Ville Memories: Suicide Bomber Ajushi
Here is a only in 2ID story for you. Last night a drunk Korean man made threats to some soldiers about a suicide bombing in the ville. The MP’s then proceeded to clear out the ville of all GI’s. Ajushi may be on to something here. If you want to clear a club of GI’s just announce a suicide bombing is going to happen and instantly you got all the girls in the club to yourself. Not a bad move.
Possibly the MPs are being a little to jumpy about this. What are the odds of ajushi going “mujahadeen” on American soldiers? It must be some what credible because the MP’s took action. If it was at least someone of middle eastern dissent that made the threat, I would give it more credence.
The Army is to jumpy about force protection issues here in Korea. Korea is an extremely safe country and I feel much more safe here then I ever did at lets say Ft. Hood for example. Yet we did not have warnings about Killeen “mujahadeen” trying to kill us, midnight curfews, and a expansive list of off limits areas.
All these force protection announcements portray to soldiers a negative image of Korea as being an unsafe country and indirectly causes possible stereotyping and suspicion of Koreans and other foreign nationals that live in Korea. Korea is a safe place to serve and interact with the people. You can travel any where in Korea safely and as long as you treat Korean nationals with respect the vast majority of them will treat you with the same respect. This is the image of Korea we should promote, not suspicion. I just think Army officials should use more prudence before going overboard with all the force protection advisories.
However, if you are out in the “ville” tonight beware of the TDC “mujahadeen.”
Good points and I agree with you 100%. I know I can walk around at 3 in the morning by myself anywhere in this country (as long as town patrol doesn't catch me) and be safer than in almost any major city back home. That's a fact. I've read all the reasoning and heard the sgt major give his 2 cents worth about the curfew and still none of it makes sense.
I don't even want to hear about "being ready to fight tonight" anymore – if a soldier goes out and gets hammered on a Friday night, he's probably just as drunk staggering through the gate at 12 as he would be at 1, 2, or 3, as most folks pace themselves. If the NORKS attack that night, you still have a very drunk/tired/hung over soldier, either way.
You guys aren't putting yourselves in the positions of the Bn/Bde/Div commanders, who aren't anxious to find themselves in the position of having to explain why they lost a soldier(s) because they failed to anticipate a threat.
Think about the USAF Brig Gen held responsible for insufficient action to protect his troops prior to the Khobar towers bombing (96), or the Bn/Bde Cdrs of 101st when that Islamic E5 rolled the frag into the tent in Kuwait and killed two officers just prior to the attack into Iraq. It's the one you don't see coming that will get you (or your troops).
If I was an Islamic militant I'd be looking for an opportunity to strike US troops in a third country location where it wasn't anticipated. You guys know the local situation better than I ever could, of course, but I assume there's at least some Middle easterners living/working in Korea and all it takes is one. Or a drunken anti-American Korean inspired by what he reads/sees on TV about Iraq.
North Korean infiltrators have committed suicidal attacks in South Korea in the recent past, as you have documented yourself here I believe.
Unfortunately, the post 9/11 world is going to be characterized by gross overreactions to otherwise harmless events, such as a drunk making stupid comments about blowing up something in the ville.