145,000 troops in Iraq. Would we be better served to have those troops stations on the 38th parallel in Korea?

Question

What is the greater threat? Insurgents with car bombs or a dysfunctional and belligerent government with long range nuclear weapons?

Answer 1

yes or help the people in africa

Answer 2

It's better to put our troops in Iraq where they can actually do something, then sticking them outside of N. Korea to watch nuclear firework shows from a whole country away. We can actually do something in Iraq, even if what we do is limited and very controversial. Posting our troops outside of a country with nuclear weapons does nothing to them, and only makes our troops look like test targets for the bombs. We've tried to disarm a country with Tactical Nuclear weapons and it failed miserably (Bay of Pigs anyone?). Honestly there's nothing we can do, but to hope that they piss off another world power and have them deal with N. Korea, or the trade embargo's start to take a toll over the course of many years and the whole nation starves to death. Another possibility would to nuke them and then see if we get blown up back, but that choice ain't too popular so I won't count it. The U.N. has never been much help in any situation before, but it seems like they're actually trying this time, so if some divine intervention happens the UN might fix the problem for us. As of now there's nothing we can do about N. Korea, and we're better off finishing our job in Iraq then going all Spanish Conquistador on the other terror threats.

Answer 3

briang731/ bvincent is more or less correct.

There is absolutely no use for such a troop deployment by the American military in Korea, for the following reasons:

(1) Why place them all on the 38th or anywhere near it, where the KPA can unload with all of its munitions and light infantry and swarm us for being so far forward deployed? We cut our troop strength so close to the border for a reason.

(2) Where is the logistical support for such a troop deployment when we've drawn down our installations in the ROK and all our pennies go towards fighting the Global War on Terror?

(3) Why needlessly provoke the DPRK and the PRC? Why scare the KPA into a premature invasion, thinking that we are going to launch a pre-emptive invasion like we did in Iraq by more than doubling the number of troops we have in Korea today?

That "dysfunctional and belligerent government" feeds off of stories of the last war with the Americans and by using an American invasion as a bogeyman. There are museums devoted to American atrocities (i.e. "this is where a whole village of innocent people was killed by being poisoned by Americans") and they would like nothing better than to be proven right in stating that all we want out of Korea is to conquer both halves.

Those car bombs or VBIEDS do a pretty damn fine job of destabilizing the region. And in case you don't know because you haven't lived in Korea or know next to nothing about it, the ROK suffered for years under terrorist attacks by the KPA on civilians and infrastructure. Only a strong and determined stance by Park Chung Hee and a modernization drive that saw economic and social progress far beyond what the DPRK could achieve stabilized the ROK, even after Park was assassinated and student unrest (much of it caused by DPRK agitators) and military juntas traded molotovs for rubber truncheons.

Iraq needs a strong government in the mold of a Park Chung Hee presidency, and it needs security. We did our job in Korea. We need to do the same in Iraq.

Answer 4

I can't see how 140 thousand troops on the 38th parallel would have any impact in N.Korea launching a long range nuclear weapon. Don't forget, N.Korea has a million man army. You would still be looking at almost a ten to one ratio, against.

We had a sizeable army on that border just two short years ago. It was decided then to reduce the number of American troops in Korea, and rely more on the 600,000 man army of S.Korea

The big question is whether we can rely on S.Korea to back our action, should a war begin.

I believe that our strategy will be to bomb N.Korea into next year. The logical thinking will be to use everything at our disposal. It would be time to clear out those warehouses and start using up that old ordinance. Three things would need to be accomplished almost immediately. 1) Totally decimate their million man army. 2) Destroy the air power and anti aircraft defensive. 3) Destroy their ability for them to launch any type missile.

If we are able to accomplish all of that, we would have a good chance of watching N.Korea, self destruct.

This prospect of war can only be successful if real military leaders are at the helm, and not politicans. The battle objective must be unconditional surrender, and it must be achieved.

Answer 5

No, that would not be practical nor appropriate to the threat.

Though it might seem hard to believe, the Korean people are rational, it is just their leadership that is irrational. This makes North Korea is more a conventional nation state threat. They can be reasoned with, though it may take a few large bombs in some strategic locations to get their attention.

Radical Islamics are not rational. They can be reasoned with about as much as one can reason with cockroaches. Therefore the only solution is extermination.

Answer 6

Sure but you forgot one thing we could not stop them last time and according to the Pentagon and the Army War College we could not stop them this time. Before you call up Rush and Hannity read a history book. Look at what they did in Viet Nam when they did their over runs we could not stop them. Chairman Mao knew that when he told the US to go and and nuke China they could afford to lose millions. According to the Army War College and Los Alamos if we put down everything and destroyed the world there would still be Chinese left. So you might want to forget about us being John Wayne he is dead!

Answer 7

Actually we have troops stationed everywhere; we have to, to protect ourselves and keep up with what is going on. All this negative attitude with Iraq is really pathetic; I challenage anyone to do a better job. Also, if Korea or Iran launch nuclear weapons towards us; I don't think we'll have to worry about anything.

Answer 8

If we were in Korea, (and we are) you would be saying "145,000 troops in Korea. Would we be better served to have those troops stationed in Baghdad, Iraq?

Get a life liberal.

Answer 9

North Korea simply is not a threat to the U.S. The real action is going to be in the Middle East. Wait and see.

Answer 10

Neither, Iraq is a waste of lives and time, N Korea isnt a threat, they can be handled through the UN.

Answer 11

Believe it or not we have had troops at the 38th parallel since 1954.