NEWS: U.S. Pulls Troops From Korean Front Lines, Develops Missile Shield

U.S. troops are being pulled from their front line position in Korea, handing over control of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) to South Korean forces. North and South Korea are separated by the 151-mile long, 2 and one half mile wide DMZ. This is a sort of buffer zone between the two countries that exist along the cease fire line established in 1953 at the end of the Korean War. The U.S. also has plans to close half of its bases in South Korea within the next few years. North Korea claims that this pullout is a signal for a strike from the U.S. who wishes to reduce the number of casualties by withdrawing their troops from the front line. North Korea's fears may not be unjustified, as the U.S. is currently working on a missile shield that would protect the Pacific coastline form Korean missiles. This missile shield is scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2004.

MSNBC
SEOUL, South Korea - The United States will pull nearly all its troops from their last front-line positions along the tense frontier with communist North Korea by October as part of a force reshuffle on the divided Korean peninsula, the United Nations Command said Tuesday.
U.S. Gen. Leon J. LaPorte, joint commander of the U.S. Forces Korea and the U.N. Command, told the U.S. Congress last month the changes were meant to give South Korea a greater role in defending itself. Tuesday's announcement was the first outlining details of the pullout.
On Sunday, North Korea condemned a reduction of U.S. forces along the DMZ as preparation for a pre-emptive attack against the communist country. The North sometimes argues that a pullout signals an attack, because it would reduce the risk of immediate U.S. casualties along the border fighting zone.

Many have stated since before the Iraq war that North Korea was a greater threat to the United States than was Iraq. North Korea is believed to have nuclear weapons, and they claim to have intercontinental ballistic missiles. It is understandable that North Korea would see a ground troop pullout along with a missile shield deployment against a Pacific threat, as a sign of war.

The missile shield still has to undergo further testing before it is declared ready for use, but Air Force Lt. Gen. Ron Kadish, director of the Missile Defense Agency, said, "We expect them to be successful." The first additional test will be in early summer or late spring of 2004, and will determine the final outcome of the missile defense shield. Critics of the system say that the technology is too expensive, and too difficult to be practical. This hasn't stopped the congressional General Accounting Office from budgeting $53 billion between 2004 and 2009 for the system.

Current talks with North Korea concerning their nuclear weapons status are continuing to break down, and are leading to nowhere. This could be the final stance that the United States will take on this matter. If no agreement can be reached with the Koreans, then preparation for a war seems to be the next step. This is truly the most dangerous situation in the world today. The threat of "Mutually Assured Destruction" that keeps the U.S. and Russia from war is not an issue here, and North Korea's leader KIM Chong-il, is not know for making wise decisions. As of now, North Korea does not appear willing to change its stance, and U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton says, "We will measure success in the talks through concrete progress. Simply continuing to talk, however, is not progress." If actions speak louder than words, then the current actions of the U.S. are shouting.


Additional Sources:
MSNBC - U.S. confident in defense against North Korea missiles
Reuters - U.S. patience on North Korea may be wearing thin

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[Edited on 28-4-2004 by dbates]

Trouble is brewin but not with just North Korea. hhhmm i know this is been said before just watch the next couple months it gointo get ugly.

i think you are right.

north korea will panic or see this as a threat and hell will break loose

When I was stationed in Korea a couple of years ago, a plan was in place to leave less of a 'footprint' in Korea. Meaning, less visible presence, due to growing anti-US sentiment, which came to head when a US tank killled two little girls on their way to a birthday party. Korea has small roads, and according to the US Army investigation, it may of been the fault of the soldiers headsets, that malfunctioned, and the soldiers couldn't hear the warning that the girls were there. The soldiers were acquited, and tried by the Army, not Korea, which set off riots at Army bases. I was there, I saw it, it was crazy. And Yongsan, a huge Army base sits in the middle of Seoul. Prime real estate that the Koreans have been trying to get a hold of for a long time. They got it, the Army is going down South. I'm just saying that the Army pullout may just be South Korean politics, and have nothing to do with the North. Remember, the South Korean President Roh is in the process of being impeached.

Originally posted by curme
When I was stationed in Korea a couple of years ago, a plan was in place to leave less of a 'footprint' in Korea. Meaning, less visible presence, due to growing anti-US sentiment, which came to head when a US tank killled two little girls on their way to a birthday party. Korea has small roads, and according to the US Army investigation, it may of been the fault of the soldiers headsets, that malfunctioned, and the soldiers couldn't hear the warning that the girls were there. The soldiers were acquited, and tried by the Army, not Korea, which set off riots at Army bases. I was there, I saw it, it was crazy. And Yongsan, a huge Army base sits in the middle of Seoul. Prime real estate that the Koreans have been trying to get a hold of for a long time. They got it, the Army is going down South. I'm just saying that the Army pullout may just be South Korean politics, and have nothing to do with the North. Remember, the South Korean President Roh is in the process of being impeached.

As a Korean, I can safely say South Koreans have no right to run their mouths or protest.

They have no idea what they're talking about.