Agent Orange Buried in South Korea

According to a report from the BBC, the US and South Korea will hold an inquiry into the
alleged burying of Agent Orange in South Korea.

Three U.S. Army veterans have said the buried about 250 barrels of Agent Orange in a large hole
at a U.S. military base, Camp Carroll, in Chilgok, located south-east of Seoul in 1978.

Three Vietnam War veterans told KPHO that they had been involved in dumping the chemical
at the base.

The claims have been widely spread in South Korea, and some analysts predict an anti-US
backlash is the story is confirmed.

Senior South Korean government official Yook Dong-han said the US understood the "urgency
and seriousness" of the situation.

As we all know, Agent Orange was the most widely used herbicide in Vietnam. Tons of the
defoliant were duped on the jungles to strip away cover for North Vietnam soldiers.

The US stopped using Agent Orange in 1971 fearing that US soldiers were being exposed
by inhaling the chemical.

Many studies have concluded that children are more likely to be born with birth defects
in areas that were sprayed with Agent Orange. In addition, various types of cancer and
other illnesses are appearing in adults later in life.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"



---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Secretary of Defense says North Korea a Direct Threat

Gates: North Korea Becoming Direct Threat to U.S. http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=62400  By Jim Garamone American Forces Press Service BEIJING, Jan. 11, 2011 –  If it continues on its current path, North Korea could be a “direct threat” to the United States in five years or less, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today. Gates has shared with Chinese officials America’s concern about North Korea, and the need for stability on the peninsula. The secretary spoke to reporters at a roundtable following meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Gates told reporters that North Korea is not an immediate threat to the United States. “But on the other hand, I don’t think it is a five-year threat,” the secretary said. “Let me be precise: I think that North Korea will have developed an intercontinental ballistic missile within that time frame.” The secretary thanked Chinese officials for the constructive role they have played in dampening tensions on the peninsula. “They clearly have played a helpful role,” he said. There are two major events that have changed the status quo on the Korean peninsula, Gates said. The first is North Korean leaders continuing their development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles. “North Korea is becoming a direct threat to the United States and we have to take that into account,” the secretary said. The second event, he said, is “the sea change in the attitude of the South Korean public in their willingness to tolerate the kind of provocations the North Koreans have engaged in for many years.” In March last year, North Korea torpedoed the South Korean ship Cheonan and killed 46 South Korean sailors. In November, North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong Island, killing two civilians and two South Korean marines. “Clearly, if there is another provocation, there will be pressure on the South Korean government to react,” Gates said. “We consider this a situation of real concern and we think there is some urgency to proceeding down the track of negotiations and engagement.” It’s time, Gates said, for North Korea to engage in meaningful negotiations with its neighbor to the south. “We don’t want to see the situation that we’ve seen so many times before: which is the North Koreans engage in a provocation and then everybody scrambles to try to put ‘Humpty Dumpty’ back together again,” he said. “I’ve used the phrase, ‘I don’t want to buy the same horse twice.’ ‘I think we would like to see some concrete actions by North Korea that shows they are serious about moving to a negotiation and engagement track,” Gates added. North Korean officials announced that they are ready for negotiations with South Korea. “Rhetoric is not enough at this time,” Gates said. “I think the North Koreans have to demonstrate that they are serious about negotiation and engagement at this point.” The secretary suggested North Korean moratoriums on missile testing and nuclear testing for a start. “There are several areas where they can take concrete actions,” he said. The secretary leaves China for Japan tomorrow, and will visit South Korea later this week.

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

North Korea Warns of Nuclear War

The escalating tension in Korea has become even more evident and frightening.

North Korea threatened South Korea that it might deploy a nuclear bomb on the South because
of "South Korean's reckless war policies." North Korea also said "The intensity and scope of the
strike will be more serious than the Nov. 23 shelling."

The two countries have been fighting over the 38th parallel and the adjacent areas since the end of
the Korean War, which ended more as a cease fire, without a treaty.

The North's National Peace Committee has said "The army and our people are ready for both an
escalated war and an all out war."

Reminders of the Cold War abound as this not only involves the North and South, but the entire
region. Pakistan has accused the U.S. and South Korea of an ongoing policy of confrontation. Pakistan
also says that North Korea needed its nuclear program to fend them off.

China has long been a supporter, and supplier of North Korea. Chinese Foreign Minister
Yang Jiechi said "Our general goal is for all sides to exercise calm and restraint and to make
every effort to avoid such incidents recurring."

So the world waits and watches to see exactly what course the North will take. We also wonder what
will their new leader do when he takes control of the country from his father.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

Is Korea the next battle?

North Korea in the recent weeks has become more aggressive and is issuing threats almost daily.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen has said that the danger of war in Korea
is rising and North Korea has increased the tension with its aggression against the South.

Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen has suggested that the U.S. increase it's troop strength
in Korea at least for a period of time while the North is still acting in a belligerent manner.

It is felt that while these remarks were aimed at the North, it was also another call to China, that it
is time to reign in its partner. China has been supporting North Korea and has ignored requests to
step in and do what can be done to contain the problem.

A diplomatic source in Washington said "U.S. officials are hinting that they are willing to risk a
military clash with the North as a kind of warning to China"

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember" 

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

U.S. and Far East Allies to Continue Exercises

The U.S. will hold more military exercises with South Korea and Japan as a show of force.

U.S. Joint Chief of Staffs, Adm. Mullen and his South Korean counterpart have said "war games" will
continue, and probably hold more exercises with Japan in the Yellow Sea.

At the same time Adm. Mullen blasted China for not doing more to bring North Korea under control.
Mullen said "The Chinese have enormous control over the North, influence that no other nation on
earth enjoys". He went on to say "And yet, despite a shared interest in reducing tensions, they appear
unwilling to use it."

