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China-Japan-Koreas
What if the US-So Korean alliance dissolved?
2008-02-18
Longish summary of analyst discussions. Bottom line up front: things get a LOT less predictable in SE Asia for all concerned. Lots of disagreement on exactly what that would look like tho.
Posted by:lotp

#13  ...truly reliable allies like UK...

I wouldn't include the UK in this category, their reliability is severely diminished. At least as far as the Political Class is concerned. And it seems as if the people themselves have lost their fight. They're a cowed lot the Brits.
Posted by: Unager Forkbeard6810   2008-02-18 22:19  

#12  The Sorks need to learn that you should be careful what you ask for--you just might get it. Us pulling out might teach them that lesson. It did wonders for the Philippines.

Amen!
Posted by: Unager Forkbeard6810   2008-02-18 22:14  

#11  Agree with P2K. It makes sense to have basing with truly reliable allies like UK, Australia or possessions like Guam with the ability to Lily pad as necessary. Whose idea was that, anyway?
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2008-02-18 21:49  

#10  I agree, plus it sends a message to our other "partners" that the US umbrella goodtimes™ are over some day, and that day can come a lot quicker if you treat us poorly
Posted by: Frank G   2008-02-18 18:34  

#9  We don't need this alliance. The Sorks do, but they treat our troops like crap and act as if they're doing us a big favor by allowing them the great privilege of living in Sorkland. We would definitely be better off if we abrogated the alliance and pulled our troops out.

They've been saying for years (at least a large segment of their political classes) that they resent our "American hegemony." It's long past time that we admitted that resentment and honored those wishes for us to leave. The Sorks need to learn that you should be careful what you ask for--you just might get it. Us pulling out might teach them that lesson. It did wonders for the Philippines.
Posted by: Jomosing Bluetooth8431   2008-02-18 17:47  

#8  NKorea can not take over the South nowdays. The south is too well defended, the ROKs are too good and wouldn't even need American help to drive the Norks back to the Yalu. However, with 20 million pissed off and horny young men and the Chinese disposal, they would be handy to have over running the South rather than causing problems at home. Maybe even bring back Korean woman too keep them even more occupied.
Posted by: DarthVader   2008-02-18 14:31  

#7  g: And I kind of like keeping troops in SKor, just to keep the Chinese guessing.

It's also useful for spreading out our supply dumps. Not to mention the fact that if we dissolve the alliance, North Korea automatically becomes a Chinese province. I don't think we need to have China become bigger than it already is.
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2008-02-18 14:12  

#6  I'm not hovering over every single link I ever click on the web. It's middle-click to open up a new window in the background for all of them.

And I kind of like keeping troops in SKor, just to keep the Chinese guessing.
Posted by: gromky   2008-02-18 09:35  

#5  Coulda, shoulda, woulda. FUD - fear, uncertainty, and dread. We should have been out of Korea over a decade ago and Europe after the wall fell. Military Assistance Groups and joint training could continue but enough with the military welfare for the economically established societies out there.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2008-02-18 08:55  

#4  Aagh! Link to PDF! Please warn me before linking to a PDF, they slow down my computer.

Aagh! Aagh! User, help thyself! Turn on your status bar. Then, hover your mouse pointer over the link. Behold the status bar...for it will reveal the link leads to a PDF file.

Or, right click on the link and select Properties, that will inform you that the link goes to a PDF file.

HTH
Posted by: Black Bart Flineper8230   2008-02-18 05:18  

#3  For the Odds Makers: 10% chance should McCain win,
50% chance should Hillary win,
90% chance should Obama win,
Posted by: smn   2008-02-18 03:57  

#2  Aagh! Link to PDF! Please warn me before linking to a PDF, they slow down my computer.

And most South Koreans would like nothing more than this, even though it's not in their best interest. Lots of it is attributable to simple racism, even though you'll never hear a peep about this in the Western media.
Posted by: gromky   2008-02-18 03:53  

#1  TOPIX > KNOWLEDGE OF CHINA'S [true]INTENTIONS IS KEY; + NOSI > AIR POWER - THE NEW LINE IN THE PACIFIC.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2008-02-18 00:46  

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