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China-Japan-Koreas
Trump Orders Pentagon to Consider Reducing U.S. Forces in South Korea
2018-05-04
[NY Times] President Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prepare options for drawing down American troops in South Korea, just weeks before he holds a landmark meeting with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, according to several people briefed on the deliberations.

Reduced troop levels are not intended to be a bargaining chip in Mr. Trump’s talks with Mr. Kim about his weapons program, these officials said. But they acknowledged that a peace treaty between the two Koreas could diminish the need for the 23,500 soldiers currently stationed on the peninsula.
Update at noon EDT:
Trump not seeking to curb US forces in S. Korea

[Ynet] US President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
 has not asked the Pentagon for options to reduce US forces based in South Korea, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said in a statement on Friday.

His comment comes after the New York Times
...which still proudly displays Walter Duranty's Pulitzer prize...
, citing several people briefed on the deliberations, reported on Thursday that the president was seeking options to curb the number of American troops stationed in South Korea.
Posted by:3dc

#7  Oh, I thought that was "Jumbo Shrimp".
Posted by: Angeter Peacock4147   2018-05-04 20:55  

#6  Mr. Bolton says the New York Times’ sources got it wrong. And how lovely to be able to use the Darth Bolton image again, left over as it is from his time as our ambassador to the UN.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-05-04 12:08  

#5  invasion of Canada

Omly if they join the E.U..
Posted by: Omeger Gray6606   2018-05-04 10:26  

#4  [NY Times] ...according to several people briefed on the deliberations.

Given all the other plans the Pentagon has on file (invasion of Canada, anyone?), this is a reasonable preparation against a possible future need. Or someone could be gaslighting the New York Times, which richly deserves it.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-05-04 10:02  

#3  Yes, we all know there was no formal peace treaty. Nonetheless the Korean Conflict ended in 1953 and for the past 25 years there has been no credible threat of invasion from the North. The formal peace treaty will be signed soon and with it will go the entire reason for US troops to be in Korea in the first place. We'll need a big victory parade to welcome them when they get home.
Posted by: Herb McCoy   2018-05-04 09:44  

#2  The war was over in 1953

No. They signed a cease fire agreement. No peace treaty.
Posted by: P2kontheroad   2018-05-04 08:34  

#1  Good news! With North Korea no longer a threat, we can bring the boys home! Hurrah!

And it's about time, I must say. The war was over in 1953. ROK has been able to defend itself without any help for a quarter century now.
Posted by: Herb McCoy   2018-05-04 07:31  

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