At the joint news conference, Han Min-Koo, South Korea's top military commander said that rules
of engagement are being strengthened to allow commanders on the ground to fire back immediately
in case of another attack by the North.

This comes as tensions continue to rise along the lines dating back to the 1950-1953 Korean War
with South Korea and the U.S. reaffirming the vows of their longstanding alliance.

North Korea has claimed that the three countries are forming a super triumvirate to act against
the North, and that these actions are a threat of war that North Korea will answer with all
might and power.

Jerald Terwiliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember" 




---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

North and South Korea talks end with no progress

North and South Korea had their first military talks in almost 2 years. They last met in October 2008.

No progress was made. South Korea has demanded that North Korea apologize for the sinking of the
South Korean ship Cheonan. North Korea has repeatedly said they had nothing to do with the sinking.

In fact, North Korea accuses South Korea and the U.S. of using false information and implications to
use this to force North Korea to bow to pressure.

The U.S. and South Korea recently held join naval exercises close to the coast of North Korea, included was a nuclear powered aircraft carrier.

North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Pak Kil Yon told the UN yesterday that North Korea will continue to make nuclear weapons. Pak said "As long as U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers sail around the seas of
our country, our nuclear deterrent can never be abandoned, but should be strengthened further."

The Korean War ended with a cease-fire so they are still technically at war since no peace treaty
was ever signed.

In other news, Kim Jon Un, the son of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was named a four star general
and was given key party and military posts. This brings up the possible transfer of power to the younger Kim, believed to be in his late 20's.

Jerald Terwilliger
National Chairman
American Cold War Veterans
"We Remember"

---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996

North Korea Issues Heated Warning To South Korea

by Blaine Harden
North Korea announced Wednesday that it is no longer bound by the 1953 armistice that halted the Korean War, the latest and most profound diplomatic aftershock from the country's latest nuclear test two days earlier.

North Korea also warned that it would respond "with a powerful military strike" should its ships be stopped by international forces trying to stop the export of missiles and weapons of mass destruction.

The twin declarations, delivered by the country's state news agency, followed South Korea's announcement Tuesday that it would join the navies that will stop and inspect suspicious ships at sea. North Korea has repeatedly said that such participation would be a "declaration of war."
They followed other developments in North Korea that have added to the sense of jangled nerves across northeast Asia since Monday's underground nuclear test.

The North fired three more short-range missiles off its east coast on Tuesday, said Yonhap, the South Korean news agency. North Korea had fired two missiles into the same waters on Monday.
And U.S. spy satellites have detected signs that North Korea has restarted its nuclear plant, a South Korean newspaper reported Wednesday. Chosun Ilbo cited an unnamed South Korean government source as saying that steam has been detected from a reprocessing facility at North Korea's Yongbyon plant.

In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke Tuesday to her Russian counterpart as part of an effort to seek a united response with "consequences" for North Korea. But U.S. officials also stressed that they are still eager for North Korea to return to multilateral disarmament talks and are not ready to declare the multi-year effort to end North Korea's nuclear program a failure.

"We feel the door does still remain open, that we're ready to engage," said State Department spokesman Ian Kelly. He described the Obama administration's effort now as trying to "bring international pressure to bear to get them to reverse their course."

In Tokyo, a former defense minister and ruling party lawmaker said Japan should consider developing the ability to conduct preemptive strikes against North Korea, even though Japan's constitution prohibits it from taking offensive military action.

South Korea had long resisted U.S. pressure to join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), which was created in 2003 by President George W. Bush and includes more than 90 countries that have agreed to stop and inspect suspicious cargo on sea and land.

Seoul was reluctant to rile North Korea, but North Korea's second nuclear test nudged Seoul Korea to change its policy.

North Korea has long been suspected of shipping or flying missiles to customers in the Middle East and South Asia.

As a member of the security initiative, South Korea is likely to receive intelligence information from the United States, Japan and other countries about ships leaving North Korean ports that may be carrying such goods, a government official said in Tokyo.

Joining the international interdiction effort "is a natural obligation for a mature country," said South Korea's foreign minister, Yu Myung-hwan. Even before Monday's nuclear test, peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula had been sorely tested this spring. The North launched a long-range missile, detained a South Korean citizen, kicked out U.N. nuclear inspectors, restarted a plutonium factory and halted the six-nation negotiations on its nuclear program.
"Inter-Korean relations have hit rock bottom," said Yun Duk-min, professor of international politics at the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, a government think tank in Seoul. "So it is the right thing to join PSI, even if North Korea reacts with resistance."

"The current U.S. leadership . . . has drawn the puppets [South Korea] into the PSI," North Korea's military complained Wednesday in a statement.

North Korea is thought to possess more than 200 mid-range Nodong missiles that can strike nearly any part of Japan. The Japanese government, which has invested billions of dollars in a U.S.-made antimissile defense system, is concerned that the North is making progress in designing nuclear warheads that could fit atop its missiles.

"We must look at active missile defense such as attacking an enemy's territory and bases," the former defense minister, Gen Nakatani, said at a meeting of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

In China, where condemnation of the North's nuclear test was surprisingly swift and unambiguous, the state media on Tuesday printed strong reprimands of North Korea from other countries. The shower of criticism was far different from the reaction to North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, when the Chinese media blamed the United States for provoking Pyongyang by cutting off aid.

"This may well be a reflection of Beijing's frustrations for not being able to assert control and influence over North Korea," said Wenran Jiang, research chair of the China Institute at the University of Alberta.

Staff writers Glenn Kessler in Washington, Colum Lynch at the United Nations and Ariana Eunjung Cha in Beijing and special correspondents Stella Kim in Seoul and Akiko Yamamoto in Tokyo contributed to this report.