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A few weeks ago Bob Naiman had posted on another list about an NDAA
amendment - from our Sen. Tammy Duckworth and from Chris Murphy of
CT - that blocked removal of US troops from South Korea.<br>
<br>
We were talking about this at AWARE today. Checking to see what
had happened with it, it appears that it passed and is included in
the NDAA which is under reconciliation between House and Senate.<br>
<br>
Not very good news.<br>
<br>
Here's the full text of the House NDAA as passed:<br>
<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=xml">https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/text?format=xml</a><br>
<br>
This looks to be the relevant section. It ends by saying that
removing US troops from S. Korea can't be part of the negotiations
for demilitarizing N. Korea.<br>
<br>
====<br>
<i><i class="lbexTextNeutral">
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexHangWithMargin"><span
class="lbexSectionlevelOLC"><i>SEC. </i><i>1249.</i></span><span
class="lbexSectionlevelOLC"> <span class="lbexAllcap"><i>Sense
of Senate on United States military forces on the Korean
Peninsula</i></span>.</span></p>
<a id="H528F1688FF784869882DEBD9E77D0B00"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndent">(a) <span
class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear"><i>Findings</i></span>.—<i>The
Senate makes the following findings:</i><a
id="H2C97EC94C60244BB82C03CD07429BD96"> </a></p>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(1) <i>On
June 25, 1950, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK), under the rule of Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of
Kim Jong-un, launched a surprise attack against forces from
the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and small contingent of
United States forces, thus beginning the Korean War.</i></p>
<a id="HBDF74B00B4FF4103962D19A50B6FA0BA"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(2) <i>In
June and July of 1950, the United Nations Security Council
adopted Resolutions 82, 83, and 84 calling for the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea to cease hostilities
and withdraw, to recommend that United Nations member
nations provide forces to repel the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea attack, and stating any forces provided
should be unified under the command of the United States,
respectively.</i></p>
<a id="H13DCDFB12C1A4C9BA7D442276CFB41BA"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(3) <i>Fighting
as part of a 1,000,000-strong, 22-nation United Nations
force, 36,574 members of the United States Armed Forces and
137,899 members of the South Korean military lost their
lives during the three years of armed hostilities and brutal
conflict in the Korean War.</i></p>
<a id="H0A479B616B574B24BDA5E97E8782DE74"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(4) <i>On
July 27, 1953, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea,
Chinese People's Volunteers, and the United Nations signed
an armistice agreement ceasing all hostilities in Korea and
establishing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).</i></p>
<a id="H76EB8B20B9C34AA7AFE6250072637AF3"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(5) <i>Since
1953, lawfully-deployed United States and United Nations
forces have remained alongside their South Korean
counterparts, continuing to protect and defend South Korea
and deter aggression from the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea.</i></p>
<a id="HA2E9BB2CA73F4D4BA856C6292068DA39"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(6) <i>As
a lasting testament the blood and treasure lost during the
Korean War and the strong and unwavering alliance built from
the ashes of the conflict, the Korean War Memorial in
Washington, District of Columbia, and the War Memorial of
Korea in Seoul, South Korea, prominently display the
following inscription: </i>“<i>Our Nation honors her Sons
and Daughters who answered the call to defend a Country they
never knew and a people they never met.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="HC4F511215F424E39B9A915B34B4FA139"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(7) <i>The
United States maintains a robust, well-trained, and ready
force of approximately 28,500 members of the Armed Forces in
South Korea, and the presence of the members of the Armed
Forces in South Korea demonstrates the continued resolve and
support of the United States for the enduring United
States-South Korean Alliance.</i></p>
<a id="HC39637930D0C477390E457772EB81728"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(8) <i>On
December 22, 2017, Kim Jong-un stated, </i>“<i>The rapid
development of [North Korea's] nuclear force is now exerting
big influence on the world political structure and strategic
environment.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H5036427EA1C646E3A58893EF7000916F"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(9) <i>On
