Prof. Moon Chung-in, who’s generally a pretty cool guy who once told me to shut up because I kept asking him questions after a lecture, said Friday that while USFK reductions were primarily the result of Changes in U.S. Global Strategy (TM), “small” mistakes — like the anti-American demonstrations — had hastened their departure schedule.
Speaking at a monthly breakfast held by the International Management Institute, Moon said that on Dec. 30 of last year, U.S. NBC News broadcasted a 3-5 second scene of a U.S. military policeman at the Yongsan Garrison bleeding after he had been hit by a rock thrown by a Korean university student. After watching this scene, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld became enraged and ordered USFK to be removed immediately.
Moon said there was discussion of reducing U.S. ground forces due to changes in U.S. global strategy, but he could say with certainty that the date was moved up due to slight mistakes on the part of Koreans, and he had experienced this personally. On unofficial occasions, Moon relayed an anecdote he had heard in which Rumsfeld, as soon as he saw the scene on NBC News, said, “God damn it! Get them out!”
6 Comments
They were not “small mistakes.” They were “misunderstandings.”
When Rumsfeld said, “God damn it! Get them out!” might he have meant “Get those demonstrators away from the base”?
Also, what does Professor Moon mean by saying that he had “experienced this personally”? Was he present when Rumsfeld uttered the remark?
Jeffery Hodges
Sounds like a crock to me. This is Korean projection - they would behave that way.
Goddamn right. Get them out. Get all 37,000 out today. Right now.
Let the fookin Koreans pay for their own defense for a while. It’s their country and now it’s their turn. And besides, we all know their blood brothers to the North harbor no hostile feelings towards anyone south of the Imjin. It’ll be one big happy Kumbaya fest when the Yanks leave.
Can’t wait for the day…
amen donnyrummy. I don’t know if Rummy said it or not but I sure do, every damn day.
I try to leave out the g.d. because I was taught not to take the Lord’s name in vain.
I’m sure the blessed Buddha doesn’t like such language either and we don’t want any bad karma slowing down the prospective withdrawal.
I actually don’t mind a little sacrilege now and then so long those long-suffering US troops return safely back home to their families and out of unappreciative Korea as quickly as possible.
I am highly displeased with my people the Koreans. They have not honored me since the Tripitaka almost 800 years ago.