A debate on the future of US Forces Korea (USFK) is underway, and it is at risk of becoming a political brawl rather than a strategic analysis. With these blinders removed, the potential for a restructured US Forces Korea to help deter China—not just North Korea—becomes more clear. A US Air Force F-35A Lightning II fifth generation fighter from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska fueling at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, July 11, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Shannon Braaten)F-35s are intended to replace F-16s and have an “enhanced capability to survive” in an “advanced threat environment” according to the US Air Force. He is a former senior US government official with two decades of service as an intelligence officer and strategist, including as chief strategist for US Forces Korea.