Months of US demands for South Korea to pay the US a huge percentage of the cost of troops in the country remain unresolved, as President Trump reported South Korea offered a “certain amount of money and I’ve rejected it.” He did not say how much money was offered, or exactly how many billions the US is demanding at this point.
South Korea was already paying one of the largest amounts of any nation in cost-sharing, but the US kept raising its demands. Now it seems the US is going out of its way to not make a deal.
Reports out of South Korea’s media say that the US is considering various proposals to cut the troop levels on the Korean Peninsula, both because of coronavirus and because they didn’t get the billions they expected from South Korea.
Troop cuts will loom large in South Korea’s upcoming elections, although the US doesn’t appear to be looking for a compromise. Talk of the US wanting to expand the demands for more money to Germany and Japan may be on hold, however, as this first effort isn’t going well.
If South Korea holds firm the US demands in all other places will also fall flat and Trump knows it.
The world can well do without all these US troops all round the world which only adds to tension with neighbouring countries.
Not to mention the tension it causes in the countries they are stationed in. Other country’s locals aren’t quite as enamored of our troops as is our propagandized population.
Exactly, that’s why we need to pull them all out of Japan, Germany, South Korea, the Middle East, Afghanistan and everywhere else they are.
we have over 80 bases around the world and we need 160 to keep these countries from starting anything. even though we are tiring of cleaning up other countries messes we are obligated to do so and will continue to do it regardless.
It’s time we shut down all overseas bases and bring the troops back home. A vast majority of the world wants these 80+ US bases closed and their occupants gone. We’re tired of cleaning up other nations’ messes .. However. we’re NOT obligated to do it .. They made the messes, it’s their own obligation to clean them up.
800+
if we did that we’d put ourselves at risk. we need to keep these countries in check.
It would be better if we kept our own Country in check and cost a lot less.
the democrats are doing a good job of that for free. we both know that troops are staying put whether they should or not is up for debate.
Even though you are NOT wanted.
more reason to stay there. we have to keep an eye on them
“Now it seems the US is going out of its way to not make a deal.”
Exactly, just in time for the Nov. elections.
Damn good way to reduce our unnecessary military troops in countries that are stronger militarily than their foes.
Trump is really pissed off at South Korea for selling testing equipment to the State of Maryland.
Why do you think that is?
Obviously because it showed up the falsifications on his administration’s great job of getting testing kits out all over the country in a timely fashion at his daily Brag Sessions. You don’t cross Trump.
It is a good time for S Korea to reconcile and open the border with N Korea. I am sure China would be able to step in and offer a security solution
But that would subject SKorea to US sanctions. As Trump said, “SKorea does nothing without our permission.”
5D chess to bring the troops home? Or just more nonsense from Trump?
We’d have to know Trump’s asking price in advance. He’ll play either outcome as the way he planned it all along if we don’t know his asking price.