[Dog]

This is big..... If I was Kimmy I would worry.

[Principled]

hmmmmm.....

could mean many different things, including what Rummy said. But methinks the fellas in charge have something long-range in mind...

[11B3]

Move these troops out of South Korea altogether - base them in Taiwan. Then watch the real enemy cry foul.

[pcx99]

Cool, now all those Korean students who had so much free time that they could protest in the streets about the "evil" US presence now has something to occupy their time, like stare at the north korean guards on the DMZ, unless of course they want to give up their video games and give starvation a whirl :)

[snippy_about_it]

ping

[OldFriend]

For years Korea has been the worst deployment for our military. It's only for one year and if you volunteer for that duty you get to choose your next deployment assignment.

I pray that our troops will be in a safer place since the South Koreans are playing the anti-american game, they can defend themselves!

[SAMWolf]

Thakns for the ping.

As far as I'm concerned, either use the troops to kick Kim's ass or bring em home. We've been there long enough.

[Squantos]

Did America just blink........?

[LenS]

Interesting. It sounds like we're moving that light infantry battalion based just north of the Imjin back to Red Cloud.

I wonder if the South will take over the patrolling and guard bases outside Panmujom? That would eliminate the temporary base (temporary in terms of tents that have been there for decades *g*) between that battalion and the DMZ that is used by the other infantry battalions when they rotate to patrol/guard duty. That base is very vulnerable and during the summer months puts an entire mechanized battalion's vehicles in one small open air motor pool without any hills or mountains to protect it. The soldiers are just as vulnerable. One blast of artillery could wipe out most of a battalion's personnel and all of it's equipment in seconds at that base.

Having the ROKA take over those patrols and guardposts would allow 2nd ID to concentrate on being the South's hammer of retaliation.

[Faraday]

This is a response to both North Korea's blackmail and South Korea's anti-American tone. I believe we would use tactical nukes against the North, if necessary to take out their artillery and to blunt an invasion. We don't want our troops too near in that eventuality. Just a few weeks ago, SK President Roh was in Washington asking that US troops not be deployed south (see article here.) Now he has his anwser. If we wish to arm a regional power with nukes, it should be Japan, not South Korea. Japan has the economy to sustain the expense of nuclear forces and a stable democratic government. They would take the responsibility for this technology and would be a credible counter-balance to China. Korea, North or South (or combined), would always view nukes as an economic asset.

[Faraday]

Bumping the most important post of the day.

[dozer7]

Good. My son gets to come home. He may have to go back but at least he won't be a speed bump and will certainly be better prepared.

regards

the dozer