An 85 year old Korean war veteran just returned home after being held by North Korea as a war criminal for the crimes he committed 60 years ago as a member of the U.S. special forces. Merrill E. Newman was finally released for humanitarian reasons once he apologized. Newman served during the Korean War, fighting behind enemy lines with anti-communist guerrillas against the North. A Korean spokesman said that he was released after admitting what he did, showing remorse for it, and also because of his advanced age. Although it's amazing that Newman was released, North Korea still holds Kenneth Bae with no reasonable cause and have sentenced him to 15 months of hard labor.
I am just astonished that six decades after a conflict, someone would still see it fit to reprimand someone for "crimes" that they committed in the '50's. I don't consider them crimes because they happened during war-time and because North Korea ended up losing, which to me effectively shows that they were wrong and therefore we could charge them with crimes. I know I'm bias, but to hold an 85 year old man in custody is morally reprehensible when he's done nothing to deserve it.
http://news.yahoo.com/u-war-veteran-released-north-korea-returns-home-112839778.html
Tyra Harris, 5th period
ReplyDeletePoor man. He was only fighting for his country, which he was probably drafted to do. I wonder what took him so long to apologize and fake remorse though.