Motions to Dispatch Troops in Afghanistan

Yesterday the Korean government could not provide a good enough reason to make its citizens understand; therefore the government announced an important decision, anyway: the Korean Cabinet decided that 350 troops would be designated to rebuild and rehabilitate local residences and regions inside Afghanistan. The Cabinet plans to bring this issue up to the Korean Congress this week. Due to the hostage situation two years ago, because Korea had already dispatched troops in Afghanistan, Korea knows very well the consequences that come with the decision to send more people to Afghanistan. The Afghan war that started out as revenge against terror never got settled; neither were troops able to bring peace and safety to the people of Afghanistan. In addition to that, foreign troops supported the corrupt and incorrigible Karzai government. The war destroyed the lifestyles of the local people and subjected them to harsh persecution. Korean society learned the hard way — by subjecting Korean efforts and people to the atrocities of war — that going into Afghanistan was not wise.

However, regardless of the consequences, the Korean government dispatched troops to Afghanistan over the span of two years. The controversy around sending troops from Korea was that the government never consulted the citizens for their approval. Even though the United States of America never asked for the dispatch of Korean troops, the Koreans “presented” the U.S. with a gift, stating that the U.S. had requested it. The Korean government dispatched the troops for the American government, doing as the Americans wanted, rather than what the citizens in Afghanistan desired. We cannot tell for whom the dispatch is for anymore.

Nevertheless, the government lengthened the one-year deployment to two years and six months, saying that they needed more time to help rebuild, given local circumstances, and to train for the mission against the Taliban. It is easy to see that this decision could be a big failure because the government has decided to completely ignore public opinion. The current disastrous situation in Afghanistan is not improving and is caused by the United States of America — the country that started the war. Even the U.S. has stated their intentions to recall all troops by July 2012. The dispatch of Korean troops is not only rash, it is also a disruption of the common peace.

If Congress approves this decision, next July, 320 troops, 100 citizens and 40 policemen will be sent to a war zone and will be subjected to constant worry and anxiety. If we commit this mistake, then Koreans will be subjected to the horrors and atrocities of war. It is not too late. The government must stop this dispatch. However, if the government tries to go through with this, the country must correct the government’s mistake.