Well, I guess it had to happen. According to the Korea Times:
President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday said the nation’s dispatch of combat troops to Iraq would be possible only when peace and stability on the Korean peninsula is certain.
“The most important factor in reviewing the issue of troop dispatch will be whether we will have positive prospects and firm conviction on the peace and stability on the peninsula through the formation of a stable atmosphere for dialogue,” Roh said during a ceremony marking the nation’s 55th Armed Forces Day.
Roh said the government is seriously considering the U.S.-requested dispatch of combat troops to the Middle Eastern nation, taking domestic opinions and the international situation into account.
Roh’s statement drew attention as it was largely interpreted as an indication that the Seoul government will link the possible dispatch of combat troops to the protracted second round of six-way talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis.
Chong Wa Dae has repeatedly said that it doesn’t have any intention to link the two issues. Presidential spokesman Yoon Tae-young told reporters that Roh’s remarks are not a signal of change in Chong Wa Dae’s position on the issue. “We still do not intend to directly tie a decision on the troop dispatch to the six-way talks.”
OK, so let me get this right - you want the US to cave in to the Norks (which, frankly, is in neither the Americans’ interests nor those of the South Koreans) in order for you to do something that’s in your national interest to do anyway? Curious. Well, anyway, at least one guy seems to have his head on straight:
The top South Korean envoy to the United States said on Tuesday his nation should send troops to Iraq without demanding anything in return from the United States.
Speaking to lawmakers during a parliamentary inspection of the embassy in Washington, Ambassador Han Sung-joo said he does not think it is a good idea to have a “give-and-take” attitude in deciding on the U.S. request for troops.
“Considering the positive impact the nation’s dispatch of army medics and engineers had last time on Korea-U.S. relations and the nation’s diplomatic standing, as well as its economic effects, an additional dispatch of troops this time will bring about several times as much (of a positive impact as then),” Han said.
Someone, buy that man a beer!
PS: A slightly modified version of my September 28 post on sending ROK troops to Iraq is up as a letter to the editor over at the English edition of the Chosun Ilbo.
2 Comments
Perhaps the US should link its defense commitment to SK to progress in Iraq. What’s good for the goose. . . .
I lot of people are talking about just that, although personally, I think defense commitments to SK should be reexamined regardless of whether they send troops to Iraq of not.