U.S. forges ahead with South Korea missile defences, despite upheaval

[rooster59]

U.S. forges ahead with South Korea missile defences, despite upheaval

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

 

A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. U.S. Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency/Handout via Reuters/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday it plans to forge ahead with building the THAAD missile defence system in South Korea, separating the issue from a political crisis in Seoul that saw President Park Geun-hye's removal from office on Friday.

The United States started deploying the first elements of its advanced anti-missile defence system in South Korea on Tuesday in response to North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear tests.

Leading candidates to replace Park have split over THAAD. One prominent opposition candidate called for a review while another recently told Chinese media that THAAD deployment should be called off.

Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis described THAAD as something that had already been decided upon between both nations and which was fully justified by the North Korean threat. He declined to comment on internal politics in Seoul.

"Leaders change over time, that's not new," Davis told a news conference.

"We made an agreement with the Republic of Korea that this was a capability that they needed ... This is something that is needed militarily. That agreement was reached and we remain committed to delivering on it."

Asked whether the United States would continue shipping THAAD components to South Korea, Davis said "Yes."

Victor Cha, a Korea expert and former White House official now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, played down the chances that THAAD would be rolled back.

"If THAAD is deployed prior to the elections and given the North Korean missile threat, I don't think it would be prudent for a new government to ask that it be walked back," Cha said.

U.S. officials told Reuters the system could be operational in several weeks, although the Pentagon has declined to say when it will be up and running.

South Korea's Constitutional Court removed Park Geun-hye from office on Friday over a graft scandal involving the country's conglomerates. The ruling sparked protests from supporters, two of whom were killed in clashes with police outside the court.

Relations with China and the United States could dominate the coming presidential campaign.

Beijing has vigorously protested against the deployment, fearing its radar could see into its missile deployments.

China has curbed travel to South Korea and targeted Korean companies operating in the mainland, prompting retaliatory measures from Seoul.

North Korea missile expert John Schilling, a contributor to the U.S. monitoring group 38 North, said any future South Korean leader would have a hard time objecting to THAAD if it meant jeopardizing the alliance with the United States.

But he noted that South Korea still had leverage.

"THAAD works best when it is operated in conjunction with existing Patriot and Aegis missiles and an integrated command and control system," Schilling said.

"South Korea controls enough of that infrastructure that they could make it not worth the bother for the U.S. to set up a single isolated and poorly-sited THAAD battery."

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-11

[kiniyow]

And how much will the South Pay for this protection?

[Srikcir]

42 minutes ago, kiniyow said:

And how much will the South Pay for this protection?

With their lives.

[sanukjim]

47 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

With their lives.

With out the protection from The US,The South would have already been wiped out.And only with this continual protection (at a great cost to The US) The South can keep from being attacked from the IDIOT of The North costing millions of lives.

[ddavidovsky]

N. Korea is only a threat if it is threatened. Stop threatening them. Sociology 101.

 

 

[attrayant]

Care to list a few examples of these threats?

[anon4546543]

43 minutes ago, ddavidovsky said:

N. Korea is only a threat if it is threatened. Stop threatening them. Sociology 101.

 

 

Or possibly they could have genuine talks with China. But this will not happen, US is trying to force a wedge  between China and Russia. As it is the US has a large and modern force in Sth Korea. They are never going to give up this prime strategic position against China and Russia. So we all need to move on, the current position is the status quo and no bleating or common sense is ever going to change this. 

In addition, the US will bleed Nth Korea dry. The people are starving and a huge percent of a low budget is spent on defence. Soon, even China and Russia will not be able to support this impoverished country. Got to feel sorry for the poor brainwashed population. Even if "Uncle Kim" does fail or fall, it will take generations to restore the country to normality. 

Lastly, this is still a declared war that has never been resolved. The only reason the US has not finished this war is because China and Russia have said they will not tolerate a threat to their borders..... Stalemate. QED

[Grubster]

I just hope the madman isn't crazy enough to use a few missiles now before its to late, as he must know he will never have the capability to strike after this system is in place.

[Briggsy]

23 hours ago, ddavidovsky said:

N. Korea is only a threat if it is threatened. Stop threatening them. Sociology 101.

 

 

Not so, North Korea has used the "mad and dangerous yet weak" policy for decades. It always works.

 

For the "mad and dangerous" they need to keep pulling off outrageous breaches of international norms such as the sinking of ROKS Cheonan, the bombing in then-Rangoon, the assassination of Kim Jong Nam in KLIA, the missile launches, etc.

 

For the "yet weak" they need to appear as no significant military threat to their neighbours or the USA. i.e. they could be crushed in a couple of days.

 

This policy is their survival doctrine.

 

So, if not threatened they would need to conjure up a drama eventually to continue to appear "mad and dangerous" but also "weak".

[anon4546543]

17 minutes ago, Grubster said:

I just hope the madman isn't crazy enough to use a few missiles now before its to late, as he must know he will never have the capability to strike after this system is in place.

What makes you think he is a madman? He and his father has played you all for fools for decades now. He has a large committed standing army, the apparent support of the populace, China and Russia to protect him - what more could he ask. Now if anyone could read a tarot card, the solution is easy. While US is bleeding its economy to station huge amounts of troops, navy and humiliation into this area, Uncle Kim wins. China and Russia also grin. And the US taxpayer is doing all this for what. You have to laugh. Who are the madmen? 

[Grubster]

1 minute ago, spiderorchid said:

What makes you think he is a madman? He and his father has played you all for fools for decades now. He has a large committed standing army, the apparent support of the populace, China and Russia to protect him - what more could he ask. Now if anyone could read a tarot card, the solution is easy. While US is bleeding its economy to station huge amounts of troops, navy and humiliation into this area, Uncle Kim wins. China and Russia also grin. And the US taxpayer is doing all this for what. You have to laugh. Who are the madmen? 

China and Russia are surely not grinning about this missile defense system that nullifies their strike capabilities to the US.

[anon4546543]

2 minutes ago, Grubster said:

China and Russia are surely not grinning about this missile defense system that nullifies their strike capabilities to the US.

Oh come on, get real. No anti missile defences are proven to be totally effective, especially if only based in Sth Korea. China and Russia do not need a defence system in Korea to "nullify their strike capabilities to the US". Stop taking so much viagra, it is distorting your sense of reality. While you beat your chest, your hard earned taxes are being paid to troops who are not effective, have no meaning and who don't know how to win a war. Even against Yemen and Somalia. 

[Grubster]

7 minutes ago, spiderorchid said:

Oh come on, get real. No anti missile defences are proven to be totally effective, especially if only based in Sth Korea. China and Russia do not need a defence system in Korea to "nullify their strike capabilities to the US". Stop taking so much viagra, it is distorting your sense of reality. While you beat your chest, your hard earned taxes are being paid to troops who are not effective, have no meaning and who don't know how to win a war. Even against Yemen and Somalia. 

Ok then