They were declaring war on the Republic of Korea, not the US. Truman initiated the police action to stop the spread of Communism, not because the US was attacked.