The Patriot Files Forums  

Go Back   The Patriot Files Forums > Conflict posts > Korea

Post New Thread  Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-28-2018, 01:30 PM
Boats's Avatar
Boats Boats is online now
Senior Member
 

Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sauk Village, IL
Posts: 21,784
Arrow U.S. Military will stay in South Korea, per Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Promises

U.S. MILITARY WILL STAY IN SOUTH KOREA, DEFENSE SECRETARY JIM MATTIS PROMISES
BY: JASON LEMON ON 6/28/18 AT 2:07 PM
RE: http://www.newsweek.com/us-military-...9638?piano_t=1

The U.S. will maintain its “current” military presence in South Korea as part of an “ironclad” commitment to the country’s security, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday.

Mattis met with his South Korean counterpart Song Young-moo in Seoul, defending President Donald Trump’s decision to end “war games,” while also reassuring the East Asian ally of Washington’s continued dedication to responding to any threat.

“U.S. commitment to the Republic of Korea remains ironclad, and the U.S. will continue to use the full range of diplomatic and military capabilities to uphold this commitment,” the defense secretary said, Reuters reported. He also added that this commitment includes “maintaining the current U.S. force levels on the Korean peninsula.” Currently, the U.S. has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea.

The comments from Mattis come after Trump’s decision, following the historic June 12 Singapore summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, to cancel war games with South Korea, a move critics have called an unnecessary concession to Pyongyang. Prior to the summit, The New York Times reported in early May that Trump had asked the Pentagon to consider reducing U.S. troops on the Korean Peninsula. However, national security adviser John Bolton quickly denied the reports.

Defending the cancellation of joint military exercises with South Korea, Mattis said the move would create “increased opportunity for our diplomats to negotiate, increasing prospects for a peaceful solution on the Korean Peninsula,” Reuters reported. The secretary also insisted that U.S. and South Korean forces “remain united, vigilant and ready to defend against any challenge.”

Trump’s decision to cancel the war games came as a surprise to military leaders. Following the announcement by the president on June 11, U.S. Forces in Korea spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Lovett said the military leaders "had received no updated guidance on execution or cessation of training exercises.” The Pentagon later announced on June 22 that war games were being “indefinitely suspended” as the president had promised.

Many have criticized the decision, including leading GOP Senator John McCain, from Arizona.

The legislator released a statement in mid-June, saying the decision is a “mistake” and that “unnecessary and unreciprocated concessions [are] not in our interests.” McCain added, "We must not impose upon ourselves the burden of providing so-called ‘good faith’ concessions as the price for continued dialogue."

For its part, Seoul has publicly supported the move. "We consider the ongoing denuclearization negotiations with North Korea as crucial, so as long as those negotiations continue, the decision by the governments of South Korea and the United States will be maintained," a South Korean government spokeswoman said.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been a strong supporter of dialogue and taking the diplomatic route toward peace with his country’s neighbor. At the Singapore Summit, North Korea’s Kim pledged to commit fully to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, experts and satellite images have raised questions as to whether Pyongyang will actually follow through on the promise.
__________________
Boats

O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
sendpm.gif Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:57 PM.


Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.