US wants South Korea to take wartime control in 2009 (US would be in

[rodeodance]

command). geesh!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060827/wl_asia_afp/skoreausmilitary;_ylt=Atate5lad8E46k4tPWLYL7wUewgF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NTMzazIyBHNlYwMxNjk2


US wants South Korea to take wartime control in 2009

Sun Aug 27, 4:35 PM ET

SEOUL (AFP) - US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has suggested that
South Korea take wartime control of its troops in the next three years, the defense ministry here said.


Rumsfeld sent a letter to South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-Ung, insisting that the transfer of wartime command take place in 2009 -- three years earlier than wanted by Seoul, defense officials said.

...........

Under a mutual defense treaty, South Korean troops would come under the operational control of the commander of US forces in South Korea, who leads the combined forces command, during times of conflict.

The US wartime operational rights have been the backbone of bilateral security ties since 1950 when US troops deployed to the Korean peninsula to repel North Korean invaders from South Korea.

[Ezlivin]

1. So we're going to cut and run?

We've stayed the course since 1950. Leaving now would send the wrong message to the North Koreans.

:: Insert other talking points here ::