U.S. soldiers in S Korea

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

Let's make them border guards.

Not a military function.

That needs to be changed.

Not needed. Hire more border patrol.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

It's amazing how Trumpbots will attempt to make a total failure by Pres. Trump look like a victory.

Kim Jong UN got what he wanted most - the end of joint military exercises. All the U.S got was a very vague promise of denuclearization - with no timetable and no verifications.

Considering that so far N.K. has failed to keep it's end of any agreements, we have no reason to believe Kim Jong Un will hold to this agreement.

Meanwhile Trump has done his best to destroy U.S. relations with our long standing allies.

It's as if some mysterious entity (Putin) was controlling Pres. Trump.

How is it a failure? Trump lost nothing. War games have only ever been designed to provoke the north in the first place, so ending them is nothing more than a token gesture of good will. Much like officially signing a peace treaty for the Korean War is a token gesture that costs nobody anything but signifies good intentions on everybody's part. This is a great diplomatic start and there's no reason to criticize Trump for it, not to mention South Korea is on board for all of this and that seems like an important factor to consider.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

Yes it will.

The Chinese will be happy.

The North Koreans will be happy.

They're the enemy.

South Koreans less so. They're the allies.

Yes, Trump diplomacy, annoy the crap out of your allies and get played by your enemies. MAIA, Make America Irrelevant Again.

So far South Korea is on board with everything Trump has done. These talks wouldn't have even happened if it hadn't been for Moon Jae-in laying the diplomatic groundwork from the beginning. It's far more his victory than Trump's, though Trump obviously deserves plenty of credit for being willing to go along with it.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I hope our wonderful Pres. Trump also draws down the number of U.S. soldiers stationed around the numerous military bases in Germany and Japan, which currently is around 40,000 troops in each country.

WWll has been over for 70+ years.

Time to fold the tent and return home. ....

Except Japan and South Korea are protected under our nuclear umbrella. People worry that the two countries would feel compelled to get nukes if we pull out. Now I don't understand why that would be, since if we can hit NoKo from our silos in the Midwest, we can protect Japan and SoKo from the same silos. However, that is what some people are worrying about.
Personally, I think it would be great if we could remove our military from SoKo and quit threatening NoKo by our very presence. Some people think if we left, though, NoKo would march into the South and take over.

The south is more than capable of repelling an invasion from the north by themselves. Things have changed since the Korean War.

Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong.

Do we really want to find out?

Yes. The implication of your statement would lead us to logically conclude that peace is never an option because we can't tell the future. Fortunately we're not following that logic here.

 

[Moonglow]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

And reduce cases of black clap...

 

[Moonglow]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

 

[OldLady]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

I think NoKo is now ready to get rich. Merging with SoKo's economy would be great for them. From a practical standpoint, why would you bomb the bejesus out of a country whose infrastructure supports $$$$ for you? You following me on that? The north will probably just become fast friends with the South (they were all one people not long ago) and eventually (a long, long time from now) the people of the north will revolt against their nutty dictator and the south will assist and with any luck at all, we will stay the hell out of it this time.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

And reduce cases of black clap...

...but enough about your sex life!

 

[FireFly]

Trump Giving Pentagon $700 Billion Tax Dollars!!!

 

[Richard-H]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

I think NoKo is now ready to get rich. Merging with SoKo's economy would be great for them. From a practical standpoint, why would you bomb the bejesus out of a country whose infrastructure supports $$$$ for you? You following me on that? The north will probably just become fast friends with the South (they were all one people not long ago) and eventually (a long, long time from now) the people of the north will revolt against their nutty dictator and the south will assist and with any luck at all, we will stay the hell out of it this time.

You're assuming that Kim Jong Un is a reasonable and intelligent person with good intentions.

History has shown that he is a megalomaniac. He rule has been as one of the worst dictators in history. His cruelty is limitless.

There's a reason why the U.N. has declared NoKo to be one of the worst violators of human rights in the world:

Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Wikipedia

Don't make the mistake of superimposing your own sense of decency & intelligence on Kim Jong Un. You will be very, very mistaken.

