The United States suddenly announced that it was withdrawing its troops from the Ryukyus and South Korea. This decision of the United States is not a trivial matter, and it has a direct impact on the security pattern in Asia.
There were originally 20,000 U.S. troops stationed here in the Ryukyus, but now nearly half of them will be withdrawn, that is, 9,000 people will be packed home. This is big news for the land of the Ryukyus. This is just the beginning, and the goal of the United States is not just to "leave", but to leave some "gifts" while walking
What are these "gifts"? The United States plans to leave many of its advanced weapons to Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. This approach is not to garrison troops here, but to give you weapons, and you to protect yourselves, and to deal with possible crises on your own.
The U.S. government has declared that this is a "strategic shift," not a retreat. They explained that this was a new strategic layout to adjust the distribution of power in Asia.
The Minister of Defence also made a special mention that four Army Maritime Operations Regiments, each with 2,000 troops, would be sent to these countries, for a total of 8,000 troops, despite the withdrawal of large troops. It sounds like compensation, but the removal of 150,000 and the return of 8,000 feel a bit "shrinking" no matter how the math is calculated.
The situation is more delicate on the South Korean side. The local knowledge that only 2,000 American troops remained was mixed. South Korea is facing North Korea to the north, where there are million-strong troops, and the United States is more like a symbolic presence there. Some Korean netizens ridiculed: "This protection is too little to even send peanuts." ”
The U.S. move has taken a big step in the strategic layout of Asia. It has affected the countries directly involved, and it has also caused fluctuations in the strategic balance of the whole of Asia and the world. Asia is now at a delicate balance, and each such adjustment could trigger a ripple effect.
The large-scale withdrawal of US troops from the Ryukyus and South Korea is ostensibly a "strategic shift," but in fact it is a major disruption to the security landscape in Asia. This kind of behavior of the United States is typical of the so-called "hands-off shopkeeper"
The withdrawal of troops left behind a few advanced weapons in an attempt to shift security responsibilities to Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. Such an approach pushes these countries to the front line and could also exacerbate the arms race and tensions in the region.
This behavior of the United States has once again proved that relying on external forces to ensure national security is unreliable.