Search Results for: camp 22

Scroll down for updates. The Korean government is ruling out “renegotiation” of its “tenative” cost-sharing agreement with the USFK, which is no surprise given the likely consequence of losing face to the Yankees just four weeks before the next bi-election. I’m suspicous about the use of the term “tentatively agreed” in the Herald story. Either there’s a binding agreement that was authorized for public release or there wasn’t; if the latter is true, it’s a negotiation, not a renegotiation. Perhaps...

What kind of diplomatic response could the United States possibly offer to Roh Moo-Hyun’s astonishing announcement that South Korea will now seek to “balance” its long-time protector against the lean, hungry barbarians that surround it? It’s doubtful that any U.S. official could offer a response he’d want printed–particularly in the context of another deadlocked round of cost-sharing negotiations. That might explain why Washington let the Commanding General of the Eighth U.S. Army, Lieutenant General Charles Campbell, do the talking today:...

What kind of diplomatic response could the United States possibly offer to Roh Moo-Hyun’s astonishing announcement that South Korea will now seek to “balance” its long-time protector against the lean, hungry barbarians that surround it? It’s doubtful that any U.S. official could offer a response he’d want printed–particularly in the context of another deadlocked round of cost-sharing negotiations. That might explain why Washington let the Commanding General of the Eighth U.S. Army, Lieutenant General Charles Campbell, do the talking today:...

Although I’ve been deeply interested in Central Asia for many years, it’s been difficult to get inordinately excited about events in Kyrgyzstan, given that I don’t yet know just who composes the opposition. There’s not much to be gained from replacing one dictator with another, and there’s certainly always room for things to get worse. It seems that the previous president was a Soviet holdover, but a less ruthless one than his neighbors in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. I’m always ready...

Although I’ve been deeply interested in Central Asia for many years, it’s been difficult to get inordinately excited about events in Kyrgyzstan, given that I don’t yet know just who composes the opposition. There’s not much to be gained from replacing one dictator with another, and there’s certainly always room for things to get worse. It seems that the previous president was a Soviet holdover, but a less ruthless one than his neighbors in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. I’m always ready...

North Korea is losing–indeed, has probably lost–what Mao termed “the political struggle.” I just don’t have time to comment on this NY Times piece in detail now, but it’s an absolute must-read. The system’s hold on the minds of the people has never looked so shaky. So just how easy is it for a North Korean to break the blockade these days? “He just dials 0082 to get the Korean-speaking Chinese operator, then makes a collect call to here,” Mr....

North Korea is losing–indeed, has probably lost–what Mao termed “the political struggle.” I just don’t have time to comment on this NY Times piece in detail now, but it’s an absolute must-read. The system’s hold on the minds of the people has never looked so shaky. So just how easy is it for a North Korean to break the blockade these days? “He just dials 0082 to get the Korean-speaking Chinese operator, then makes a collect call to here,” Mr....

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

And I thought I’d seen it all: Two South Korean nonprofit groups say they have begun discussions with the Russian government about creating a farming and light-industry zone in eastern Russia’s Maritime Province that would utilize South Korean financing and North Korean labor. One of these nonprofits, which calls itself the Overseas Koreans Foundation, is affiliated with the Foreign Ministry. As for the land where this gulag is to be established–and that’s a fair description for a state-owned venture in...

The announcement, coincidentally enough, came shortly after the visit of a senior official from China, the nation that supplies between 40 and 60% of North Korea’s fuel, depending on which report you believe. The sheer vagueness of it, however, suggests a thin reed of hope for those who see anything coming from these talks other than a demonstration that we’re willing to take part in them: North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il, has told a Chinese envoy that he would...

The announcement, coincidentally enough, came shortly after the visit of a senior official from China, the nation that supplies between 40 and 60% of North Korea’s fuel, depending on which report you believe. The sheer vagueness of it, however, suggests a thin reed of hope for those who see anything coming from these talks other than a demonstration that we’re willing to take part in them: North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Il, has told a Chinese envoy that he would...

If you can explain that one, I’d be much obliged. Still, I suppose it’s good that the GNP has cloistered itself somewhere to discuss its fuure. Maybe the politicos can feel each other for signs of a spine. From this report, it doesn’t seem to rise above the level of squabbling about cosmetic changes (another name change? puhleeeeaze), which is a lot like the Dems’ sudden and clumsy attempts to pander to religious voters ever since their three-point loss here...

If you can explain that one, I’d be much obliged. Still, I suppose it’s good that the GNP has cloistered itself somewhere to discuss its fuure. Maybe the politicos can feel each other for signs of a spine. From this report, it doesn’t seem to rise above the level of squabbling about cosmetic changes (another name change? puhleeeeaze), which is a lot like the Dems’ sudden and clumsy attempts to pander to religious voters ever since their three-point loss here...

From UPI, May 6, 2004: North Korea has no intention of selling atomic materials to terrorist groups, a South Korean daily reported Thursday, citing an expert from a U.S. think tank. During his visit to Pyongyang late last month, Selig Harrison, director of the Asian program at the Center for International Policy in Washington, was told by North Korean officials that Pyongyang would not sell nuclear materials to al-Qaida or any other terrorist group. “The North Koreans said they would...

From UPI, May 6, 2004: North Korea has no intention of selling atomic materials to terrorist groups, a South Korean daily reported Thursday, citing an expert from a U.S. think tank. During his visit to Pyongyang late last month, Selig Harrison, director of the Asian program at the Center for International Policy in Washington, was told by North Korean officials that Pyongyang would not sell nuclear materials to al-Qaida or any other terrorist group. “The North Koreans said they would...

For the uninitiated, Korea robotically answers questions about the unraveling of the U.S.-Korean alliance with the wierd cliche that the alliance is “forged in blood” and therefore, strong. Now the last thing I’d want is for any person–whether that person be an American, an Iraqi civilian, or a Korean soldier, in short, anyone but one of Michael Moore’s minutemen–to spill blood in Iraq. My point here is to compare the military value of South Korea’s deployment of 3,000 troops to...

For the uninitiated, Korea robotically answers questions about the unraveling of the U.S.-Korean alliance with the wierd cliche that the alliance is “forged in blood” and therefore, strong. Now the last thing I’d want is for any person–whether that person be an American, an Iraqi civilian, or a Korean soldier, in short, anyone but one of Michael Moore’s minutemen–to spill blood in Iraq. My point here is to compare the military value of South Korea’s deployment of 3,000 troops to...