South Korea Protesting US Presence

[KAknight]

[rant\]

I saw on the news (20/20, Dateline, one of those) this weekend that South Korea has been having regular protesting of the US presence there. They have these protests on a regular basis, so much so that the South Korean gov. has riot police waiting in the streets to keep the protestors from marching on the US Embassy. The censors wouldn't allow the news program to translate an anti-american song that was being sung it was so bad. They protestors usually end their speeches with the burning of an American flag.

Well, if you want the US out so bad, I say we leave. I don't think these people realise that in a matter of hours they would be North Korean citizens, or just a casualty in a body bag.

[\rant off]

[Epidemic]

I think they need a specific Rant icon. An exploding smiley facey would be good.

A smoking volcano would be quite interesting as well. It could smoke for 3 or 4 seconds and then explode and return to smolder state.

I believe that our ability to move troops today makes bases like this more and more out dated. Germany, N Korea, and ... should be stripped of our troops and they should move back to the US to watch the border.

Billions and billions of dollars into comunities around the US would help the economy.

[KAknight]

What really gets to me is that these people that are burning the American flag can only do that because we are there protecting their right to do that.

Did that make sense? It does in my head, but you never know...


[edit] me speell no gud

[Chuckiechan]

If the USA leaves, most of the foreign investment will also. Foreign companies don't invest mega-millions in unstable countries. S. Korea will collapse into the arms of the North.

It is time for the people to vote, yes or no on US presence so we can stay or leave with a clear conscience.

[ClubMed]

The question is why do you they want the US troops to leave.

Originally posted by ClubMed
The question is why do you they want the US troops to leave.

They are noisy?

[Epidemic]

Well first off they do not want us out. Perhaps 53 percent do .

Since that is a majority lets look at it. 8 years ago that number was approximately 15% . What has happened during that time.

The US has given them the ability to produce nukes. This has created an imbalance of power between north and south.

I would say that they probably feel (IMO wrongly) that we are a de-stabilizing force at the moment. Our strong words have the North back in a corner and they are viciously speaking out against it. The rhetoric is so strong that it would appear that the South koreans will be dragged into the frey.

So they fear that the US presense is going to drag them back into the korean war.

Reality IMO is that if the US pulls out and pulls our treaties south korea will be in a war with in a month. They will lose that war as well.

[Redwolf]

This is quite sad. I've been a big Fan of South Korea and have to say that them protesting the very force that even kept them existent in the 50s militarily and countless times politically is a very bad idea.

They must realize the only thing the Noth CAN do is make weapons, and they arent exactly bad at that.

[Chuckiechan]

Kinda reminds me how the North Vietnamese rolled south when the US pulled out...Could happen like that.

What would the Chinese do? Could this be the start of WW3?

Personally, I think the North Koreans are going to try something when we go into Iraq. I think they are holding hands with our enemies in the Arab world. They may only want to pull a feint or they may actually go South, but I believe they are going to do something. They know they are next on the list for "special attention" and aren't as likely to wait for a six month build-up like Saddam. Their battle plan is based on rapid movement and overwhelming firepower, (and refugee clogged roads), waiting is not likely part of the battle plan. So if they do attack, we either let them have it and pull out and threaten to go nuke and take our chances with the Chinese.

China is just too introverted to see what is going on and is definately the wild card here. We may really be fighting two wars at once.

Could be an interesting couple of years...

[RADAR1797]

I think Clubmed is inviting the US troops to leave South Korea and move to Austria.

-RADAR