A note on troop withdrawls. My brother Steven was a member of the 24th Division at the time that the "Big Red One" was withdrawn from Vietnam. The press did not mention that it was replaced by the 24th Division. Basically, my brother ripped off the 24th Division patches, and sewed on First Division patches. At the time that the 7th Division was withdrawn from Korea, i was stationed there. The infantrymen were administratively transferred to differently numbered infantry regiments, which were then added to the organizational table of the First Corps (called, predictably, I Corps in Korea). The 72nd Armor had been attached to Seventh Division at some time in the 1950's. It was reassigned to it's original parent formation, I Corps. What Nixon did was trade cosmetic concessions with Joe Ching. Joe Ching wasn't fooled, and neither were the GI's stationed in Korea, who weren't going anywhere until they either completed their tour, or "ETS'ed."
In response to the initial question.
I think Rummy is trying to strengthen his position. He probably would like to wage war on North Korea and since the adminisration has been clear that this is not on the table he is trying to set the table to his liking.
Just reviving this thread, in light of current developments in North Asia.
I hope, however, that fast and impressive victory of the Allied forces over the rogue regime in Iraq will make N. Korean approach more flexible. I am not sure that Mr. Kim-Jr. is eager to endanger his personal power in favor of dubious theories of his late daddy.
au1929,
The North Koreans obviously took it as a provocation. If you mean is Rumsfeld trying to provoke N.K. into starting a war, I don't think so.
I think he is trying to scare them into backing off on their nuclear weapons development.
I was stationed in S.K. in 1969 and was there on business in 1986. My impression was the South Koreans took American Politics much more serious than most Americans did. In '69 they were afraid that Nixon would use nuclear weapons on China if he was elected. They were afraid GHBush would start a war with North Korea. in '86. I think the South Koreans must be scared out of their gourds with the sword rattling that has been going on lately.