January 1, 2018, Kim Jong-un stated </i>“<i>The entire
United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a
nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a
threat. This year we should focus on mass producing nuclear
warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H6A5165380E764743B2F6B8856F6E9CE9"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(10) <i>Despite
11 standalone United Nations Security Council resolutions
against the nuclear and ballistic missile programs of the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 8 of which passed
during the rule of Kim Jong-un, the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea has continued to illegally and unlawfully
pursue a long-range, nuclear capability meant to hold
hostage the United States and threaten the security of the
neighbors of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.</i></p>
<a id="HD5EB5E6E9BC644C3B31DCA45712C8339"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(11) <i>The
2017 National Security Strategy (NSS) states—</i><a
id="H7D5B15415CF44E0DBEF64841CF4FC089"> </a></p>
<p class="lbexIndentSubpar">(A) “<i>Our alliance and friendship
with South Korea, forged by the trials of history, is
stronger than ever.</i>”<i>;</i></p>
<a id="H8B2BBAAB51214DA6B3858DD55F291046"> </a>
<p class="lbexIndentSubpar">(B) “<i>Allies and partners magnify
our power … [and] together with our allies, partners, and
aspiring partners, the United States will pursue cooperation
with reciprocity.</i>”<i>; and</i></p>
<a id="HFEF1D931A4494B09A6A87BC60A440D99"> </a>
<p class="lbexIndentSubpar">(C) <i>with respect to priority
actions in the Indo-Pacific region, </i>“<i>We will
redouble our commitment to established alliances and
partnerships, while expanding and deepening relationships
with new partners that share respect for sovereignty … and
the rule of law.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H5B75126CF91940A7A1C37F59D13C75CC"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(12) <i>Secretary
of Defense James Mattis stated, </i>“<i>Winston Churchill
noted that the only thing harder than fighting with allies
is fighting without them. History proves that we are
stronger when we stand united with others. Accordingly, our
military will be designed, trained, and ready to fight
alongside allies.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="HDC628DEED10043EA90F738AFD7FCCE6A"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(13) <i>The
2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) states, </i>“<i>Mutually
beneficial alliances and partnerships are crucial to our
strategy, providing a durable, asymmetric strategic
advantage that no competitor or rival can match … [and the
United States] will strengthen and evolve our alliances and
partnerships into an extended network capable of deterring
or decisively acting to meet the shared challenges of our
time.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H1335966EC0A34B59974515623F1500AC"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(14) <i>The
unclassified summary of 2018 NDS, an 11-page document,
mentions the term </i>“<i>allies</i>”<i> or </i>“<i>alliances</i>”<i>
over 50 times.</i></p>
<a id="H00C1B20959B14B5DAD26B00C65CFB0E4"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(15) <i>The
2018 NDS states, </i>“<i>China is a strategic competitor
using predatory economics to intimidate its neighbors …
[and] it is increasingly clear that China…want[s] to shape a
world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining veto
authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and
security decisions.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="HF8A7BADB0C724D2AB0D347D73D997EA8"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(16) <i>Foreign
policy experts have long contended that the first priority
of the People's Republic of China on the Korean Peninsula is
to ensure that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
remains a buffer between China and the democratic South
Korea and the United States forces deployed on the Korean
Peninsula.</i></p>
<a id="H3897F9A9BC774544B9E17EC30F7887D5"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(17) <i>China
continues to provide the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea with most of its food and energy supplies and, until
recently, accounted for approximately 90 percent of the
total trade volume of the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea.</i></p>
<a id="HDACC4D415CBA4D4096A31E850B3F76CA"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(18) <i>On
June 30, 2017, President Donald Trump stated, </i>“<i>Our
goal is peace, stability and prosperity for the region. But
the United States will defend itself, always will defend
itself, always, and we will always defend our allies. As
part of that commitment, we are working together to ensure
fair burden sharing and support of the United States
