AN INTERESTING DEFINITION OF “SUFFER”….Adam Garfinkle, arguing that we should withdraw U.S. troops from South Korea, makes this puzzling statement in NRO today:
The division of Korea puts U.S. interests at risk more than it does those of any other major regional power (we have troops there; we ? not China or Russia or Japan ? face directly a nuclearizing adversary), and for the sake of the lowest stakes. Think about what the U.S. might suffer if war broke out in Korea, and about what we would gain from its not breaking out. We would suffer thousands of dead GIs, the probable ascription of responsibility for the razing of Seoul (and maybe Tokyo), and maybe accidental conflict with China.
He seems to be suggesting that being blamed for the vaporization of Seoul (and maybe Tokyo) would be worse for us than the actual vaporization of Seoul (and maybe Tokyo) would be for South Korea (and maybe Japan).
Does this make any sense at all?
