Screw 'em then. Fifty plus years is more than enough time for them to be able to defend themselves.

NK wouldn't use nukes on them anyway, since they plan on reunifying it under Kim Jong Il and have the army to do it.. once we leave of course.

If you think this is entirely unjustified, you should see how the American military treats Koreans there. Seriously, it's disgusting (but I don't imagine it's much worse in any country where there's a large US military presence).


And no, the Norks aren't planning on reunifying under the current Kim. Not at all, no way, no how. And South Korean president I Myung-bak. . . well, with him abandoning the Sunshine Policy and being as overtly economics-oriented as he is, I can't see the Koreas being unified in the foreseeable future.

So completely different from us than?

TwistedIvory: If you think this is entirely unjustified, you should see how the American military treats Koreans there. Seriously, it's disgusting (but I don't imagine it's much worse in any country where there's a large US military presence).

You are not only a comedian, but also an idiot!!

OK, fine. Lets get all our troops out of there. We should also get our troops out of Europe as well. Think of all the money we will save.

[Insert semi-witty, half-ironic statement agreeing with the 34% here]

steelpeg: TwistedIvory: If you think this is entirely unjustified, you should see how the American military treats Koreans there. Seriously, it's disgusting (but I don't imagine it's much worse in any country where there's a large US military presence).

You are not only a comedian, but also an idiot!!


*Waits for the pwnage*

I thinks he's been over there.

33% of South Korean military cadets surveyed think main enemy is North Korea, 34% think it's the U.S. Of course, it's the liberals' fault

I'm really, really wondering where the other, what? 33%? are looking. China, perhaps?

FTFA: Some favor reuniting with North Korea so the South can have access to those (nuclear) capabilities, he said.

Well, mission accomplished, boys

I'm glad grandpa didn't die for nothing

wxgeek: I'm really, really wondering where the other, what? 33%? are looking. China, perhaps?

Protoss.

Twisted Ivory:

If you think this is entirely unjustified, you should see how the American military treats Koreans there. Seriously, it's disgusting (but I don't imagine it's much worse in any country where there's a large US military presence).


And no, the Norks aren't planning on reunifying under the current Kim. Not at all, no way, no how. And South Korean president I Myung-bak. . . well, with him abandoning the Sunshine Policy and being as overtly economics-oriented as he is, I can't see the Koreas being unified in the foreseeable future.

Gee - Its really great to have your enlightened opinion based on your two months in Korea.

wxgeek: I'm really, really wondering where the other, what? 33%? are looking. China, perhaps?


I'm assuming it's the Zergs or Protoss.


Least obscure reference ever.

Another vote here for saying "OK. Have fun when Kim Jong Il decides he wants to go golfing over there.", taking our shiat (including Pacific Air Forces and Naval support) and heading home.

TwistedIvory: If you think this is entirely unjustified, you should see how the American military treats Koreans there. Seriously, it's disgusting (but I don't imagine it's much worse in any country where there's a large US military presence).


Hahaha. You're a trip.

the numbers are from 2004.

If South Korean soldiers were stationed all over this country, I'd probably hate them too.

EL_FABREZ: wxgeek: I'm really, really wondering where the other, what? 33%? are looking. China, perhaps?


I'm assuming it's the Zergs or Protoss.


Least obscure reference ever.

kekeke!

Can we leave Korea now?

Crosshair: OK, fine. Lets get all our troops out of there. We should also get our troops out of Europe as well. Think of all the money we will save.

Not saying it will continue to be the case, what with our economy tanking, but as I understand it, housing our troops there is cheaper than housing them in the US.

Just saying.

sober: the numbers are from 2004.

Do you imagine 4 more years of Dubya's management has endeared us to the Koreans?

That is many tank, yes?

They only picked that because "The Drill Sergeant" wasn't one of the choices.

You say that the Army treats the S. Koreans bad? Really? I love how the crappy way our guys are treated is left out to advance your point. I have pictures of my brother covered in human waste after he let a protesting student use his lighter. Protesting what you ask. Well that would be the US presence in S. Korea. The only thing keeping them out of the grip of that N. Korean psyco.

holiday_inn_in_cambodia: I'm assuming it's the Zergs or Protoss.


kekeke!


Seriously though, I'm sure if Obi Wan Kenobi ever heard a million a millions cries at once it was probably when Blizzard postponed the Ghost game indefinitely. South Korea was probably picked up on the richter scale.


