Maliki to Roh: Less Zaytun More Hyundai
Well he didn’t actually say that, but that is pretty much what he meant:
“South Korea will be a good model for us,” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo during a dinner. “Iraq should learn from South Korea’s experience.”
Al-Maliki is scheduled to hold a summit with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun on Thursday.
Their meeting is expected to center on expanding cooperation in various sectors, including natural resources, electricity and construction, Roh’s office said.
Notice not one word about Zaytun. Like I have said before, 2,300 Korean businessmen can do more for Iraq, than what 2,300 ROK Army soldiers are doing right now and Maliki knows it. Another thing Maliki can learn from Korea in regards to governing the country is less Rhee Syng-man and more Park Chung-hee.
[…] be able to do more for the Arab nation right now than the same number of Korean soldiers in ‘Less Zaytun, More Hyundai‘. Share […]
Given how much business Korean construction companies already have in the Middle East, this was the one item of consideration I had that led me to believe sending troops to Iraq wasn't a bad idea. I really didn't think it would boost US-SK relations much without other changes, but I thought it might help SK get closer to big contracts in building Iraq up.
The Koreans should have sent businessmen there a long time ago to work construction projects in Kurdistan and use the Zaytun unit to pull security for these projects instead of using them to make toilet seats. Korean conglomerates excel at construction and a mixture of these companies working with the Iraqis with the ROK Army pulling security would do much more for Iraqis than building toilet seats.
[…] Maliki to Roh: Less Zaytun More Hyundai […]
[…] not the only thinking this way either; Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki has already hinted that he would prefer 2,300 Korean businessmen instead of 2,300 Zaytun soldiers. The Kurds are literally laughing at the Zaytun "occupation […]
[…] have always said, 2,300 Korean businessmen would do more for Iraq then the 2,300 Korean soldiers they […]
When we went in, in 2004, we drove from Kuwait all the way to Mosul. Every time a passing US soldier saw us he broke into a broad grin. The ROK Army Zaitun forces in Iraq(2nd largest in number – Britain was 3rd) showed US troops that they had a faithful and loyal ally, just like in Vietnam. And, if anybody thinks our peacekeeping duties were a little docile, you ask any Vietnam vet what those ROK troopers are capable of….
Jaehyon Kim,
Agree with you.
In my opinion GI will only show some sign of respect to Korean soldiers when we suffer high casualties in the war. No casualties or small casualties will jot qualify Korean Army to GI’s list of “serious” armies.
"will jot qualify" means "will NOT qualify"
When have I ever shown any disrespect to the ROK Army? Example please?
I have also repeatedly stated one of the reasons I didn't want ROK soldiers in Iraq was because a mass casualty attack would lead to anti-US protests in Korea.
Jae-hyon you might want to read the article I wrote all the way back in 2004 when the Zaytun unit was deployed. What I predicted back then is exactly what happened:
http://rokdrop.com/2004/10/12/what-korea-can-lear…
Also I have no doubt ROK soldiers can perform well, I have worked with the ROK Army long enough to know this, however all that doesn't matter if the ROK government doesn't allow the soldiers to do anything. That is why ROK officers in the past have voiced their frustration with the mission:
http://rokdrop.com/2008/09/23/rok-army-to-complet…
“When have I ever shown any disrespect to the ROK Army? Example please?”
Here we go:
Post title: Rok army finding plenty of recruits for overseas service if mom approve
“If the viability of an overseas military mission is contingent on what mom thinks about it, maybe your military shouldn’t be there in the first place?”
Didn’t occur you that as a Confucian society Koreans believe that one’s life is bound to family decision, so for ROK army it was an important condition to select the applicants, since the soldiers would be sent to war zone? For someone who brag having served in Korea for so long and married to a Korean woman, you should be familiar to this concept. Now Koreans has a respectable military tradition that dates to centuries or millenniums and you mock them calling them “mama boys”? As Jaehyon Kim Said: “if anybody thinks our peacekeeping duties were a little docile, you ask any Vietnam vet what those ROK troopers are capable of….”
Post title: The Zaytun unit’s great reconstruction project
“Yes that is right folks the Zaytun unit is going to install toilets and teach people not wipe their ass with their left hands! So years from now when a thriving democratic Iraq holds a commemoration ceremony to thank the coalition countries for helping free Iraq, they will thank countries like America, Britain, Australia, Poland, etc. for shedding blood, sweat, and tears to free the Iraqi people and when they get to recognizing Korea’s contributions to freeing and rebuilding the country, they will thank the Koreans for introducing the wonders of toilet paper to them. The ROK Army deserves better than this.”
Even the USA army acknowledges the success of Korean PKO operation around the world, yet you insist to label ROK army as “toilet army” despite of its successful job in Iraq.
People in Iraq already knew how to “wipe their ass” before Korean soldiers came to Iraq, but the problem was that after “wiping their ass” their ….. got spread around the city causing serious sanitation and hygiene problem. I presume that you already know what happens if this kind of problems are not solved.
Soldiers are trained to save life by fighting, but sometimes you can save life without firing guns or blowing out towns. Have you ever installed toilets in a war zone? Can you imagine the smell? And the vision of all those human “products”? I wonder if you, as a proud soldier of the world’s most powerful army, would have done the same.
Post Title: Deceased ROK army soldier to receive US bronze Star
“It is disgusting to me that instead of honoring SGT Yoon’s death as the hero that he is, the Hankyoreh is using his death to push their own political agenda, but I’m not surprised.”
Post Title: Suicide bomber kills Korean servicemember in Afghanistan
“I really have nothing but the up most respect for SGT Yoon.”
“It just goes to show that no matter how bad the US-ROK alliance may appear to be politically, it doesn’t effect the relationship militarily between the US & ROK armies, as is shown with US and Korean soldiers dying together in Afghanistan. I have always found soldiers from the ROK Army to be some of the best soldiers from a foreign military I have ever served with.”
A soldier had to die in order for you GI show some respect to Korean army and soldiers. Now how much more casualties we need to show you to have your respect?
I can show you more examples if you want.
Actually Dr. Yu you better come up with more examples because you have yet to prove anything yet. All I did was point out the truth.
The ROK Army never needed mom's approval to deploy to Iraq before. It is a new thing. Plus they sure didn't need mom's approval to deploy to Vietnam. So your Confucian link makes no sense.
Also as far as the making of toilets I clearly said that the ROK Army deserve better than being sent to Iraq to make toilets and the fact of the matter is that ROK Army officers agree with me as I have pointed out repeatedly.
As far as your claim that I show no respect unless ROK Army soldiers die and that I am against reconstruction activities is once again false:
From the very start I supported the Zaytun reconstruction mission. I just predicted they would do little meaningful because they would be mostly trapped on their base due to government orders and I was right. So take false outrage elsewhere.
“The ROK Army never needed mom’s approval to deploy to Iraq before. It is a new thing. Plus they sure didn’t need mom’s approval to deploy to Vietnam.”
You said it was needed. You seem to be confused.
“So your Confucian link makes no sense.”
It doesn’t makes sense for you, but it makes all the sense for korean people, you see, that’s the problem, you simply don’t understand korean society yet open your mouth to say nonsense about things that you don’t understand. Think soldier … one day you will get used to ….
Regarding the Zaitun unit, why you just don’t be honest and assume that you mocked them, please no more word games, just be frank and act like a real soldier. Tell people what is in you mind.
You are acting like a two faced man.
Dr. Yu there may be some language issues here because what you say doesn't make sense, so I will leave it at that.