A Washington think tank wants America to slash its troop presence in South Korea by more than half. Defense Priorities released a report Wednesday calling for cutting US Forces Korea from 28,500 soldiers down to just 10,000. The group says Pentagon officials might consider the dramatic reduction to focus military resources on fighting China instead. The move would gut most of the 2nd Infantry Division and send two fighter squadrons back to America. Ground troops left behind would handle support duties while South Korean forces take over combat operations.
The think tank blames Seoul for not giving America unlimited access to use Korean bases for other regional conflicts. Defense Priorities argues US forces stationed there might get stuck on the sidelines during a wider Asian war. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Pentagon leaders were considering pulling 4,500 troops from Korea and moving them to places like Guam. Military officials quickly shot down that report and promised America stays committed to defending South Korea.
Report authors Jennifer Kavanagh and Dan Caldwell want US military strategy shifted away from the Chinese coast. They believe allies like Japan and the Philippines should shoulder more defense responsibilities. The authors shared their recommendations across Washington and hope to brief Trump administration officials about the plan. A major review of global US military positioning should wrap up by late summer according to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker.
The think tank blames Seoul for not giving America unlimited access to use Korean bases for other regional conflicts. Defense Priorities argues US forces stationed there might get stuck on the sidelines during a wider Asian war. The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Pentagon leaders were considering pulling 4,500 troops from Korea and moving them to places like Guam. Military officials quickly shot down that report and promised America stays committed to defending South Korea.
Report authors Jennifer Kavanagh and Dan Caldwell want US military strategy shifted away from the Chinese coast. They believe allies like Japan and the Philippines should shoulder more defense responsibilities. The authors shared their recommendations across Washington and hope to brief Trump administration officials about the plan. A major review of global US military positioning should wrap up by late summer according to NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker.