 

[Richard-H]

Our amazing Pres. Trump is already talking about reducing the size of the U.S. military presence in South Korea, which is currently around 30,000 soldiers.

This will save the American taxpayer a boatload of money. ....

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

You think the NKs can even attempt to hit the US with a nuke? Your name is gullible with a capital "G".

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

I think we should pull out of Korea completely.

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

Why is that the only option? I said in the post you quoted, "and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted." Furthermore, the idea that North Korea could hit the U.S. with a nuke is unrealistic. Seoul? Probably. Japan? Probably not, but maybe. The U.S.? Very unlikely. And yes, I believe that the U.S. would hit them with a nuclear strike that would take out their power structures in very short order wherein no retaliatory strike could even be attempted.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

You think the NKs can even attempt to hit the US with a nuke? Your name is gullible with a capital "G".

More than half the time their missiles don't even launch.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

The most important thing to remember, however, is that when they were on their worst terms with the south, America, and Japan they never so much as attempted to hit any of us with a missile or nuke due to the fact that they know that they'd be destroyed almost immediately in retaliation. So assuming diplomacy breaks down that doesn't change. They'd still be destroyed if they attempted to do so, and American troops removed from the Korean peninsula can easily and quickly be redeployed. There is literally no risk to attempting diplomacy, ending war games, and removing U.S. troops from the Korean peninsula.

 

[Richard-H]

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

You think the NKs can even attempt to hit the US with a nuke? Your name is gullible with a capital "G".

I think that NoKo has the missile technology that's at least as advanced as ours was in the 1950s, so they do have the basic capability.

The real question is whether U.S. anti-ballistic missile technology is advanced enough to stop a NoKo missile attack with absolute reliability and in such a scale that it can not be overwelhmed by numbers.

I don't know the answer to that.

 

[Richard-H]

Do you have any reason to believe that NoKo will not attack SoKo, or is it that you just don't give a shit?

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

Why is that the only option? I said in the post you quoted, "and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted." Furthermore, the idea that North Korea could hit the U.S. with a nuke is unrealistic. Seoul? Probably. Japan? Probably not, but maybe. The U.S.? Very unlikely. And yes, I believe that the U.S. would hit them with a nuclear strike that would take out their power structures in very short order wherein no retaliatory strike could even be attempted.

First, a U.S. force returning to Korea would take an awful lot of time.

Second, if we did hit them with nukes, they'd level Seoul in minutes.

Third, if we hit them with nukes, the fallout would blow over SoKo & China causing massive casualties in both countries and possible provoking a war with China.

 

[Richard-H]

Why would they? They've had the capability to hit Seoul in a surprise attack for years now, and this during times of greater tension between the two. Why would they do it now while they're getting along better than ever, while they just had a historic meeting with an American president, and while Chinese sanction of their provocative actions is at an all time low? Plus the same math would be in play absent American troops as with them. The north has no hope of invading the south, so their only option would be a surprise missile strike, which they could do, but would lead to their own immediate destruction. This regime has survived for decades, they're not suicidal.

You've never heard of a ruse before?

You know I think I have heard that word before, and it's entirely possible the north is negotiating in bad faith. It wouldn't be the first time. Regardless, history shows us they're not suicidal, and any missile strike would lead to their destruction. And an invasion would be solidly repelled by the south alone, and there's no question that American troops would be back on the peninsula in short order were an invasion attempted. There's no downside to giving peace a chance here.

So you believe that if NoKo were to launch a single nuke against SoKo or Japan, the U.S. would retaliate with a full blown nuke strike against NoKo knowing that NoKo would do the same against us? I don't think so.

Having a nuke strike against NoKo as the only option doesn't work.

You think the NKs can even attempt to hit the US with a nuke? Your name is gullible with a capital "G".

More than half the time their missiles don't even launch.

Half their missiles would cause absolute devastation.