Why in HELL would a person do this?

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67Dart273

67Dart273

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I see on tonight's "news" that Merrill Newman, 85 years old, was released from custody in N. Korea. So let's add this up

You fought behind enemy lines in the Korean conflict, an action surely not to be fondly remembered by your enemy

You are elderly.............85 years old.

So the obvious answer? Why, go "on tour" in one of the most unfriendly countries in the world!!!!!

I have to say, I would not have had a lot of sympathy if the lunatics in N Korea would have kept him.
 
Good question!

Been contemplating this for a week or two!

Make a statement about War crimes that was obviously staged! Seems some have lost faith and Honor for the country they once served or did we forget their service to drive someone to this outcome?
 
greymouser7 said:
What's the deal with denis rodman living it up over there? Is fame so important to the North Korean leader?
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You have it backwards, LOL. "Is fame so important to Rodman?"

This is a good example of "why we should never listen" to anyone " ({
}) " "famous" about anything political or economic, or for that matter, "anything else."
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Ditto for all the people who venture into inhospitable countries where Americans are hated, like Iran and dozens of other Muslim states in Africa and the Middle and Far East. They are stupid and selfish to expect their own country to bail them out just because they have a yen to do their thing where it's not appreciated,and in some places illegal.
 
GaryS said:
Ditto for all the people who venture into inhospitable countries where Americans are hated, like Iran and dozens of other Muslim states in Africa and the Middle and Far East. They are stupid and selfish to expect their own country to bail them out just because they have a yen to do their thing where it's not appreciated,and in some places illegal.
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AMEN to not listening to any one famous, especially actors. they are totally out of touch w/ what`s right and wrong. example= alec baldwin!--------------------------------my 3 cents worth
 
"You fought behind enemy lines in the Korean conflict, an action surely not to be fondly remembered by your enemy

You are elderly.............85 years old.

So the obvious answer? Why, go "on tour" in one of the most unfriendly countries in the world!!!!!"

He was looking for Ghosts!!!
 
Gee big dan..I dont get it either...makes about as much sense as keeping a toad in a shoebox and calling it 'pete'....aint much in this old world now a days that makes sense,lots of changes and trends in a short period and cant say I like any of them...sometimes you have to 'unsubscribe ' from it all just to retain your sanity..or whats left of it...
 
I can understand wanting to return for your own personal reasons when going through something so traumatic as a war! Maybe he needs closure, or needs to be at peace with something that is so removed from most people nowadays, but is very real and present to him! You never know how being put in that situation will affect a person, and maybe this is his way to heal! If you can't live with it anymore, and you're 85, maybe you're willing to take the chance!! Just sayin!! Geof
 
cosgig said:
I can understand wanting to return for your own personal reasons when going through something so traumatic as a war! Maybe he needs closure, or needs to be at peace with something that is so removed from most people nowadays, but is very real and present to him! You never know how being put in that situation will affect a person, and maybe this is his way to heal! If you can't live with it anymore, and you're 85, maybe you're willing to take the chance!! Just sayin!! Geof
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I agree with cosgig.
There are there are guys that return to Vietnam too.

And as far as Rodman they could have kept him.
 
Just because you have personal demons, it's not a good enough reason to put your country in a touchy international situation with a bunch of fanatics with nuclear weapons and the largest army in the region. He could have gone to South Korea if he felt a need to visit old places.

If he was one of the Marines surrounded at the Chosin Resevoir when China entered the war, it wasn't quite the same as "fighting behind enemy lines" means in WWII context. It was the front line, and it was moving as the Marines advanced in the opposite direction...as they like to describe it.

We should have stayed out of Korea in 1951, and he should have stayed out now.
 
Well I at least give the guy credit for turning down a ride on the presidential jet with Joe Biden !!!!!!!!!! He was offered a ride and he turned Joe biden down straight to Jo Jo's face--LOL -you got to give him credit for doing that--Steve
 
GaryS said:
Just because you have personal demons, it's not a good enough reason to put your country in a touchy international situation with a bunch of fanatics with nuclear weapons and the largest army in the region. He could have gone to South Korea if he felt a need to visit old places.

If he was one of the Marines surrounded at the Chosin Resevoir when China entered the war, it wasn't quite the same as "fighting behind enemy lines" means in WWII context. It was the front line, and it was moving as the Marines advanced in the opposite direction...as they like to describe it.

