GI Korea has an absolutely stellar post offering some sage advice concerning Korean operations in Iraq. You are HIGHLY encouraged to read it in full. In case you needed further encouragement, it’s written by a guy who has actually served in Iraq, so one could safely assume he knows what he’s talking about.
Now go read.
6 Comments
Jing, in defense of South Korean and Japanese military in Iraq, I must point out their political straight jackets that they must deal with in their home countries . America has no such limitations.
Having said that, Korean troops in Northern Iraq have only been there for about two weeks. Some have been there less than that. If they are to help out the Iraqis, they first need to organize themselves and build a safe fire base home for themselves for sleeping and for protection against insurgents or terrorists. They have been too busy doing that for the last couple of weeks.
I’m simply saying it’s too early to say that all they’re doing over there is sitting back playing PC games and waiting for their tour of duty to end. Let’s just wait and see what the Korean peace keepers will do in the coming months. I’m not saying that concerns about Koreans staying in their shells are not justified. I hoping that’s not what they’ll be doing.
To be fair, the 400 to 600 Korean troops that were based out of Southern Iraq who have been there for about year, has done a good job building a rapport with the Shi’e community. They did some good reconstruction work which is highly recognized by the same Iraqi community. I don’t believe not too many American or Chinese TV or whichever news you watch, carry any news items about those stories.
I think that great opinion piece should be sent all over South Korea’s media. Of course that won’t change the minds of those who will be the first ones to come out and protest once South Korea gets its first casualty, but at least it will do a good job in trying to convince the fence sitters. Give those soldiers over there the mandate to do the job that they are supposed to do!
From what I read it sounds like the Iraqis expect all the foriegners to come in and transform their 3rd world dump into a 1st world civilization. The Iraqis need to get off their own asses and start doing some “home improvement projects” in their own country. Start turning in those rebels that wanna blow everything up. Who wants to so sit around and live in filth?
WWJD?
Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.
Now the question is, are the Koreans and Japanese, hell Americans for that matter, passing out fish or fishing lessons? Cause from my direction it appears that Japanese and Koreans are doing little of the former and none of the latter. The Americans in the meantime appear too busy plugging holes in the boat to do much else.
I’m not saying they are going to be sitting on their butts the whole time in Iraq but the Koreans need to during their time in there take up a great project besides refurbishing schools. The ROK military is one of the best in the world and if they are given a mandate to conduct a great reconstruction project I am confident they can do it. They just need the political leadership from back at home to give them the go ahead and the resources for them do it. Also people would be suprised how much reconstruction work has been done in Iraq by the US military. The military gets no credit for it by the media because car bombs make better TV. From the time I was there until I left I was encouraged by the progress I saw and I am sure that the Koreans are capable of making great progress also. Especially in such a secure area that they are in. Korea has always wanted to be treated as equal partner to the US, well here’s their chance to show us what they can do independently of the US in a major international mission. I really hope they succeed for both Korea and Iraq.
Building schools may be the best thing the Koreans can do for the long term health of Iraq.