Trump hints he may withdraw troops from S. Korea over trade issues, report says

[TomSea]

Trump hints he may withdraw troops from S. Korea over trade issues, report says
By KIM GAMEL | STARS AND STRIPES Published: March 15, 2018

SEOUL, South Korea — President Donald Trump hinted he may withdraw American troops from South Korea if the U.S. ally doesn’t concede more in trade negotiations, a newspaper reported.

The Washington Post quoted Trump as saying Wednesday in a fundraising speech that the United States was losing money on trade with South Korea as well as the military presence that is meant as protection against aggression from the North.

“We have a very big trade deficit with them, and we protect them,” Trump said Wednesday in audio obtained by the Post. “We lose money on trade, and we lose money on the military. We have right now 32,000 soldiers between North and South Korea. Let’s see what happens.”

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/news/trump-hints-he-may-withdraw-troops-from-s-korea-over-trade-issues-report-says-1.516910

[Maj. Bill Martin]

That is some next-level stuff going on right there....

A potential NK nuke deal would be 1) NK verifibly dismantles nuke program; 2) Peace treaty ending the war is signed 3) U.S. withdraws troops from ROK.  This looks like groundwork being laid....

[driftdiver]

That is some next-level stuff going on right there....

A potential NK nuke deal would be 1) NK verifibly dismantles nuke program; 2) Peace treaty ending the war is signed 3) U.S. withdraws troops from ROK.  This looks like groundwork being laid....

It would be a bad idea to withdraw the troops.   It would push South Korea towards other partners and seriously limit our access in the region.  Even making the threat will have severe consequences especially at a time when we need to be united with South Korea in order to stop NK peacefully.

[guitar4jesus]

It would be a bad idea to withdraw the troops.   It would push South Korea towards other partners and seriously limit our access in the region.  Even making the threat will have severe consequences especially at a time when we need to be united with South Korea in order to stop NK peacefully.

Yep.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

It would be a bad idea to withdraw the troops.   It would push South Korea towards other partners and seriously limit our access in the region.  Even making the threat will have severe consequences especially at a time when we need to be united with South Korea in order to stop NK peacefully.

You don't withdraw troops absent NK being stopped.

It's been 65 freaking years since the shooting stopped.  The ROK military is more than capable of defeating the NK's -- our remaining ground troops are essentially there as a tripwire.  Keep the Air Force bases at Osan and Kunsan, and the naval base at Chinhae, and maintain the formal military alliance.  But withdraw ground troops as part of a deal to end the NK nuke threat.  If they renege, we can always send them back.

[driftdiver]

You don't withdraw troops absent NK being stopped.

It's been 65 freaking years since the shooting stopped.  The ROK military is more than capable of defeating the NK's -- our remaining ground troops are essentially there as a tripwire.  Keep the Air Force bases at Osan and Kunsan, and the naval base at Chinhae, and maintain the formal military alliance.  But withdraw ground troops as part of a deal to end the NK nuke threat.  If they renege, we can always send them back.

The South Koreans won't see it that way.  There is a lot of distrust of the US.  Time after time they've seen us fail to meet promises there and elsewhere in the world.   This will be interpreted as the same.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

The South Koreans won't see it that way.  There is a lot of distrust of the US.  Time after time they've seen us fail to meet promises there and elsewhere in the world.   This will be interpreted as the same.

So we're bound to keep ground troops there in perpetuity because...they don't trust us?  And as for keeping promises, we've had their backs for 65 years -- not to mention all the blood we spilled there from 50-53.  If they still believe we are unreliable despite that, then they cannot reasonably be satisfied anyway.

They have every interest in the world in not falling under the sway of the Chinese, so as long as we maintain the formal alliance and the air/naval base, I don't see them as having any other options.  And the truth is that some of those Army bases aren't all that popular among a lot of South Koreans.  The one wrinkle in that is the construction of Camp Humphreys, which is massive, and supposed to house a shitload of troops. ROK's are footing much of the bill for that, and probably wouldn't be thrilled with us leaving it.

[driftdiver]

So we're bound to keep ground troops there in perpetuity because...they don't trust us?  And as for keeping promises, we've had their backs for 65 years -- not to mention all the blood we spilled there from 50-53.  If they still believe we are unreliable despite that, then they cannot reasonably be satisfied anyway.

They have every interest in the world in not falling under the sway of the Chinese, so as long as we maintain the formal alliance and the air/naval base, I don't see them as having any other options.  And the truth is that some of those Army bases aren't all that popular among a lot of South Koreans.  The one wrinkle in that is the construction of Camp Humphreys, which is massive, and supposed to house a shitload of troops. ROK's are footing much of the bill for that, and probably wouldn't be thrilled with us leaving it.

Many of them don't want us there and would be ok with us withdrawing.   They pay us to be there afterall.

What won't go over well is the threat especially at a time when NK and China are issues.   Any move should be negotiated and handled respectfully.   This move hangs them out to dry.

As for Camp Humphreys, they wouldn't care.  That property is worth a lot and they'd love to have it back.  I spent a year stationed there as part of the 619th Air Combat Squadron.  Air Force attached to an army post, that was fun.