military presence in Republic of Korea.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H343F8FDD91D5485EAE51E3BB50B85043"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(19) <i>South
Korea already pays for approximately 50 percent of the total
nonpersonal costs of the 28,500 United States members of the
Armed Forces on the Korean Peninsula, amounting to
$887,500,000 in 2018.</i></p>
<a id="H5DBBB97E155F407888739A35FC3B20BB"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(20) <i>President
Moon Jae-in has committed to increasing the defense spending
of South Korea during his term from the current level 2.4
percent of the gross domestic product to 2.9 percent of the
gross domestic product.</i></p>
<a id="HE8E9B127916E4E369EC7DD56AAD078BE"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(21) <i>News
reports published in early May 2018 have stated that
President Trump asked the Secretary of Defense to provide
him with options for removing United States troops from the
Korean Peninsula.</i></p>
<a id="H106D07EA40DD4C7380E5EE23CA9242CD"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(22) <i>National
Security Advisor John Bolton responded, </i>“<i>The
President has not asked the Pentagon to provide options for
reducing American forces stationed in South Korea.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="HF80CF13C8A704EFA9F6F9E3EC82E9BB7"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(23) <i>A
spokesman for the Secretary stated, </i>“<i>The president
has not asked the Pentagon to provide options for reducing
American forces stationed in South Korea. The Department of
Defense's mission in South Korea remains the same, and our
force posture has not changed. The Department of Defense
remains committed to supporting the maximum pressure
campaign, developing and maintaining military options for
the President, and reinforcing our ironclad security
commitment with our allies. We all remain committed to
complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of
the Korean Peninsula.</i>”<i>.</i></p>
<a id="H04E9A4C09158495795DDB94D048FF430"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndent">(b) <span
class="lbexSectionLevelOLCnuclear"><i>Sense of Senate</i></span>.—<i>It
is the sense of the Senate that—</i><a
id="HE60C03E1A0A44B298EE8A040ED68ADD5"> </a></p>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(1) <i>South
Korea is a close friend and ally of the United States, and
the United States-South Korea alliance is the linchpin of
peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region;</i></p>
<a id="H97EA4D99B8054C449068920C54EDB88C"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(2) <i>the
presence of United States military forces on the Korean
Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific region continues to
play a critical role in safeguarding the peaceful and stable
rules-based international order that benefits all countries;</i></p>
<a id="HFEB6B89C1E6C4F439603DBEB57341B24"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(3) <i>South
Korea has contributed heavily to its own defense and to the
defense of the United States Armed Forces in South Korea,
including by providing $10,000,000,000 of the
$10,800,000,0000 Camp Humphreys project, which is 93 percent
of the funding, to build and relocate United States military
forces to a new base in South Korea;</i></p>
<a id="H096016414C73406094806AF81DA65C2C"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(4) <i>United
States military forces, pursuant to international law, are
lawfully deployed on the Korean Peninsula;</i></p>
<a id="H995E232313B8496E8801909D430A2CB7"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(5) <i>the
nuclear and ballistic missile programs of the Democratic
People's Republic of Korea are clear and consistent
violations of international law;</i></p>
<a id="H95B7F36F410D4214A0095148D43B80E8"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(6) <i>the
long-stated strategic objective of authoritarian states such
as the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation,
and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been the
significant removal of United States military forces from
the Korean Peninsula;</i></p>
<a id="H9F0A76A11B2C47B5BDC7D21F8F068BC7"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(7) <i>the
maximum pressure campaign of the Trump Administration,
including an increase in economic sanctions and diplomatic
measures with United States allies and regional partners,
has worked to bring Kim Jong-un to the negotiation table;
and</i></p>
<a id="H433CA4D6D8DE43FCB4857D9243DB6C06"> </a>
<p style="text-align:left" class="lbexIndentParagraph">(8) <i>the
significant removal of United States military forces from
the Korean Peninsula is a non-negotiable item as it relates
to the complete, verifiable, and irreversible
denuclearization of the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea.</i></p>
</i>
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