By I just have one question where are all these soldiers coming from?:
The U.S. defense chief affirmed that the United States remains committed to defending South Korea and that its armed forces would respond “quickly with appropriate military power” in case of military emergency.
South Korea will also continue to receive protection offered by the “U.S. nuclear umbrella,” according to the U.S. official.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered these statements in a joint communique following the annual Korea-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) with Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee, held in Washington Friday.
The statement noted that “Secretary Gates assured Minister Lee of a firm U.S. commitment and immediate support toward the Republic of Korea, including continuation of the extended deterrence offered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella, consistent with the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty.”
According to South Korean officials, the U.S. commitment would include deploying reinforcements of up to 690,000 American troops, 160 naval vessels and more than 2,000 warplanes in the event South Korea faces military threats from the North, Yonhap News Agency reported. [Korea Times]
I think the key word here is “up to” which I take to mean that the US will not necessarily deploy 690,000 to the Korean peninsula if hostilities do occur.
12:15 am on October 21st, 2008 1
"I just have one question where are all these soldiers coming from?"
Well, if you can find a $1 trillion to bail out your economy, you can find a measly few hundred thousand soldiers. You can do it.
12:33 am on October 21st, 2008 2
"…in the event South Korea faces military threats from the North."
I think someone didn't report this right. The "follow-on" troops — those numbers have been bandied about for a decade — are only if there is an INVASION or ATTACK FROM THE NORTH. "Threats" don't count.
But one thing is evident. The ROK didn't bring up moving the Wartime OPCON date from 2012 — or if they did, Gates shut such talk down. Good on the DOD folks at the SCM.
8:26 pm on October 21st, 2008 3
Mostly from young Korean kids – mother traveled to the US to give birth – arn't they considered Americans, at least for NEO purposes.
1:33 am on October 22nd, 2008 4
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?a…
Citing budgetary issues, U.S. seeks base move delay
I take back what I said about the "good job" by the DoD. Delay the relocation due to budget constraints??? Bring out the ropes and let's have a lynching party. Ok..Ok, too strong… Hopefully, this is just another Korean hype story because if it's true I will have totally lost faith in the whole process.