hankyoreh

It has been confirmed that armed militants attacked the sites of road construction projects by South Korean businesses in Afghanistan a total of three times around the time of the Lee administration’s decision to deploy new troops to the country. This is a case in point showing the dangers of redeployment.

The Lee administration has argued that South Korea suffered no direct casualties and said, “Since it was a minor attack or simple arson, it is difficult to view it as the work of the Taliban.” These claims, however, are unconvincing. The militants did not demand money or take items. They simply set fire to equipment and fired warning shots. The attacks also took place in the period immediately before and after the redeployment decision. One cannot help suspecting that this was intended as a warning about the decision. To start off by talking about how this cannot be seen as the work of the Taliban is not a proper approach from the government, which needs to take charge of its citizens’ safety.

Presently, Afghanistan is in a state of extreme unrest, not only in terms of public security, but in the political situation as well. For this reason, even U.S. President Barack Obama is taking great pains with the decision to input more forces there and arguing that there are limits to the U.S.’s dedication to Afghanistan. This is due to concern over the dangers that might arise from rash deployments in a situation of high uncertainty, with the leadership ability of Afghan President Hamid Karzai in doubt.

Despite all of this, the South Korean government announced on Oct. 30 that it would be sending in civilian reconstruction workers, as well as soldiers and police officers to guard them. In total, some 400 to 500 people are being dispatched. As reasons for sending troops, the government cited the need to establish conditions for the stable stationing of U.S. forces in South Korea and a responsibility to contribute to the war on terror as a “global Korea.” This is an absurd rationale. The war on terror has long since lost any justification it may have had. Even the Obama administration stays away from the term. The U.S. sent troops to Afghanistan to stamp out Al-Qaeda, but the result has been that the entire national territory has turned into a battlefield and some 40,000 residents have lost their lives to date. In addition, the U.S.’s inability to deal a decisive blow to Al-Qaeda has only succeeded in strengthening Taliban forces and extremists in neighboring Pakistan, making the region even more unstable. There is no reason for diving into this powder keg and for placing our citizens’ lives in danger.

Japan made the decision to end Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force’s refueling assistance for multinational naval vessels and provide economic support to Afghanistan and Pakistan instead. Moreover, no other nation which has withdrawn forces has made the decision to redeploy forces. Instead of sending our young people off into a war without justification, a better plan for international service would be to provide economic support that is of real help to the people of Afghanistan. The decision to redeploy forces to Afghanistan should be withdrawn.

Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]