Posted on 06/26/2009 9:32:51 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
South Korea has made public what many have suspected for several years now. If North Korea attacks, South Korea is prepared to go north and attack, or invade, their neighbor. This is no surprise to those who have been observing the South Korean armed forces development after the end of the Cold War in 1991. During the same time, the North Korean armed forces have declined because of a bankrupt economy and no money for replacing obsolete equipment, or for training. Meanwhile, the booming economy in the south led to the growth of domestic arms industry, and the re-equipping the South Korean military with modern, and locally made, weapons. Over the last two decades, South Korea has developed, and produced in large numbers, their own versions of the U.S. M-1 tank (the South Korean K-1 and K-2), the U.S. M-2 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (the South Korean K-21) and the U.S. M-109 self-propelled 155mm howitzer (the South Korean K-9), and much more. The South Korean used the American equipment as models, and then built on that.
South Korea also manufactures an Aegis destroyer (the KDX III class), a new class of frigate (FFK) and a light fighter/trainer jet (the T-50). South Korea offers most of this new gear for export, at a substantial discount to what their U.S. equivalents would cost, and backs them up with the South Korean reputation of producing sturdy and reliable industrial goods (everything from large ships to tiny micro chips). This provided South Korea with a decisive military edge over its aggressive northern neighbor, North Korea.
South Korea is also in the midst of a 15 year plan to transform their army from a large force of conscripts, to a smaller, high tech force containing many more, higher paid, volunteers. The south sees this, the "American approach" as superior and proven.
The southern generals also believe that the North Korean military is in terminal decline. Over a decade of famine and extreme poverty has caused severe reductions in maintenance and training in the North Korean military. This has sharply lowered the combat capabilities of the northern force. Corruption and poverty has increased corruption and insubordination up north. In response to all that, South Korea staff officers have quietly been drawing up plans on how they would move into the north. This would happen either in response to an attack from the north, or, a collapse of the communist police state government up there.
Meanwhile, U.S. forces in South Korea have shrunk to the point where the U.S. no longer commands all forces there (as has been the case since the Korean War). South Korea commanders are taking over, and South Korean staff officers are drawing up new contingency plans.
Still, many South Koreans don't really believe the better trained, led and equipped South Korean forces can defeat another invasion from the north. The American troops have been around for over half a century, and the U.S. has always said it would stand by its South Korean ally. But the numbers tell a different tale. At the end of the Korean War, in 1953, there were over 350,000 U.S. troops in South Korea. Within a year, that shrank to 223,000, and by 1955 it was only 85,000. By the mid-60s it was 63,000. By the mid 70's there were only 42,000. There it stayed for over two decades. Then came the September 11, 2001 and the war on terror. By 2004 the U.S. force in South Korea was down to 37,000. In 2006 that dropped to 30,000 and then 28,000. Air power continues to shrink as well, with U.S. warplane strength going from 60 to 45 aircraft in the last year alone. There is fear that the new U.S. president will cut the American force in South Korea to token (a few thousand troops) size. Meanwhile, more Americans are getting quite vocal about the need for any U.S. troops in South Korea at all. Enough is enough, and over half a century of paying to supply South Korea with a protective garrison should come to an end. More and more South Koreans agree, and senior military officers have made plans on what they are going to do.
So? If the North attacks, did people expect them to act like South Vietnam?
Since SK is quite wealthy and able to defend itself, could we please get our troops out of there before these 2 countries go at it? What on earth are we still doing there anyway?
No matter what the Nokos do, the South will fight till the end - of North Korea. Unless our democrats get involved.
None of this would be happening had Truman allowed MacArthur to do his job.
This is the only strategy that makes any sense.
The Norks have tons of stationary fortifications north of Seoul. The South can either fall back beyond the range of the Nork’s fortifications or advance and capture them.
Be that as it may, I don't see that as a reason for us to abandon our military position there. As a general rule, I'm not a fan of abandoning military positions so long as they serve some purpose, which I believe this one does.
That was my first reaction, too.
But I really think our presence in the area creates a detente effect.
I’m hoping there is just a whole lot of saber rattling going on by both sides.
We sure don’t need another hotbed...especially one backed in part by China.
I just don't see how the headline has anything to do with the article.
Nowhere in the article does it state reasons, or any type of timetable when the South Koreans will invade the North.
Hell if they look at the economic impact Germany had uniting, they may just tell the North, no thanks.
Pining....not sure why you think we should get out of Korea....China I guess is no big deal.
I've been in favor for years that the South evacuate
the Capitol area so the population is safe from NK’s
artillery.
Then screw it, invade and get this nonsense over with
before they get the BOMB.
JJ61
It would make a lot more sense to have them along our southern border w/ Mexico, don't you think? South Korea can defend itself, & maybe Japan could help them if need be. The US needs to be concerned about its own back yard.
Insubordination to the CinC was and is not part of the theatre commanders job. Mac had to go when he demonstrated
inability to suppress his inner Caesar.
China? They already own us. I doubt the presence of a small number of US troops in SK concerns them in the least.
The US taxpayer is subsidizing the defense of countless countries all over the world. Let them pay for their own dang defense.
Sad but true.
I read that we also have 6 bombers on Guam. rotating between B-1 and B-52. Only 6 at a time but still a force in the regionl, especially at ALCM launchers.
I agree 100%. We are losing our country by means of an invasion, and we aren’t doing anything to stop it. Little good the US troops scattered all over the world wiil do when we become North Mexico.
Whether this is true or a head fake, this has to scare the bejeezus out of Little Kimmie; he has to know that his soldiers are undersized, underarmed and weaklings due to drek or food. The Southern soldiers will obliterate these cretins in the North and all their weaponry along with it.
The ones truly fearful are the Chinese; just imagine if the Taiwanese formed a defense coalition with the ROK Marines.
They got a sh*tload of Artillery.
Did you know, back in the 80’s and 90’s they found tunnels dug through solid rock under the DMZ, wide enough to drive 3 tanks side by side through?
That’s one tunnel and they estimate there are hundreds of such tunnels.
Artillery on the DMZ can dump approximately a million round a day on Seoul. These guys arenot just sitting in a field waiting for counter-battery, or air strikes....they roll out of their tunnels....pop a few rounds, then roll back inside for the counter battery.
NK special forces are very well trained and will hit many civilian areas.
These guys have watched all our wars and battles....they know we tend to take a few casualties and then leave. If you think about it, in Iraq, we didn’t take a lot of casualties.
Korea will be much different.
Korea will be hyper-war.
Hyper war is a lot of shit getting hit in a very short time. That usually means a lot of dead guys on both sides.
Happy 4th of July (prolly when the Nork will pop their ICBM)
It’s not the troops in SK that will concern them, it’s the ones in NK that will concern them.
No sh&it on the money thing!
God, read to much stuff on the Chinks.
No one realizes that is the true enemy.....middle east is a 3rd rate side game compared to China!
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