Left Flank

Marmot, Lost Nomad ,OFK, and GI Korea make light of Vice-President Cheney's decision not to visit Seoul as he tours Japan, Australia, and Guam.  The argument expressed in the Chosun editorial emphasizes the source of South Korea's disapproval.  «The only reason the Korean government dispatched troops there is because of our commitment to the alliance.»  (Italics mine)  Now, we can quibble with the partisan political tactics the Roh administration and (no longer)-ruling Uri Party are using to disparage the Bush administration, and all the assorted other issues involved in a situation where the ROK-US alliance becomes 'irrelevant' (GI Korea does a particularly good job at articulating this sentiment.), but such sentiments in themselves, on both the American and South Korean sides, are irrelevant.  Even if he has to grimace through a few hours of photo opportunities slap hands, and move his lips, such is the lot of an American vice-president, America's most worthless job. That's why we elected Cheney to the office. 

South Korea's decision to send troops to Iraq was purely formal and pettily (in a non-pejorative sense) efficient. We do this, and now the US will do something for us. Such is the stuff of diplomacy between states, not political parties, citizens, or pundits. It's just simple respect between equals.  All other opinions, from this perspective are meaningless. If things are so bad as Joshua at OFK claims, then the Bush administration should sever relations. Otherwise, bend over Veep, take it like a man, smile, and do the job the American people gave you!

Kudos to Marmot for thinking beyond his spite:

Personally, I think it would have been better for Cheney to come to Korea to thank Seoul for its troop deployment in Iraq—3,600 troops in an unpopular war is still 3,600 troops in an unpopular war, even if they are doing a whole lot of nothing in Arbil. And at rate, it’s not like the two sides don’t have anything to discuss.

Cheney's decision is exactly the sort of incompetent, petty (in a pejorative sense), and counter-productive tactic I've come to expect from the Bush administration.  Giving such easy points to the Roh administration (which I frankly despise more than the Bush administration, if that's at all possible) is unforgivable.