Where is Our Social Conscience? Date Friday, April 19, 2024 - 04:08 PM PST Topic News I'm living in a country where Americans are not looked upon with much favor. This has in large part to do with the over 100 military bases in South Korea for the last 50 years and the relatively minor control that the South Korean government has over those forces. Generally I am not hated, or disliked, and I have to admit that only twice have I heard the oh so endearing phrase "Yankee go home". I have to admit, though, that I can understand why people dislike Americans so much. Allot of the anger goes in the most part to the willingness to cover up, hide, or ignore events that effect non-Americans. Currently there is a great deal of anger being directed at the American military for the death of two young Korean teenagers who were on their way to a birthday party. As they were walking to the party a tank ran them over. The two men who were driving the tank were on duty at the time preforming training exercises. The driver said that he did not see them walking on the pedestrian road. His co-driver said that there was a communication break down which resulted in the driver being unable to hear the warning to stop. All of this happened in June as the World Cup games were getting underway and for the most part the story was buried in both Korean and American media. However, it was not forgotten and as the verdict came in, Korean's were roused once again. These two girls died in one of the most horrific ways I can think of, and I really do feel horribly for their families. These were young girls. What is even more horrific is the way that the situation has been handled by the American government and the Military. Since the men in question where on duty at the time, they are under the jurisdiction of the Military and are not capable of being held responsible in a Korean court of law because of the SOFA agreement (Status of Forces Agreement ) which says that American's on duty cannot be tried by Korea. The driver, Sergeant Nino, was charged with negligent homicide and was acquitted last month, much to the dismay of Koreans. Had he been convicted, Sergeant Nino would have been faced up to six years of imprisonment. Under U.S.. civil and military law, the prosecution is not permitted to appeal a not-guilty verdict. Koreans have been protesting the decision and are calling for a formal apology from the President. The President send his deepest regrets, but not in person. Officially, on camera, by phone, or even through an email, the President has not personally commented on the death of the two Korean girls. He sent his deepest regrets through an emissary, which only added to the feeling of disgust that many Koreans already felt. In a country where there is already a great deal of anger at American military forces this came as a harsh blow. South Koreans were already disgusted by the President and his declaration against North Korea as a member of the Axis of evil. Relations between the nations of North and South Korea have been at a stalemate for a good 50 years, although the two countries have never signed a peace treaty and are still at war. Any negative sentiment or warmongering that the US will direct towards the North, and indeed, any operations that might be lead in the North, will come from the South, putting far more Koreans in danger than Americans. The war on terrorism continues to give people in the South pause. It would not be unthinkable for the US to consider the North a viable target after they finish wiping up the pieces in Iraq. Considering the unwillingness of Bush to accept the release of information from Iraq about it's weapons program and the constant search the US seems to be launching for any reason to go to war, it would not be unthinkable to find the North a target. Especially after the announcement at the end of October of the North's nuclear weapons program. I was home the weekend the verdict was announced. Home in my little apartment in South Korea, which is an oddity in and of itself. I was watching the X-files on AFN (Armed Forces Network) when across the bottom of the screen a news warning was flashed. The news was mostly for American military stationed in South Korea. It warned about possible protests because of the verdict, and cautioned military personal to be prepared for attacks on US bases in the South, to obey the curfew, and to avoid the general public of South Korea. I have never felt more in my life like going out and joining a protest. One has to wonder, or at least question what it is that the US is currently doing in the world. I ask myself why all the time, but I can't find an answer. It seems our President has gone mad with power and is taking one tragedy and multiplying it hundreds of times over. I don't know. For my part, however, this is one little tragedy, the death of two girls, and I thought I would share it so that it would not be entirely forgotten. In the end, only the families of these girls are seriously effected, they've lost their daughters. This article comes from Shmeng http://www.shmeng.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.shmeng.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=444