U.S. should consider withdrawing troops from Korean Peninsula, Helms says

June 16, 2000
Web posted at: 5:59 PM EDT (2159 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- With relations apparently warming between North and South Korea after their leaders met this week, the United States should consider a withdrawal of the 37,000 American troops stationed on the peninsula, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms said Friday.

Sen. Jesse Helms

"It's time to consider it," Helms (R-North Carolina) told CNN on Friday. "After deliberation, we can determine whether it's time to bring them out."

But he said no one is certain yet whether the meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, leads to a lasting thaw in relations between the two nations.

"It depends on whether this is just a temporary lull. If it's a temporary lull, we'll have to leave the people there for a while," Helms said. "But if it's for real, then we ought to make plans to bring those folks home."

	MESSAGE BOARD
North and South Korea

The staunchly conservative Helms made his comments in an appearance on CNN's political talk show "Evans, Novak, Hunt & Shields," and is slated to air Saturday.

	AUDIO
Sen. Helms says "outside people" helped ease tensions between North and South Korea 324K/30 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Sen. Helms describes possible conditions for pulling out U.S. troops 162K/15 sec. AIFF or WAV sound For the complete interview with Sen. Helms, watch "Evans, Novak, Hunt & Shields" on CNN U.S., Saturday, 5:30 p.m. EDT or Sunday, 11:00 a.m. EDT

The U.S. has maintained a military presence in South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War broke out 50 years ago, patrolling the heavily fortified border since a 1953 armistice. No formal treaty ended the conflict.

While Helms said he was encouraged by the meeting between the two Korean leaders, he said that it was too early to consider easing U.S. sanctions against North Korea, a secretive Communist nation.

And he refused to give any credit to the Clinton Administration for the recent thaw, instead focusing on the efforts of "outside people" such as Ruth and Franklin Graham -- the wife and son of Christian evangelist Billy Graham -- who have worked to send humanitarian aid to the famine-stricken north.

"If this is the result of some of their work, then I have high hopes for it ... I would be inclined to think they have had more effect than anybody in our government, " he said.

A longtime administration critic, Helms said he looked forward to working with an administration led by Texas Gov. George W. Bush. A "President Bush," he said, would understand and appreciate the three branches of government.

"Bill Clinton does not understand that," Helms said. "He thinks he's the king. And he makes decisions that he expects you to follow, and I'm not going to follow a lot of things that he did."

Friday, June 16, 2000

• Missing nuclear secrets found behind Los Alamos copy machine
  
• Video: The Political Play of the Week
  
• Video: Are death penalty politics at play this year?
  
• Bush touts character education plan, lambastes Gore on tax cuts
  
• U.S. should consider withdrawing troops from Korean Peninsula, Helms says
  
• Hey, they shoulda called it 'Capital' Hill
  
• Senate Democrats propose reassessing U.S. embargo on Cuba
  
• GOP delaying China trade vote to split Democrats, Daschle says
  
• Poll: Gore haunted by 'stature gap'
  
• Clinton touts school construction, tunes in to music programs in the Big Apple
  
• Bill Press: A new leader and a new life for Al Gore
  
• Clinton concerned about unusually high gas prices in Midwest
  
• Lazio investments brought sizable profit
  
• Senate sends e-signature bill to president's desk
  
• Gore says new campaign chief won't 'miss a beat'
  
• latimes.com: Dole finds fault with Gore's West Point visit
  
• latimes.com: For Bush, every picture tells a story to swing voters
  
• South Carolina state senator found guilty of fraud
  
• GOP blocks first budget increase for arts endowment since 1992
  
• Transportation bills differ on drunken driving, trucking hours
  
• Senate to vote on electronic signature bill
  
• House OKs lands bill, kills GOP curbs on national monuments
  

ARCHIVES