LaPorte’s Parting Words to Korea: Alliance Needs Your Support

Although I’m a fan of departing USFK Commanding General Leon LaPorte, I think he’s fallen victim to the bureaucratic tendency to preserve and expand one’s own organization while missing the fact that the same tendency may work against the whole government’s greater good:

The outgoing commander of the U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. Leon LaPorte, on Friday called on supporters of the Korea-U.S. alliance to speak out. LaPorte warned the alliance faces difficulties ahead in both countries from those who think it has served its purpose and those who benefit from cracks in the relationship. But he added it is as much worth fighting for now as it was 50 years ago and will be 50 years hence.

The alliance will continue to decay as long as there’s no pressure for it to evolve into something relevant that serves the interests of both countries. Statements like this don’t help to create that kind of pressure (vague and guarded statements about “strategic flexibility” do). Neither LaPorte nor anyone else has said anything that can convince me of the relevance of the alliance in its current form.