North Korea - what now?

The veteran who wrote me last night - an email I posted - sent me this "rewrite" if you will. His extensive experience impels us to take note. The email is re-posted below. The writer served for 27 years in the U.S. Army in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, he was stationed in South Korea for 5 years.

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In light of the recent political and military developments on the Korean peninsula, this President should immediately take practical, preventive measures to safeguard the families of service members & DoD employees stationed in the Republic of Korea.

NEO - Non-combatant Evacuation Operation

IF hostilities break out on the Korean peninsula, massive logistical resources would be required to move more than 20,000 American family members out of the country.

Even under peaceful circumstances, a military conducted NEO (non-combatant evacuation operation) would stretch the limits of the U.S. military currently deployed in the region.

It's time to for our leadership to seriously question the wisdom of allowing family members to remain in South Korea. The old colonial, country club, status quo atmosphere of our military in the ROK needs a swift kick-in-the-ass...

As a former soldier who directly supported a small-scale NEO exercise in South Korea, IF shit hits the fan, our troops will immediately focus on protecting family members trapped in a war zone. Why? Because it's a logical, natural reaction.

What would you do IF you were a soldier with family members under direct fire?

Once the DPRK announced it no longer would honor the 1953 Armistice ending the Korean War. the old rules governing the political and military game changed. A De Facto state-of-war now exists on the Korean Peninsula. Allowing family members to remain in the R.O.K. is nothing short of gross incompetence.

By enacting an immediate NEO, it would send a strong message to North Korea, but more importantly China, that the U.S. is serious about defending its allies in the region. It would show the DPRK that the U.S. is listening closely to both its words and actions.

This President has the moral responsibility to safeguard the lives of Americans. IF the U.S. is serious about defending South Korea and Japan, it needs to devote ALL its resources towards
reaching and maintaining this political and military objective. The continued presence of family members in South Korea is a recipe for both a military and humanitarian disaster.

The rules of the region's political game have changed. When Germany invaded Poland, my grandfather didn't wait around for the shooting to start in France.He immediately put his family on a boat out of the country.

While I understand our government's desire to avoid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, not immediately enacting a full scale NEO it's nothing short of gross incompetence.

Once again, since North Korea announced it no longer would honor the 1953 Armistice ending the Korea War, a De Facto state-of-war now exists on the Korean Peninsula. Would our government allow family members to remain in places like Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Iraq or Afghanistan?

This President must act and act now. Given the continued unpredictable behavior of the North Korean leadership, signing the order for a full scale NEO is both a prudent and logical step.

To do otherwise represents a complete lack of moral leadership.