Neocons love to use the Korean Model when defending Iraq

Truth-Bringer

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This is a Must Read... The Neocons always use the model of South Korea to show that Iraq can be a "success" - but what's the real story of U.S. involvement with South Korea? Let's look at the facts:

That Sweet Korean Model

by Don Bacon

She's thirty-six US military bases in a country a third of the way around the globe. She's over half a century old but the warhawks and the chickenhawks love her – she's that sweet Korean Model. You know, the one they use as a model for Iraq.

President Bush (what a source!) has referred to the "Korean Model" for Iraq. Also, in discussing plans to keep US troops in Iraq, John McCain stated: "We've been in South Korea... for 60 years." and Defense Secretary Robert Gates: "So I think that the reason that Korea's been mentioned is – and it's been mentioned in contrast to Vietnam, where we just left lock, stock and barrel." and White House Press Secretary Tony Snow last year mentioned it too:" ... in South Korea, where for many years there have been American forces stationed there as a way of maintaining stability and assurance on the part of the South Korean people against a North Korean neighbor that is a menace."

Maintaining stability? Oh, yes, like against democratization movements. From the CIA Factbook: In 1993, Kim Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. To many South Koreans, the long American presence in their country is a reminder of tacit U.S. support for a series of ruthless despots. "South Korea between '61 and '89 was ruled by some of the worst military dictators created during the Cold War," [Chalmers] Johnson says. "Finally the Koreans got rid of them and have quite a healthy democracy now. But all the credit goes to the Koreans – there is a terrible tendency for Americans to mislead themselves about the good things they have done in East Asia." During that period, Korean history was marked by the The Gwangju Democratization Movement, a popular uprising in the city of Gwangju, South Korea from May 18 to May 27, 1980. During this period, citizens rose up against Chun Doo-hwan's military dictatorship and took control of the city. During the later phase of the uprising, citizens took on arms to defend themselves, but were crushed by the South Korean army. Senior officials in the Carter administration approved South Korean plans to use military troops against pro-democracy demonstrations ten days before former General Chun Doo-hwan seized control of the country in a May 17, 1980, military coup, according to newly released U.S. government documents.

So our guys helped in domestic repression, but the South Koreans need help defending against the menace of North Korea, right?

Not exactly. South Korea currently ranks 12th in the world militarily, whereas North Korea is 18th. South Korea has twice as many men available to the military (24 million to 11 million) and roughly twice as many under arms (657,000 to 382,000). Economically the South ranks 13th in the world with a GDP of $982b (just above Australia), the North ranks 156th with $2b (just above Greenland). North Korea's gross national income was valued at $26.7 billion last year, with its per capita gross national income at $1,152, according to the Bank of Korea. By contrast, South Korea's $971 billion economy grew 5 percent last year, giving it a per capita income at $20,045.

Rest of Article Here
 
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From the CIA Factbook: In 1993, Kim Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule.

Thats actually the ONLY sentence from the CIA Factbook:

CIA - THE WORLD FACT BOOK

SOUTH KOREA:

An independent Korean state or collection of states has existed almost continuously for several millennia. Between its initial unification in the 7th century - from three predecessor Korean states - until the 20th century, Korea existed as a single independent country. In 1905, following the Russo-Japanese War, Korea became a protectorate of imperial Japan, and in 1910 it was annexed as a colony. Korea regained its independence following Japan's surrender to the United States in 1945. After World War II, a Republic of Korea (ROK) was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style government was installed in the north (the DPRK). During the Korean War (1950-53), US troops and UN forces fought alongside soldiers from the ROK to defend South Korea from DPRK attacks supported by China and the Soviet Union. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1993, KIM Young-sam became South Korea's first civilian president following 32 years of military rule. South Korea today is a fully functioning modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit took place between the South's President KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Jong Il. In October 2007, a second North-South summit took place between the South's President ROH Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader. PAGE
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Don Bacon Lies
 
How about the Saudi Arabia Model...after the Gulf war, we kept troops there....It was one of the main points that had Al Qaeda and Bin Laden go after the United States, a Key point in Recruitment, and then Sept 11....

So long as troops are in Iraq for any reason, its a reason for groups to justify attacks.
 
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ISLAMOFASCIST AND JUDEOFASCIST SYMBIOSIS


The Islamofascists, in perpetual quest of greater wealth and power, rant to incite the impoverished Islamic peoples to violence against the notorious injustices of the powerful Judeofascist land robbers. The Judeofascists, in perpetual quest for greater wealth and power, wail and lobby to incite the American People into providing military protection against this persecution by outraged Islamofascists. To add credibility to these rantings and wailings, intermittent battles are fought. The result is that these clever Islamofascists and Judeofascists do gain great wealth and power, at the expense of the Arab, Persian, and American peoples.


The continuous illegal sacrifice of the wealth and blood of the American People on behalf Israel is all that perpetuates this destructive symbiotic relationship between the Islamofascists and the Judeofascists. But when, in the normal course of the American Cultural War, the Neo-Cons/Neo-Libs are finally expelled by the Reagan Conservatives and Kennedy Liberals from their positions of power, the economic and military support for the Judeofascists will finally end; and that will end the support for the Islamofascists. The end of the era of Neo-Con/Neo-Lib military intervention in the affairs of the Arab and Persian peoples shall be the start of an era of constructive relations with the American People.


The Judeofascists, who live in a glass house surrounded by Islamofascists, could continue fight for survival politically and militarily, until nuclear armed Israel finally becomes the site of a second great Judeocide, Holocaust II; or, they could offer sincere apologies, and generous economic reparations for the stolen land, damaged infrastructure, and losses of innocent lives; to finally win for themselves by just and peaceful means, what they cannot win by unjust and violent means.


Shall the World be cheering, and the Diaspora wailing; or, shall the World and the Diaspora be cheering?
 
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