/even I was bummed

I thought it was a Macross reference actually.

Anyway, there's no doubt diplomatic relations between NK and SK are going to stay frosty, at least, as long as old Kimmy's alive.

It is easy to make anyone believe anything when you control the text books. I knew a guy from China, in Canada (when I was over there) at University that he got into from black market exams over there, and he told me he was taught that the US started the Korean war.

Blink, Blink....

Man, it really was the forgotten war.

Maybe I could see the general populace having some resentment at the large americans who are gruff and steal all their women, but I'd think that military officers would be aware of the importance of our presence there, and even of the opinion that ROK >> DROK.

Remove all Republicans: Let's deal with Iraq first.

eh?

KWillets: They only picked that because "The Drill Sergeant" wasn't one of the choices.

win.

I just don't understand why we're spending our tax dollars to protect South Korea. I say we give them fair warning and then redeploy the troops to Afghanistan. The South Korean government would have to pay to bulk up their forces, but I'm sure they can raise some revenue by taxing companies like Samsung, Hyundai and LG a little heavier. I've always wondered if our military support over there gives their companies a competitive advantage because the government doesn't need to raise the tax dollars necessary to support a standing army large enough to deter the North.

Heck, maybe they could create a robot army and just roll out their command and control system as a new version of Starcraft. Of course it'd probably end with some South Korean kid going all emo after he nukes Pyongyang in order to win the "game" and whining about killing all those people on his blog.

We can't leave Korea becuase it would make our inflated "defense" budget even less justifiable.

We are there because Pentagon fatcats and their military contractor buddies profit from it, not to defend anyone. So it makes no sense to expect "gratitude" fro the Koreans, or to call for a withdrawal without calling for a cut in defense spending.

EL_FABREZ: Seriously though, I'm sure if Obi Wan Kenobi ever heard a million a millions cries at once it was probably when Blizzard postponed the Ghost game indefinitely. South Korea was probably picked up on the richter scale.

/even I was bummed

Why? Blizzard halted it because it was a terrible game and they didn't want their reputation ruined by it. From what I've seen so far, Starcraft II is going to be the best game ever made, so we have that to look forward to.

Remove all Republicans: Daddakamabb: Can we leave Korea now?

Let's deal with Iraq first.

I'd think leaving Korea would be easier... I mean they are already established and they should be able to take care of themselves right... or is this what Iraq will look like down the road.

/I seriously hope not.

Can'tLetYouDoThatStarFox: Why? Blizzard halted it because it was a terrible game and they didn't want their reputation ruined by it. From what I've seen so far, Starcraft II is going to be the best game ever made, so we have that to look forward to.


I just can't imagine a psychic chick version of Sam Fisher, who fights aliens, as ever being bad.

wejash: sober: the numbers are from 2004.

Do you imagine 4 more years of Dubya's management has endeared us to the Koreans?

Bush has nothing to do with it. Young people in S.Korea dislike the fact that so many Americans are there. Its the old "Teach a man to fish, feed him for life. Hand a man a fish every day and eventually he will farking hate you for needing you to be fed" kind of thing. Older S.Koreans know that Americans are there because the North Koreans are batshiat crazy. Younger people don't have the perspective.

Considering that the "heroic" US soldiers rapped and killed quite a few school girls in South Korea and all they got was a little slap on the wrist, it's not surprising that Koreans don't like the soldiers that much.
The same thing happened in Okinawa, and Okinawans are not too happy about the military presence.

Of course, there are stupid people everywhere and most US soldiers are not raping all the time, but when the US goverment refuses to prosecute them or hand them to local justice, it pisses people off.

Why is this such a shock to everyone? After protecting the world from Communism for 50 years we're now generally disliked for it. That's ok, you're all welcome. Enjoy the freedom you have thanks to the United States.

It's good that we're paying attention to the opinions of Koreans. They are quite possibly the most idiotic post-industrial nation out there. The fact that they believe in:

Fan Death - If a fan is on in the room that you sleep in, it will create a vortex that sucks all the air away from your face, and kill you; unless the window is open.

After giving birth, a woman cannot touch anything cold for 3 weeks, or her bones will become brittle. If she drinks something cold her teeth will crumble.

The link says "Stars and Stripes" which is a troop paper.

