In the event of a war both sides know who will win, most people understand this except you. The deterrent here is mutually assured destruction, although it might not be complete destruction.

Fortunately for Korea, the 7th Fleet not only isn’t going anywhere, but is getting new subs redeployed from the Atlantic.

#8: I made the point a few years ago, somewhere on this blog, that we needed to remove our troops from this peninsula to give us more strategic flexibility (read: B-2 strike options) in dealing with the Norks. That, coupled with a little tidbit I heard this morning–LMB talking about defense budgets cutbacks of 10% next year and the following–and refusing to accept operational control, and I’m thinking we’ve played the role of Uncle Sugar a bit too long around here.

I think most Koreans these days are too busy studying and working to be able to form deep opinions one way or the other about the alliance, and to really care much about it one way or the other. The girl behind me at the lecture was a law student and had no clue about Powell’s speech before the UN Security Council in Feb. 2003 about Saddam’s “weapons of destruction,” for example. After the lecture, when I asked another girl there why Kodaesaeng were so apparently apathetic about these issues, she said students were too busy “studying for midterms” and gave an embarrassed shrug.

Well, at least a lot of them spoke pretty good English. Maybe they’ll be able to use it in the future to actually ask relevant questions about the world they live in.

The idea of the militarily impotent EU serving as a balance to China in any way is absurd.

Korea’s best bet is to cultivate relationships with the United States, Australia, India, and yes, Japan.

Hopes of the EU to be anything more than an economic partner are setting Korea up for disappointment at best and disaster at worst.

how successful he will be is yet to be seen

The Korean people elected dickhead Noh and followed his anti-US and xenophobic ways.

Those Koreans who do appreciate what the US did and has done are few and far between. They are a dying breed.

Remeber the article in the Korea Times, ‘34 Percent of Army Cadets Regard US as Main Enemy’ two weeks ago?

Not to mention that a large portion of students see the US as an enemy! Also, anti-US feelings were expressed by 75% of Korean conscripts.

That says it all right there. Koreans are teaching their students to hate. Especially in regard to the US.

I think the US should bug out of this pissant country and have Chinese soldiers replace them. That’s what these people deserve.

Ok, now ley’s hear all the bullshit excuses…

In short, the alliance does not yet need to be terminated, but it definitely needs to be re-prioritized and down-sized.

Warms my heart to hear a career officer express that informed opinion.