We have 37K troops in S Korea?

[stevew]

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtri...reaking_9.html

Originally Posted by http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_9.html

SEOUL – First the Pentagon told the ministry of national defense it plans to transfer a brigade of 3,600 troops from South Korea to Iraq this summer. Now, the Pentagon is telling South Korean officials it wants to scale back the number of U.S. troops in South Korea from 37,000 to 25,000.

I know we are trying to keep NKorea at bay, and protect Japan, but geez, thats a lot of peeps. Honestly if NKorea ever tried something, its likely that it wouldnt be conventional anyways. All these troops in SKorea seem like a waste.

[damnMikeBrown]

That's nothing. If NK ever invaded, the U.S. forces would be less than a speed-bump in their way down the peninsula. They are there as a deterent force, and to make it clear that any action taken against SK is going to involve going to war with US troops. Estimates are on the range of 2 days for NK to fully over run the South.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by damnMikeBrown

That's nothing. If NK ever invaded, the U.S. forces would be less than a speed-bump in their way down the peninsula. They are there as a deterent force, and to make it clear that any action taken against SK is going to involve going to war with US troops. Estimates are on the range of 2 days for NK to fully over run the South.

Of course that estimate assumes that they have gas for their tanks and food for their soldiers.

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by damnMikeBrown

That's nothing. If NK ever invaded, the U.S. forces would be less than a speed-bump in their way down the peninsula. They are there as a deterent force, and to make it clear that any action taken against SK is going to involve going to war with US troops. Estimates are on the range of 2 days for NK to fully over run the South.

Playing the opening of the Korean war as the U.S. and South Koreans in TOAW(The Operational Art of War) was an eye opening experience. Almost as eye-opening as the realization that our modern solution to the problem is much the same as it was at that time. I do agree with Desnudo that the North Korean Army isn't operating on near the capacity to actually pull off an invasion.

[bamcgee]

Without those troops in Korea, Japan feels more pressure to rearm. I don't think we're too thrilled at that prospect.

On the other hand, I don't think China would like that much either. Assuming that they still have some influence over N. Korea, and I think they do, I doubt if the Koreans will attack any time soon.

[Franklinnoble]

Our troops are no match for the superior might of the North Korean solar satellite laser weapon.

[Fritz]

the number of combat troops is very low. most of the ones there are of other sorts.

[clintl]

I guess the next question would be, "what other sorts, and why do we need so many of these other sorts of troops in Korea?"

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by clintl

I guess the next question would be, "what other sorts, and why do we need so many of these other sorts of troops in Korea?"

Look at a map, it's for geopolitical reasons. I have a friend who is a Major in the US Army and after a stint in Kuwait, he just got transfered to South Korea. He heads up a unit in the Space Command.

[Fritz]

Originally Posted by clintl

I guess the next question would be, "what other sorts, and why do we need so many of these other sorts of troops in Korea?"

Many of the units are support for the combat troops. That is the nature of the US military. Others are there providing support services/etc for Koreans. This allows them to have a fairly decent military.

[Tom E]

Having a US force on the Korean pennisula, keeps Japan and China from feeling the pressure to stockpile masses of nuclear weapons.

In all reallity the US forces are pawns, if your morning paper read North Korean troops kill 10,000 American troops...There'd be a nuclear attack from us

[judicial clerk]

Major Tom?

[clintl]

Originally Posted by Fritz

Others are there providing support services/etc for Koreans. This allows them to have a fairly decent military.

OK, that makes sense.

[Leonidas]

The ROK has about a million man army and can handle itself pretty well compared to our 37K person force. Our army is there mainly as advisors and to oversee the use of some of our more expensive hardware (Patriot batteries/air defense, heavy artillery, etc). The real force we have in Korea is the various AF assets at Osan AB and Kunsan AB. NK recognizes this and has plans to deal with our airpower unconventionally because they fear that far more than anything else we have in place. It's really no big deal to pull some army guys out, they are there more as a placeholder and for show than anything. Now if we decided to close an airwing down that would be big news.

[Franklinnoble]

Our words are backed by nuclear weapons.

[Desnudo]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Our words are backed by nuclear weapons.

Their words are backed by a cognac guzzling xenophobic lunatic. Invading the south would likely result in his supply of Remy Martin being cut-off, so I don't think there's anything to worry about.

[Surtt]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

Our words are backed by nuclear weapons.

Unfortunately, there words are backed by nuclear weapons too.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Surtt

Unfortunately, there words are backed by nuclear weapons too.

While this screws over South Korea, it isn't really a huge problem for US Soil as of now...in addition to their bombs being similar to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki variant rather than more sophisticated, powerful and deadly ones that we (and Russia, not sure about anyone else) have, they also lack the ICBM's necessary to reach us (but have upgraded to a range including much of Japan by now I think.)

[judicial clerk]

sn't the national opinion of South korea leaning in favor of the U.S Troops leaving and normalizing relations with North Korea?

[wbatl1]

Well, weve had men there since the last war there, and we will more than likely continue to have men there for the next couple of decades. The majority of the men are non-combat personel, and many of them are actually doing non-military type tasks, but are being paid by the US goverment and are just tossed into the umbrella of the military as advisors(For example, we have people over there that advise school teachers, ect.)

[Surtt]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

While this screws over South Korea, it isn't really a huge problem for US Soil as of now...in addition to their bombs being similar to the Hiroshima/Nagasaki variant rather than more sophisticated, powerful and deadly ones that we (and Russia, not sure about anyone else) have, they also lack the ICBM's necessary to reach us (but have upgraded to a range including much of Japan by now I think.)

Wednesday, May 5, 2004
LONDON – North Korea has begun offering its Taepo Dong-2 long-range
missile for sale to several nations in the Middle East.

Western intelligence sources said the most likely client to purchase the
Taepong-2 is Iran. The sources said Teheran has been negotiating with
Pyongyang for the purchase of the Taepo Dong-2 for Iran's first
intercontinental ballistic missile as well as a space launcher.



The Taepo Dong-2 is estimated to have a range of more than 4,000
kilometers. U.S. officials said the missile's range could be extended to
6,500 kilometers, which would enable any Taepo Dong-2 fired by North
Korea to land in the United States.

[Franklinnoble]

I'm wondering if anyone "got" my Civ2 reference there...

[Honolulu Blue]

Originally Posted by Franklinnoble

I'm wondering if anyone "got" my Civ2 reference there...

I think a lot of us "got" it. In fact, I said something similar last year.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally Posted by Honolulu Blue

I think a lot of us "got" it. In fact, I said something similar last year.

Hmm... I don't remember that... and I even posted in that thread.

I'm still waiting for us to declare war on France...