By Here is a short video from Voice of America on the future of the Korean Truth & Reconciliation Commission:
After watching the video I recommend reading my prior posting on the findings of the Korean Truth & Reconciliation Commission that were released earlier this week.
1:01 am on July 14th, 2010 1
I noticed some of the points made in that docu film. My comments are in brackets.
"Most Koreans could care less what happened 60 years ago". (Yet all the Koreans are keep getting bashed by people here, as if majority of Koreans really care)
"Conservatives have attacked this commission as leftist" ( I would add the American expats to the list who have attacked this commission, who wants to silence any possible criticism of America)
"Atrocities by US forces should be investigated too" (Why should they get a free pass?)
"The work by the commission is being winded down" (Happy now?)
8:06 pm on July 14th, 2010 2
Her name is Ma and she's got a "ma" leaf on the back of her sweater. Well, she's got an interesting sense of humor.
11:28 pm on July 14th, 2010 3
#1: Tom, somehow I feel I'm going to regret responding to you, but here it goes:
"I would add the American expats to the list who have attacked this commission, who wants to silence any possible criticism of America."
No, not really. You see, we view commissions like this as having zero credibility. I'm not super familiar with atrocities in the Korean War, but I am somewhat familiar with those from the Vietnam War. Lets look at the My Lai and Hue Massacres:
My Lai: A US infantry platoon (50 or so Soldiers) with questionable orders from a company commander (in charge of 150 or so Soldiers) goes out of control and murders 300-500 Viets.
Hue 1968: A large NVA/VC force takes over a major city. Using prepared lists and with orders from a very high level, the Communists round up "recationary elements". People like grade school teachers and priests. During their brief occupation, the Communists execute around 3000 (conservative estimate) of these people.
Despite the differences in command influence and body count, those who obsess over My Lai almost always downplay and/or whitewash Hue. One can get good examples of this in Stanley Karnow's "Vietnam: A History" or Neil Sheehan's "Bright and Shining Lie" where both authors go on about My Lai on multiple pages while wrapping up Hue in a terse paragraph. Then there is the garbage excreted by the likes of Chomsky or Zinn who tend to actually support the like of Hue!
In Korea, you have a similar template. Communists would systematically kill troublemakers with involved plans and US atrocities involve a bunch of scared and tired junior Soldiers taking matters in their own hands and violate instructions to do the exact opposite.
Now from what I've seen and heard of this Truth and Reconciliation Commission, I suspect there are similar goings on. I'm quite certain if one were to look deep into their records, you will find they boil down to about no more than 1% "NKPA and Chicoms did bad things. Blah blah blah blah" and the rest is "ZOMG!!! AMERICAN PRIVATES, SERGEANTS AND LIEUTENANTS MURDERED INNOCENT CIVILLIANS!!!!!!".
Given that, why should someone like myself take a group like this seriously?
"“Atrocities by US forces should be investigated too” (Why should they get a free pass?)"
Given what I stated above, it looks to me like the free pass goes to the Communists. Why is that?
11:54 pm on July 14th, 2010 4
I just love it. I absolutely love it.
Whenever the US commits war crimes, there's always a good reason why they committed what they committed. There's like study upon study and thousands of analysis, different angles, explanations, and excuses why the US soldiers did what they did.
On the other hand, if S.Koreans are accused of the similar types of crimes, it's because they are bunch of wild savage murdering monkeys, no need to "trying to understand the minds behind the thinking". Hey, just maybe those S.Korean war criminal.. they had the same explanations as you guys. Maybe they couldn't tell the enemy and friends apart. Maybe they were stressed out after getting kicked in the ass by the enemy and seeing their buddies killed. But no, only Americans are allowed to give an explanation, and benefit of the doubt, and of course, all the excuses.
1:48 am on July 15th, 2010 5
Yeah, I regret responding to Tom. Should have known better
. Tom, I know you probably won't respond to this, but just to weaken your already sad credibility here:
1. Do you understand there is a difference between some General or executive level political leader ordering Soldiers to murder civilians and the instructions coming from squad or platoon level?
2. Why are you whining about ROK atrocities? Nobody tossed the ROK military into the mix on this thread and to the best of my knowledge not on any associated threads. Are you trying to change the subject?
3. I again ask you why someone like myself should take comments from a group like this commission with anything more than a grain of salt given they want to focus on only a small portion of atrocities?