ding+dong's



Outline

-Korean General suggests ending a 5 year reconstruction mission of Iraq. -Among troops from 13 countries being sent home in advance of the Dec. 31 expiration of the U.N. mandate that authorized military operations in Iraq. -Korea wants peace -Out of 3,600 troops that were sent for the first mission, Zaytun in Sept. 2004, 520 troops will be returning. -The only nations that are willing to remain in Iraq after the mandate epires are US, US's biggest ally, Britain, Australia, El Salvador, Estonia and Romania. -Iraq's parliament has approved a U.S. security pact that requires all American troops to withdraw from the country in three years. The pact still must be signed by a three-member presidential council and submitted to the voters in a referendum by July 30. -150,000 troops by U.S. and 4,000 by Britain. Biggest contributors. These two countries will negotiate their own agreements with the Iraqi government. -South Korea has had troops stationed in Iraq as part of a reconstruction mission since 2003 at the request of Washington, which has 28,000 troops based in South Korea as a deterrent against North Korea. -South Korean troops have generally been spared much of the violence in Iraq because of their location in the primarily peaceful three northern provinces where Kurds have enjoyed self-rule since 1991. The country's only military casualty came in Irbil when a soldier was found shot dead in a military barbershop. -The country's troops have focused on rebuilding schools and roads and providing humanitarian aid. -Since deploying to Irbil in 2004, Zaytun's medical unit treated more than 88,800 Iraqis, South Korean troops have taught more than 2,000 people how to use computers and other equipment. -Army Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, said the South ean mission was the most successful reconstruction effort in Iraq. -Many assumed that this war will tightly bring US and Korea together. In fact, deployment has been unpopular among SKs. They viewed that the fact US started war is unjust.

(http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081201/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iraq_south_korea;_ylt=ArAD_KCIHsi2MKDIkgzt.v4LewgF)

video file

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=-3kK0TpaIOw

Why important

-This mission is directly related to Korea also -The fact that Korean is involved in this puts Korea into danger -Finally Korea can be out of this problem that US kind of forced to be involved with -Iraq feels more safe due to number of army leaving Iraq -As soldiers go out of Iraq, it tells that world is becoming less dangerous. war is almost over. peace is near

opinion

-As Korean who have to serve the army, I really think it's good how Korean troops are returning. -It's good how lesser soldiers stay in Iraq as time goes. Iraq people feel more safe.