PSPD in English Peace/Disarmament 2010-02-25   2361

[Comment] We Remember the Congressmen Who Agreed with the Re-dispatch of Troops to Afghanistan


We Remember the National Aseembly Members Who Agreed with the Re-dispatch of Troops to Afghanistan


The Lee administration, the Grand National Party and 148 parliamentary members are responsible for all the cost and conflict, concerning the re-dispatch of troops to Afghanistan.


The National Assembly disappointed the nation. On February 25th, 2010, at the plenary session of the National Assembly, the re-dispatch of the troops to Afghanistan was approved, receiving 148 ayes, 5 noes, and 10 abstentions. Now that this bill has been adopted despite of the high dissenting opinions, the president’s promise of withdrawal of the troops stationed in Iraq, and the threat of terrorism that will spread throughout the nation, it seems that the National Assembly is willing to be a “yes man” on behalf of the government.


At the plenary session, the Grand National Party members’ supporting ideas for the re-dispatch were illogical. Three members of the Grand National Party, Hwang Jin-ha, Kim Dong-sung, and Chung, Ok-im, were unconditionally in favour of the re-dispatch without any good reasons, despite of the risks. There are a lot of doubts to why the Grand National Party who demanded the withdrawal of the troops stationed in Iraq, is now vehemently insisting the re-dispatch.


The Grand National Party justified their demand. They referred that the PRT was not controlled by NATO, and South Korea should dispatch the troops to Afghanistan so that Korea could get aid from the international society in case North Korea attacks. Chung, Ok-im of the Grand National Party, surveyed the Korean special forces, and found that they would be willing to be dispatched abroad; this doesn’t make sense. Is this to put the blame on the soldiers if anything goes wrong because of the government’s distorted views and hasty decisions?


Kwak, Jung-sook of the Democractic Labor party mentioned that since the Korean troops have been dispatched to Iraq and Afghanistan, not only soldiers, but also labours and civilians have been kidnapped or murdered. It is questionable if the government and the National Assembly thoroughly evaluated the result of the re-dispatch to such dangerous sites. Had they done this, there would have not been any need to even have a vote.


If the Korean government had thoroughly researched the reason why the USA is still struggling with the war against Afghanistan, why terrorism has spread throughout the USA and why they have failed to build democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan, the parliamentary members who consented to the re-dispatch would have not said yes to that.


The government violated the promise to withdraw from Afghanistan, and they requested re-dispatch for two and a half years to the National Assembly, while the members of the Grand National Party just stood aside, and consented to the re-dispatch. The 148 ayes is the proof of the National Assembly’s fallen credibility; and the nation will remember this.


We will remember this mistake. And we will call the government and the relevant parliamentary members to account if anything goes wrong.


*February 25, 2010

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