via the Hanyoreh
The South Korean government’s decision this year to purchase the F-35 and other state-of-the-art US weaponry has gone some way in softening the US Congress’s objections to another postponement in the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), US congressional sources said.So there you have it.
A final agreement on the date and conditions for another postponement is expected to be made at the ROK-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) scheduled to take place in Washington on Oct. 23. Congress, which holds heavy sway over the administration’s foreign affairs and security policy decisions, was strongly opposed to another postponement when Seoul first proposed it in mid-2013. Now, congressional sources are saying it has softened its position and plans to respect the Barack Obama‘s administration decision on the matter.
An aide to John McCain, a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and congressional heavyweight, told the Hankyoreh’s Washington correspondent that Congress was “waiting for the results of the South Korean and US defense authorities‘ discussions.”
“Congress is open now to what the Obama administration decides,” the aide added.
While Congress’s approval isn’t essential for the OPCON transfer, it does approve the defense budget and related projects with its yearly passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, meaning that strong enough opposition from it could block another transfer postponement.
“A lot of the opposition in Congress to another postponement died down when the South Korean administration decided to purchase state-of-the-art US weaponry this year,” said another congressional source on condition of anonymity. In particular, the source singled out the decision to purchase the F-35 and Global Hawk.
The S. Koreans aren't willing to step up and defend themselves and would rather sleep under the blanket of US protection.
Instead of our Congress Critters holding there feet to the fire, they instead are bought off by the purchase of an airplane that is hopelessly delayed, under performing and over priced.
Corruption is in every molecule of this program.
I once thought that we had to stick with the program because of our allies. Not anymore. They're bought and paid for and this thing needs to die a quick death. Ordinarily for something this vile I'd want it to be slow and painful but this monster needs to be put down NOW!
Required additional reading. Here and here.
It's Ok, the leftwingers will win the presidential election in 2017, and ensure that the OPCON is transferred on next deadline.
ReplyDeleteCurrently candidate no. 1, no. 2, no. 3, and no. 4 on the poll are leftwingers, with the strongest rightwinger clocking at no. 5 in polling. The current rightwing party in power is so desperate that they are offering to nominate Ban Ki Moon(The UN general secretary) without a primary contest if he were to accept their nomination, because the polling shows that all potential rightwing candidates are expected to lose according to current polling data.
The leftwingers are promising to tax the rich and increase defense budget to $60 billion(currently $37 billion) to minimize US military presence to absolute minimum.
i expected a more vigorous response from a S. Korean nationalist...something along the lines of this is a good thing that our country wants to defend itself! instead your statement sounds like a bit of whining. like a child that's pissed he is getting his way!
Deleteeither S. Korea has one of the most powerful military forces in the region and can take on a third rate power like the N. Koreans or it can't. you can't brag about S. Korean power and then hide behind US Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.
its one or the other.
Sounds like you're saying that you still need daddy to protect you.
Solomon
DeleteYou have to understand that the current rightwing generals and politicians in power are in in their 60s to 70s, who grew up in an era where the ROK was poorer than most African nations in the aftermath of Imperial Japan + Korean War and depended on the US for security, so the idea of going alone and actually commanding US troops in wartime as agreed in OPCON transfer is unthinkable, it is really hard to change old people's mind. In addition, the rightwingers favor low taxes for the wealthy and wants to keep OECD's second lowest corporate and high income tax as is, and this requires limiting spending in all front, including defense.
The leftwinger candidates are younger crowds, some as low as in their late 40s, who want to reformulate the US-ROK defense relationship similar to that between the US-France, and they understand they need to double the defense spending to get there. The leftwingers see Japan as the ROK's no. 1 external security threat, and don't believe the US would intervene in Korea's war against Japan, and will spend money to prepare for an inevitable war against Japan in coming years.
i don't care about your country's internal politics. that's for you and your countrymen to decide upon. what is at issue here and now are your views. you declare quite openly that the S. Korean military forces are formidable.
Deletei agree.
but yet at the same time it appears that you have a reluctance to take the next step which will inevitably see US forces leave the Korean peninsula...ratifying the OPCON and putting it into law.
so i ask again. why? why would a nationalist like yourself rather have US servicemembers families "held hostage" instead of your country stepping up and facing the threat from N. Korea alone. i mean after all the Japanese are standing up to the Chinese and they're doing it with extremely CAUTIOUS US support. surely you all can handle a few starving N. Koreans...
Solomon
Delete> i mean after all the Japanese are standing up to the Chinese and they're doing it with extremely CAUTIOUS US support. surely you all can handle a few starving N. Koreans...
Japanese leaders in their 70s are living in the memory of the glorious era of the Imperial Japan, when Japan defeated Russia, Britain, France, and Netherlands, and want to turn back the clock, and they really do believe the restored Imperial Japanese Army and Navy could easily destroy PLA and ROK military in naval wars and restore Japan's military glory, even though the realities of Japan's economic conditions and youth culture will not make that happen.
