To the Editor:
Imagine if a consortium of European states had intervened in our own Civil War, separated the North from the South, and established a semipermenant “defense” force along the Mason-Dixon line, still there 50 years on. In Korea we are not defending a country, but part of a country. It is a defense of the indefensible. We have become the major irritant in the present situation, and many Koreans, not just in the North, want us out so that some sort of political unification of the country can begin. Nothing good will ever happen as long as we are there.
Time to get out, before someone does something stupid. Let there be an official announcement and arrangements for a ceremony. Let North and South shake hands as a show of their mutual interests, then strike up the band and come on home. If after that it comes to force and arms, that will be a cause of sorrow, but let the Koreans do the fighting and the mourning.
Michael Hall
Tisbury
Interesting idea–and on the way out leave nuclear weapons in the hands of the Japanese and South Korea so China can be irritated for a change.