Trump Demands South Korea Pay 400% More For US Troops

[Swordsmyth]

The Trump administration is reportedly demanding South Korea pay 400% more for U.S. troops in the region, officials said.
The president’s demands for an increase in spending of about $4.7 billion came as Defense Department Secretary Mark Esper is visiting South Korea to discuss the change in military costs, saying South Korea is wealthy enough to cover what the president is asking for, according to CNN, citing a congressional aide and an administration official.
“Sustaining the costs of our global military presence is not a burden that should fall on the US taxpayer alone but is a responsibility that should be shared fairly with allies and partners who benefit from our presence,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Trump is demanding that South Korea pay roughly 400% more in 2020 to cover the cost of keeping US troops on the peninsula, sources say. (Corrects price tag increase percentage) https://t.co/Ozk8vXYZXx
— CNN (@CNN) November 15, 2019

Esper said during a joint press conference with South Korean Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo that South Korea is a wealthy enough country to foot part of the United States’ bill for military forces in the area, according to The Associated Press.
“This is a very strong alliance we have, but [South] Korea is a wealthy country and could and should pay more to help offset the cost of defense,” Esper said, adding that while South Korea has given the U.S. “a fair amount of support in the past … most of that money stays here in this country — easily over 90% of that money stays here in Korea, it does not go to the United States.”
Lawmakers and military officials expressed concern with the suddenness of the decision to raise prices so drastically, according to CNN. Trump asked for a 50% increase in military spending in South Korea the year before, though South Korea only eventually committed to 8%.

More at: https://www.infowars.com/trump-deman...troops-report/


This is GREAT, if they pay our budget problems are reduced and if they refuse (which Trump seems to be trying to provoke) then our troops come home and it isn't Trump's "fault".

[Swordsmyth]

Trump Asks Tokyo to Quadruple Payments for U.S. Troops in Japan
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/15...-troops-japan/

[Schifference]

is this quid pro quo?

[Anti Globalist]

Trump should also tell South Korea that we're going to let them deal with North Korea.

[Ender]

Trump Asks Tokyo to Quadruple Payments for U.S. Troops in Japan
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/11/15...-troops-japan/

The US military has no business being in Korea.

[Slave Mentality]

The US military has no business being in Korea.

Or anywhere else.

[Swordsmyth]

The US military has no business being in Korea.

I agree.
That's why I'm glad Trump is provoking them into telling us to leave.

[TheTexan]

is this quid pro quo?

Is Russia behind this?

[Swordsmyth]

South Korean and U.S. officials broke off talks on Tuesday aimed at settling the cost burden for Seoul of hosting the U.S. military, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said, amid a public backlash over a $5 billion U.S. demand for the bill.The breakdown in talks was a sharp and rare public disagreement in the 66-year alliance, with each side suggesting the other was not prepared to come to a fair and reasonable compromise on sharing the costs for hosting 28,500 U.S. troops as a deterrent to North Korea.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/u-south-korea...035431339.html

[Swordsmyth]

"I understand that the U.S. is preparing to withdraw one brigade in case negotiations with South Korea do not go as well as President Trump wants," a diplomatic source in Washington with knowledge of the negotiations was cited as saying by South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo.
There are about 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea. A brigade is about 3,000-4,000 troops, Chosun said, and a potential reduction would be within the bounds of the National Defence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019, passed by the U.S. Congress.

None of the funds authorized by the act may be used to reduce the total number of U.S. military in South Korea below 22,000 unless the Secretary of Defense certifies the necessity to Congress committees.

More at: https://news.yahoo.com/trump-conside...231441845.html



"Why doesn't he just bring them all home? He's the commander in chief, he doesn't need to make any deals"

A brigade is about 3,000-4,000 troops, Chosun said, and a potential reduction would be within the bounds of the National Defence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019, passed by the U.S. Congress.
None of the funds authorized by the act may be used to reduce the total number of U.S. military in South Korea below 22,000 unless the Secretary of Defense certifies the necessity to Congress committees.

[acptulsa]

He's already shown he can connive Mexico into paying for a wall, so of course he can connive the Koreas into paying for our forces' ride home.

Oh, wait...

[Swordsmyth]

He's already shown he can connive Mexico into paying for a wall, so of course he can connive the Koreas into paying for our forces' ride home.

Oh, wait...

Mexico is paying for the wall by using its military to stop invaders which saves us money.

I'm sure Trump will find a way to pay for bringing the troops home in spite of Congress' usurpation of his power as Commander in Chief and I'm just as sure you will whine about how he does it and scream that Congress has the power of the purse even though Trump will be bringing troops home and shrinking the empire.

[acptulsa]

Mexico is paying for the wall by using its military to stop invaders which saves us money.

I'm sure Trump will find a way to pay for bringing the troops home in spite of Congress' usurpation of his power as Commander in Chief and I'm just as sure you will whine about how he does it and scream that Congress has the power of the purse even though Trump will be bringing troops home and shrinking the empire.

I'd offer to bet, but why? His presidency is 37% over and no troops have come home so far.

[oyarde]

Good

[eleganz]

is this quid pro quo?

The next impeachment saga.

[Swordsmyth]

The next impeachment saga.

Amash will agree.

[Swordsmyth]

China signs agreement with South Korea post Trump payment demands. Neolibs butthurt

[Swordsmyth]

The United States and South Korea failed to reach a deal on how to split the cost of the U.S. military presence, South Korean officials said Wednesday, just days before the current agreement is set to expire. South Korean and U.S. negotiators "broadened their understanding" of each other’s positions during two days of talks that ended Wednesday, but must be prepared for another round of negotiations in January, South Korea’s foreign ministry said.

More at: https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pa...ine-approaches

[enhanced_deficit]

Trump Demands South Korea Pay 400% More For US Troops

This would probably be condemned by bi-partisan rising star Tulsi Gabbard who is apparently close to top MAGA donor.


Tulsi slams Trump: 'We are not your prostitutes. You are not our pimp'
@realDonaldTrump Despicable. Offering to place our military assets under the command of a foreign country—Saudi Arabia—is a disgrace and betrayal of my patriotic brothers and sisters in uniform and to our Constitution. We are not your prostitutes. You are not our pimp. pic.twitter.com/Cu1OewEMOC

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) September 16, 2019

[Swordsmyth]

This would probably be condemned by bi-partisan rising star Tulsi Gabbard who is apparently close to top MAGA donor.


Tulsi slams Trump: 'We are not your prostitutes. You are not our pimp'
@realDonaldTrump Despicable. Offering to place our military assets under the command of a foreign country—Saudi Arabia—is a disgrace and betrayal of my patriotic brothers and sisters in uniform and to our Constitution. We are not your prostitutes. You are not our pimp. pic.twitter.com/Cu1OewEMOC

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) September 16, 2019

Yes, she will undoubtedly oppose this scheme to bring out troops home just like she opposed Trump pulling troops out of Syria.