By Here is something interesting that USFK Commander General Walter Sharp mentioned while addressing Korean military cadets:
On strategic flexibility, GEN Sharp mentioned, “In the beginning, the USFK will be coordinating with partner countries in the region. Eventually, the whole world will be the stage for the USFK. This is to deal with issues that menace the security of the world.” [USFK website]
This has been long suspected but it appears the ultimate goal for USFK is to become a deployable force around the world much like the Marines on Okinawa currently are.
5:24 am on February 9th, 2010 1
When the general gets that part of his presentation down pat and polished, he ought to make it before the American people.
If our troops in Germany hadn't been fully engaged in supporting the Middle East conflicts, the American people might start asking again, why so many in Germany after the collapse of the Soviet bloc.
If the general wants to suggest that USFK's reason to exist is not just to maintain a stand-off with the North Koreans, then he needs to explain that to the American people.
If USFK now sees its role as maintaining a broader regional presence then doesn't that make having both a USFK and US Forces Japan redundant? Let's just go back to the way things were and have a US Forces Far East.
5:31 am on February 9th, 2010 2
The idea is that forces in Korea are available for deployment, but only if replacements are available to relieve them in Korea, first. Theoretically, the BCT could be relieved in Korea by a BCT from the states (from the NG?) and then deploy somewhere else for a year, eventually returning to Korea and its Soldiers families.
7:18 am on February 9th, 2010 3
I think Sharp is just blowing smoke up their arses ~ the only thing he's got to deploy is a brigade combat team (a partial one at that).
But don't get me wrong – Sharp is a very sharp guy (no pun intended). Whenever he talks with the ROKs, his words are ALWAYS very carefully chosen and usually have additional meaning behind them.
He has worked very hard to convince the Koreans to help out by deploying ROK forces to Iraq/Afghanistan. By saying USFK can go anywhere and fight – he is indirectly telling the Koreans that they also should be prepared to go anywhere and fight.
9:12 am on February 9th, 2010 4
Nothing new here, if you know your history. (no offense intended)
Some say the reason South Korea sent 3 infantry division to Vietnam was to keep the US troops in South Korea and not redeployed to Vietnam. In S Korea's view, sending 3 infantry divisions of its own to Vietnam was worth it if it guaranteed that that US maintained their troop level in South Korea.
Of course South Korea got more in turn by having their army modernized (getting M16 for their soldiers) and getting the seed money for jump starting the economy. Apparently the very first highway in South Korea was built with money earned/made/extracted from US via the Vietnam conflict.
10:01 am on February 9th, 2010 5
You got a lot of it John. Park Chung Hee was very shrewd and killed three or four birds with one stone. As you alluded to, the US outfitted the divisions giving Korea well equipped troops with combat experience. The US also paid their salaries at US rates which were "taxed" highly by Korea providing significant funds. Finally, Korea got exclusive contracts for construction projects in Vietnam which helped spur their industry and brought in more money.
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At the same time he was building the nursing industry for export and negotiating with the Japanese, he brought a lot of money into Korea and brought the per capita up from dirt to 10,000 in 17 years.
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3..2..1 here come the PCH haters, "but he was a dictator!".
11:58 am on February 9th, 2010 6
At the time of Park's death, the per capita income in Korea was around $3K. It didn't reach $10K until the mid-90s.
http://www.paulnoll.com/Korea/History/Korean-inco…
12:29 pm on February 9th, 2010 7
I will conceed your point on the 10,000 level as I get older my mind gets foggier, but by your own chart President Park held the position from 1961-1979. To my un-calibrated eyes he took the per capita from about $300-3000. A 1000% per capita increase is nothing to sneeze at. I'd settle for a 2.5%.
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If you look at the massive bumps after that, alot of the industry Park Chung Hee built made it possible. 300-3000 is still spectacular.
12:56 pm on February 9th, 2010 8
Not a PCH hater and many of the older Koreans I know aren't either. They fully recognize PCH and his authoritarian regime were exactly what was required at the time. He was the founder of a "united" South Korea.
3:43 pm on February 9th, 2010 9
And how do you think the development of economy under presidents after PCH happened? Where did they get their education? Who built the first shipyard in Ulsan that really was the beginning of the economic miracle? How could they move goods/people around if the highway wasn't built?
3:33 am on February 16th, 2010 10
PCH haters always comment how he did wrong but when faced with the facts and numbers, they don't respond.