Korean rightwing political leaders in their 70s are still haunted by the memories of Imperial Japan + fearsome North Korean and PLA communist troops who drove them all the way down to Pusan, and really do believe those North Korean troops will run over the DMZ and must keep Americans around for security. In other word, the ones in power are 3rd world people trapped in the first world, so there is a wide generational gap between those born before 1970 and after 1970.
Only a time will fix this problem.
Another thing I need to add that it was the US demand that the ROK buy F-35 and Global Hawks as the condition of agreeing to OPCON transfer delay, not what the ROK proposed first. The ROKAF is said to have opposed closing the deal at this time, because they don't want to fly a single engine jet that is prone to explosion. They had a bad experience of flying a single engine jet with unproven new engine, when they lost five KF-16 jets over engine fan blade failures.
Deletecan you not read or are you evading the question purposefully?
Deletelets break this down ok.
1. i don't care one bit about your internal politics. thats up to you and your countrymen. this talk about politicians and military leaders being in their 60's and 70's is irrelevant.
2. how dare you accuse the US of pushing this purchase down your throat. you have options. additionally you've already stated that the US needs this alliance more than the S. Koreans so that would indicate that your country was operating from a position of power.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT! back to the issue at hand. you speak about S. Korea being a military power. AGAIN. i agree with you. so why don't you support those that want the US out of S. Korea?
AGAIN. the N. Koreans are starving. militarily weak except for some nukes. so why do you fear them?
Solomon
Delete> this talk about politicians and military leaders being in their 60's and 70's is irrelevant.
Surely internal politics matter very much. When the DPJ was in power, Hatoyama's Japan was trying to improve relations with China while trying to remove US marines from Okinawa to Guam as the final solution to the Okinawa problem. Nowadays, it is the reverse with Abe's Japan which is preparing a war with China while strengthening ties with the US to ensure that the US would intervene in the event of a war with China.
A 180 degree turn in foreign policies depending on who's in power.
> you have options.
If you are talking about not buying the F-35 and taking back the OPCON, then it surely is not an option for them.
you simply refuse to answer the question don't you? respect for you is further diminished. you have no real beliefs and when challenged you spin, obfuscate and lie. you're welcome to continue to comment but i see now that you're not worth my time.
Deleteconsider that a gift.
ordinarily i would simply cuss you out and then let you know i'm done with you and then delete any future comment you ever made. because you sometimes provide tidbits of info that are worth spreading to my audience i'll let you stay. but as far as replying to any of your comments. that shit is over.
i read the links and yet im confused.. whats stopping US military if they really want to leave korea ? while the korean seem to prefer living under US protection , why dont the US billed the cost of basing and operation of US military in korea to the South Korean Gov ? Isnt it a bit like cheating using american military as security while keep flooding the world with cheap quality products ?
ReplyDeleteim cynical but i think the American goverment also dont want to leave korea , just as the koreans dont want US military to go..
you're right to be cynical, but on the part of the US its politics that gets in the way. first you have the hawks that want US forces in every country imaginable. then you have the budget fighters that don't like how much it costs.
Deleteeven during the Bush Administration there were those that wanted our troops out and pointed to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan as why. the problem at the time was that the Democrats would have used it as a way to say that "Bush's wars" have so weakened America that we have to abandon long time allies.
now we the Obama adminstration and they're scared to cut back forces in S. Korea (even though they're slicing the military) because if they do then they'll be accused of cutting the military so much that we can't protect an ally under threat from attack.
the reality is a bit more stark though. every poll shows that the American people are tired of having our troops stationed in every country around the globe. additionally the Army is getting so small that they won't be able...or afford to be able to have division sized forces in traditional countries.
what does all this mean? it means that we're getting out of S. Korea soon. additionally you're going to see a traditional break down of the globe. the US Army will handle (for the most part) Europe (well not really...there is a move to get US forces out of there and let the EU defend themselves too), the Middle East and Africa. along with the USAF they should be able to handle it. the US Navy and Marine Corps will take care of the Pacific and the rest of the globe. small wars? US Navy and Marine Corps. big wars? US Army and Air Force and if necessary the USN/USMC will play too.
thats a big picture look at things.
Because it sucks to take ground back you already hold.
DeleteBecause the US is still in a state of actual on paper war with the NorKs, and until that ends, we will be there.
If we are there, we have to pay for it or the RoKs will begin to resent it and make trouble for our troops in country.
Think the current situation in Iraq and extrapolate Korea.
One way or the other the US on the ground in Korea is coming to an end inside five or ten years due to cost financially and politically.
ReplyDeleteThe NorKs are so weak now they cannot succeed in an active attack against the RoK, damage South Korea for sure but not over run and there is no actual need for US forces on the ground.
The Nuclear option is the way the peace will be held, the RoKs should have some type of Nuclear weapons covertly as we speak if not they are fools.
The age of the US speed bump/trip wire is over.