약 한달  전 쯤  새로 임명된 미 8군 의무 사령관의 취임식이 있어서  staff  몇 명과  평택 Camp Humphrey를 방문할 기회가 있었다.

   과거에 평택을 방문한 기억도 없었고 과문한 탓에  용산 8 군과 비슷하겠거니 하고  병원 을 떠났다.

   Canph Humphrey 를 Navigation에 찍고 시간에 맞추어 도착하게-----

   도착하고 보니, 나에게는 그 규모, 환경----놀람움 그 자체였다.

     1)  우선 대한 민국에 그렇게 넓은 평야가 있다는 것이 놀라웠다.

     2)  도착한후 영문에서 신원 검사하고  연병장까지 찾아가는데 차로 25-30 분 걸렸다. 한번 길을 잃어서 묻느라고 시간의 낭비가 있었지만, 평택 기지의  크기를 미루어 짐작하실  수 있을 것이라--- 시간에 부대에 도착하고 서도,  우리는  취임식의 끝 부분만을 참석할 수  있었다.

        그안 자체로 하나의 도시 였다.

         부대 중앙에 있는 큰 비행장,  영내로 다니는 뻐스. 택시,  군 시설은 물론 주거시설 ,식당-- 병원, 수의과 병원, 유치원 각종학교 -        각종 체육시설, 운동장, 부대 밖에 건축중인 아파트며 각종 부대 사업 시설등을 보면  미군 이전이 의미하는 파급 효과가 만만치 않을 듯하다.

그날 다녀오고 나서, 나는 스스로 생각하고 있었다.

트럼프의  뱉어내는  미군 철수-- 온갖 잡소리들 다 정치적 발언이지, 미국의 청책이 아니리라.

평택 건설은  남북한 문제를 대비한 것이라기 보다는  미래의 대 중국 &  대 러시아  --상대로한 미국의 장기적인 포석이라고 생각 할 수 밖에 없었다.

평택은 한국에 있는   군사기지 라기 보다는 미국의  한  커다란 군사 도시였다.

아마도 우리 생애에 미군이  평택을 떠나는 가는성은 희박해 보였다.

"Few Americans who have never served in the armed forces overseas have any conception of the nature

of impact of an American base complex, with its massive military facilities, post exchanges, dependents'

estates, swimming pools, and golf courses, and the associated bars, strip clubs, whorehouses, and veneral

disease clinics that they attract in a land like Okinawa. They extend miles, dominating localities and in

some cases whole nations. In South Korea, for example, huge military camptowns(기지촌) have

existed from the time of the Korean war."

- Blowback; The Cost and Consequences of American Empire by Chalmers Johnson

South Korean tax payers, in fact, are funding the luxurious American soldiers’ living standard

in the name of defending against North Korea. If the purpose of American military presence in

S.K. is not only for defense against NK but for that against China and Russia, Why should 

SK put up with the most of the cost?

Every nation on earth acknowledges that Cold War is long gone. Every US citizen is deeply

concerned with budget deficit that is mounting every day. The main culprit of it is defense

spending. However, foreign US military bases has remained same. In my opinion, efficiency

of the foreign military presence in terms of cost/benefit ratio is horrendously low. Benefactors

are weapon industry and merchants as well as generals and politicians linked to lobbyists.

I think Trump is looking into the problem. He has to fight against the Washington establishment.

The solution to what Dr. Choh mentioned for South Korea is a rather simple one.

Just get a nuclear weapon !! 

The proof is just to see what North Korea had done.

See, the mighty U.S. and China bent their knees in front of the KIM.

As always, it will be too late by the time God tells us what to do.

Now is the good time to do it since The South has a legitimate excuse that The North has one already.

Tell the UN that The South is still in a war against The North.

If The South can not make one, just buy one from The North.

During the cold war era,  it was OK as long as you lined up with one side of the two. Now it is not

quite same, but it is becoming like the atmosphere in the 20th and early part of 21st century

before the world war II. The strong sucked up the weak. The weak could not stand alone.

The national strength and the unity was the only thing that made the sovereign country survive.

Everybody knows there are no friends between nations. The hate or the love between them

waxes and wanes for the national interests. Koreans should realize that "의리" does not play

any role between nations. *There is no proper translation for 의리.

It is one thing to recognize the great contributions of America to Korea, mending the tragedies

occurred in the past, i.e division of the country is another. I think South Korea has grown to be

strong enough because of America to say "No" to America. Divergence of the interests between

U.S. and South Korea is starting to emerge here and there as denuclearization and peace talk

in progress. I would say to Koreans, "Do not pay to foreign troops for your own defense but

do your own soldiers!"