We should have stayed out of Korea in 1951, and he should have stayed out now.
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Well put
 
My 89 year old grandfather who was in WWII ask me,"Do you think God will forgive me for what I did?" I can certainly understand why this gentleman wanted to go back after seeing the anguish in Grandpa's face.
 
FJ5 said:
My 89 year old grandfather who was in WWII ask me,"Do you think God will forgive me for what I did?" I can certainly understand why this gentleman wanted to go back after seeing the anguish in Grandpa's face.
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Please, shake your grandfathers hand for me and tell him Thank You for his service to our country and for our freedom!!!

There is no way in this world I could ever imagine what these soldiers have gone thru and what they feel inside!
 
greymouser7 said:
What's the deal with denis rodman living it up over there? Is fame so important to the North Korean leader?
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yeah, that diabetic pile of **** has a fascination with famous people. Yet wants to destroy us.

The world would be a better place if the whole N. Korean govt. was wiped off the face of the planet. Too bad doing so would start WWIII
 
While I can't speak to the gentleman's personal motivations to visit the DPRK, the lack of wisdom is patently obvious. Sort of reminds me of one those useful quotes I heard in SERE school...
"Avoid ejecting over the area you just bombed." - John McCain
 
I guess it's easy for guy's who have never been in a uniform to criticize the mans motivation for returning.
I can't speak for him personally, but sometimes I feel as thou I left part of my soul in the middle east.
There are times when I think if I go back, I can get some of me that I left back.
But, when I'm 85 and I'm thinking I'm going to seeing my maker at any time, I'm going to want to reconcile my peace.
Government be damned, they put me in that position in the first place.
This guy probably got drafted, so screw the inconvenience he put the government thru.
It's a hard thing to explain. I guess it's even harder to understand if you never been there.
If you never wore a uniform and took a shot, then keep your pie hole shut!
 
gunbunny said:
who have never been in a uniform !
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What makes you think this is true?




I can understand perfectly this idea of "going back" but to N Korea? A casual glance at any newspaper is enough to change most people's minds
 
gunbunny said:
I can't speak for him personally, but sometimes I feel as thou I left part of my soul in the middle east.
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thank you for your service

your story brought to mind this old tune

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lcFXQnbiyI"]Still in Saigon Tribute to Vietnam - YouTube[/ame]
 
What makes you think this is true?
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there is a lot of "era" vets and peace time vets that don't "it"
but since you brought it up, MOS?
I can understand perfectly this idea of "going back" but to N Korea? A casual glance at any newspaper is enough to change most people's minds
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don't matter, you go where you have to go. If that's where it happened, then that's where you go.
I doubt very seriously I would be welcomed with open arms in Fallujah, but that may be where I have to go, to make my peace.

I could be all wrong, maybe the guy is nuts. Maybe he lost his favorite marble there. If the U.S. hadn't sent him there to begin with, he wouldn't have had a reason to return.
 
gunbunny said:
I guess it's easy for guy's who have never been in a uniform to criticize the mans motivation for returning.
I can't speak for him personally, but sometimes I feel as thou I left part of my soul in the middle east.
There are times when I think if I go back, I can get some of me that I left back.
But, when I'm 85 and I'm thinking I'm going to seeing my maker at any time, I'm going to want to reconcile my peace.
Government be damned, they put me in that position in the first place.
This guy probably got drafted, so screw the inconvenience he put the government thru.
It's a hard thing to explain. I guess it's even harder to understand if you never been there.
If you never wore a uniform and took a shot, then keep your pie hole shut!
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I wore the uniform for over twenty years and never heard a shot fired in anger, so perhaps you don't think my 2 cents isn't worth 2 cents, but Ill offer it anyway. While I don't question the motivation, I question his wisdom and the wisdom of family members that might have had some influence on his decision to go to that psycho-run hellhole. He didn't inconvenience the government, he put his friends, family and every American citizen at risk and asked them to foot the bill for his bad decision.

I've known lots of returning combat vets and most are well adjusted, while some are emotional basket cases. Not saying it hasn't happened, but I have yet to know anyone who resolved issues by returning to the site of their emotional trauma. In my opinion, it plays better in Hollywood than it does in real life.

If I ever decide to go somewhere I'm not wanted, and my country doesn't want me to go, I'm on my own and I won't be looking for, or expecting rescue from anyone.
 
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