I can't get it to open, but is that accurate?

we're too dependent on south korean products to just let them go it on their own.
sure, the north koreans couldn't be trusted to just rattle sabres. kim jong il is crazy enough to attack south korea, go down in flames and pray that his corpulent, decrepit self would be rememebered as a martyr. which, considering most opinion polls i've read taken in south korea is a possibility.

the thing is that china might be strong enough to persuade us (usa) to stay out of it lest they attack taiwan.

so we'd be faced with an awful decision. who to take up for.

if you think that's a far fetch, navel gazing, conundrum....consider for a minute how involved the south koreans and taiwanese are in electronics development and global shipping...

Well gee N. Korea, settle it already You've had 50 years of sucking up to your daddy. Or do we have to wait out Kim Jong like we have been waiting for Castro to die? Bust him in the nuts and be done with it, no nukes required.

Snowflake Tubbybottom: About the whole "50 years is enough time for them to defend themselves". We aren't there 'cause we love the south Korean people so much, we are protecting American interests and maintaining a military presence in the region. We are only there because it is in our best interests. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, either, I actually think that while shiat like invading Iraq doesn't help us in any way, we do need to maintain our power and influence abroad.

why don't we(THE U.S.A) withdraw all our troops from all over the world? no troops stationed anywhere but on our mainland, alaska and hawaii, etc.

WRT our tax dollars, I believe the share that Korea pays for USFK is being raised to 50%, from some lower amount (38%?). So Lee is putting his money where his mouth is.

And, overall, South Korea has a big army with lots of modern weapons. They spend something like ten times the amount per soldier that the North does. They're also getting on board with missile defense and other new systems.

What_Would_Jimi_Do: why don't we(THE U.S.A) withdraw all our troops from all over the world? no troops stationed anywhere but on our mainland, alaska and hawaii, etc.

As far as I can tell, the US dollar remains valuable largely because of the perceived ability of the US armed forces to bust in the nuts of anybody who threatens it.

rabidarmadillo24: It's good that we're paying attention to the opinions of Koreans. They are quite possibly the most idiotic post-industrial nation out there. The fact that they believe in:

Fan Death - If a fan is on in the room that you sleep in, it will create a vortex that sucks all the air away from your face, and kill you; unless the window is open.

After giving birth, a woman cannot touch anything cold for 3 weeks, or her bones will become brittle. If she drinks something cold her teeth will crumble.


I realize and reluctantly detour your inference, but there is a biological basis to both the "dry air" and "brittle calcium" 'Old Wives' Tales' you belittle.

What_Would_Jimi_Do why don't we(THE U.S.A) withdraw all our troops from all over the world? no troops stationed anywhere but on our mainland, alaska and hawaii, etc.

You do realise that the troops abroad are there to defend American interests?
The only reason that the US is keeping troops in Japan and Korea, is to be able to keep a close eye on China.
Japan has quite a big and technologically advanced army, why would the need the US to defend them? Same for Europe.

The troops in the Persian Golf are there to protect the oil routes. The US is very dependant on imported oil, it might be a good idea to make sure it's safe.

Detour "around" I meant... sheesh.

wejash: sober: the numbers are from 2004.

Do you imagine 4 more years of Dubya's management has endeared us to the Koreans?

I guess so, actually:

From TFA: "Korea Military Academy officials asked incoming freshmen in 2005 and 2006 the same question, but the United States didn't make the top three countries viewed by cadets as South Korea's main enemy."

Shahab: Snowflake Tubbybottom: About the whole "50 years is enough time for them to defend themselves". We aren't there 'cause we love the south Korean people so much, we are protecting American interests and maintaining a military presence in the region. We are only there because it is in our best interests. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, either, I actually think that while shiat like invading Iraq doesn't help us in any way, we do need to maintain our power and influence abroad.

and invading Iraq isn't the same thing? We are only there because it is in our best interests. choose you choices wisely.

AtikuX: What_Would_Jimi_Do why don't we(THE U.S.A) withdraw all our troops from all over the world? no troops stationed anywhere but on our mainland, alaska and hawaii, etc.

You do realise that the troops abroad are there to defend American interests?
The only reason that the US is keeping troops in Japan and Korea, is to be able to keep a close eye on China.
Japan has quite a big and technologically advanced army, why would the need the US to defend them? Same for Europe.

The troops in the Persian Golf are there to protect the oil routes. The US is very dependant on imported oil, it might be a good idea to make sure it's safe.

Yeah, which makes it a bit harder to defend against claims of imperialism... But better us than someone else, I suppose.