Koreans generally loathe America (but want the full-access pass to America’s wealth and freedom), while Americans — sorry to say — are indifferent to Korea. This is a not a deep friendship, and once the “common enemy” is gone, annyeong.

The word “loathe” is a too strong to describe the general sentiment, which is more a contradictory and complicated mixture of resentment, envy, and condescension tempered with admiration for our technological achievements and SOME cultural traits like adaptibility and tolerance. I agree with your point that the military alliance is a temporary marriage of convenience not grounded in profound cultural or historical ties like our special relationship with Britain. I’m almost hoping that Chung Dumb-young gets into office. Maybe another five years of leftist idiocy will sink the listing ship.

http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....60015.html

She later backed off from it a bit:

http://english.chosun.com/w21d.....00013.html

Thus, if you are a US voter and you want the status quo with USFK in Korea to continue, you should support Hillary. A Giuliani or a McCain would focus like a laser on the inherent contradictions of the US spending billions and tying up significant numbers of its forces while the ROK keeps expanding its subsidy of the North.

Reason for leaving them there: Democrats are sensitive to perceptions of their being “weak” on national defense, so leaving forces in Korea would be a logical way to avoid this, especially if US is withdrawing rapidly from Iraq in a possible Clinton administration.

“Clinton has told crowds she would send ‘distinguished Americans of both political parties to travel around the world on my behalf with a very simple message to the governments and the people alike: The era of cowboy diplomacy is over.’”

http://www.nytimes.com/aponlin.....ref=slogin

(posting now, before my slow computer crashes again…)

Koreans generally like America and Americans. I am not lying.

Your xenophobia forces you to think the way you do.

Even if you go and live in South America, India, Africa or what have you, you will feel that locals hate you.

You are not good at befriending people who look different from you. Don’t blame Koreans. Maybe you have contempts for non-Whites.

Learn. People are same inside.

About the US forces, I agree with you. Army will be gone right away. And, AirForce will follow soon enough.

Korean Peace Treaty will work for Korea just like the Paris Peace Talk did for VietNam. Korea is over. People you hate will die.

Are you happy?

Really? I’d welcome a link; if you can’t recall specificially, any sort of hint you could provide as to where you might have seen it would be appreciated and I’ll see if I can find it.

Well, I notice that Bell covered his butt nicely with this comment. Isn’t this what Rumsfeld said, too, and we’ve seen a reduction by about 25%? Depending on who is leading the US at the time, Korea may very well see a serious downgrade of the alliance as I hear that even Hillary isn’t happy with the ingratitude shown here towards the US.