U-2 spy plane crashed in South Korea

[BoobieCootie 0]

At first glance, I was left with the impression that the recent U-2 spy plane had crashed on the other side of the border and gave N. Korea all the reasons we are the bad guys.

I'm somehow glad that any potential misunderstandings did not happen. On the other hand, I'm also sending a prayer for the pilot that he'll come home okay.

News here.

[billvon 3,120]

>I'm somehow glad that any potential misunderstandings did not happen.

"Misunderstandings?" I think the North Koreans have known we've been spying on them for a long time - they've been complaining about the flights. If the plane had crashed on the northern side of the border, then we'd be bargaining to get him back right now. (Thank god more countries aren't like us, with secret prisons for noncombatant enemies and suspects.)

[FallRate 0]

Quote

(Thank god more countries aren't like us, with secret prisons for noncombatant enemies and suspects.)

Umm, Bill, crack may be fun but it can really screw with the intellect.

FallRate

[Guest]

U-2 and SR-71 flights on the Korean peninsula are nothing new. I saw a U-2 parked at Osan back in '78, and my Wicked Stepfather scheduled SR-71 runs back then (ACS J-2 [cm]). The U-2s & Blackbirds didn't enter DPRK airspace (didn't have to), but they did skim the Z. We'd hear the sonic booms from the '71s all the way down in Seochodong (South Seoul).

One time, the NKs sneaked a SAM unit into the Z (a gross violation of the '53 truce, but who's paying attention?) to shoot at a 71, but it of course missed.

Airborne electronic and photographic surveillance of North Korea is extensive, and when I was there, the Army's part of this massive collection system was called "Guardrail IV". Before going to ACS J-2, my Wicked Stepfather flew RU-21s in the 146th ASA at Taegu.

****

However, I think it's high time we pulled our 37,000 troops out of South Korea and let the ROKs settle the matter themselves. They're a major economic power in NE Asia, with a big middle / working class, so they really don't need us anymore, and they don't want us there anymore either.

These anti-American protests are also nothing new, but they are getting mighty strident. Over ten years ago, a German friend of mine left Korea, saying that anti-western sentiment in general was getting pretty bad even back then. Modifying SOFA isn't going to help.

What is helpful about the Osan U-2 crash is that the pilot made a public apology. I hope he bowed when he did it. Over there, face is everything, and if he made a bowing apology that will help a lot.

And of course, there will be a big financial settlement payed out by Uncle Sam over this.

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."