VOA标准英语10月-US Commander Expects No Reduction in Korea Force
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The commander of U.S. forces in Korea says he does not anticipate any reduction in the number of U.S. troops on the peninsula, even as South Korea's army prepares to take responsibility for the country's wartime defense1. The commander, General Walter Sharp, spoke2 Wednesday at the Pentagon, and VOA's Al Pessin reports.General Sharp says the arrival of more efficient and capable units as part of regular rotations3 could result in some small changes in U.S. troop numbers, but he does not expect any significant reduction in his force of 28,500. And he believes the capabilities4 of the force are more important than its size.
"The bottom line for me, in my responsibility as the U.S. commander there, is do we have the forces, both number-wise and capability5-wise, in order to be able to do what we need to do in a war fight. But I really would like to try to change the discussion to capabilities."
And the general notes that South Korea's army is much more capable than it used to be, and that it will take responsibility for commanding its own troops in case of war about three-and-a-half years from now, under a U.S.-South Korean agreement.
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| Replicas6 of North Korea's Scud-B missile (C) and South Korean missiles at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul on October 8, 2008. |
Asked about North Korea, General Sharp said he worries "every day" about its nuclear weapons capability and potential proliferation, particularly under its unpredictable leader Kim Jung Il. But the general said there has been no sign of instability since reports Kim had a health crisis two months ago. North Korea has denied the reports. Speculation7 about Kim's health was fueled by his absence at two major public events in recent months. The North Korean news agency reported Saturday that Kim attended a soccer game, but it provided no pictures or video.
Sharp adds, "Do I have more detail on exactly what happened? There's intel sources that I can't, obviously, share there. But I'm confident that based upon what we see going on in the North, and all the contingencies8 that we need to be prepared for, we're prepared to react to those, us and the alliance."
South Korea's Yonhap news agency Wednesday quoted South Korean officials as saying North Korea fired two medium-range missiles into the Yellow Sea on Tuesday.
General Sharp says uncertainty9 about North Korea's intentions makes it necessary for U.S. and South Korean forces to be able to respond to anything the North could do. He says North Korea could inflict10 severe damage on South Korea in a surprise attack, but he is confident that U.S. and South Korean forces would win any war the North might start.
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