NYT, p. 1: U.S. May Cut Third of Troops in South Korea

[DeepModem Mom]

U.S. May Cut Third of Troops In South Korea

By JAMES BROOKE and THOM SHANKER

Published: June 8, 2004


TOKYO, June 7 — The Bush administration has presented a detailed plan to South Korea for withdrawing one-third of its 37,000 troops on the divided peninsula by the end of next year as part of a wider effort to reposition American forces around the globe, officials in Seoul and Washington said Monday.

A senior Pentagon official in Seoul described the plan, which would remove 12,500 American troops from South Korea, as a "concept proposal" that could still be revised, although South Korean officials indicated they had little doubt the withdrawal would move ahead.

The reduction of the American force, in place for decades to deter attack from North Korea, would be the first since 1992, when about 7,000 troops were withdrawn. The move would include the previously announced transfer of a brigade of about 3,600 soldiers to Iraq this summer, Pentagon and South Korean officials said. Those troops, from the Second Infantry Division, are not scheduled to return to South Korea after their tour in Iraq.

The proposed cutback is sparking debate in South Korea about whether Washington is turning its back on a long and close alliance with the country, especially as new disclosures about North Korea's program to build nuclear weapons have increased concerns about the intentions of that closed society. This week, American and South Korean security officials are conducting regularly planned talks on the future of the alliance....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/08/international/asia/08KORE.html

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

1. So THAT's who's going to replace the extended divisions in Iraq

Oh what "fun" it is to ride...in an unprotected humvee.

The DMZ is a cakewalk compared to Iraq.

[gratuitous]

2. Hmmm, 10,600 troops away from the madman with the nuke

So they can sit in the desert and fry like little corn dodgers while providing a tempting target to every two-bit terrorist and wannabe who can work an RPG.

I believe the Guinness commercial sums it up nicely: Brilliant!

It takes an uncommon mind to think of these things.