NEWS: Japan Arranges Reunion in Jakarta for US Deserter & Wife, page 1

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 12:59 AM

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The Japanese government has arranged for a US Korean War Deserter who has lived in N. Korea for some 40 years to have a reunion with his Japanese wife in Jakarta. The former soldier did not want to leave N. Korea to a country where he could be extradited back to the US to face charges.

story.news.yahoo.com
Koizumi raised the issue with President Bush last month and got sympathy but no concessions.

Secretary of State Colin Powell was also firm.

"The Japanese are approaching this as a humanitarian issue and we understand and accept that," he told reporters, but added: "Sgt. Jenkins is, of course, a deserter from the U.S. Army and those charges remain outstanding."

Little is known about Jenkins' life in North Korea, or his motives for his 1965 defection from a unit near the Demilitarized Zone dividing the peninsula. He is known to have taught English and played an American villain in government propaganda movies. Soga, whom he met when she was a student in his English class, is 20 years his junior.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Powell's stance seems a little harsh. I can understanding the need to have severe penalties for desertion in the army, but this man would be an intelligence bonanza considering how long he has lived in N. Korea. I think it would be better to have him come back home.

-koji K.

[edit on 8-7-2004 by koji_K]

[edit on 8-7-2004 by koji_K]

[edit on 8-7-2004 by koji_K]

[edit on 8-7-2004 by John bull 1]

Jamuhn

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 01:02 AM

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Isn't there a statute of limitations for all crimes. I didn't realize it was possible for a crime to be outstanding for this long. Maybe the statute only applies for certain crimes. I guess they thought this one guy would have made the difference in Korea...

koji_K

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 02:27 AM

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i did some research on the statute of limitations issue for desertion, and the relevant statute seems to say there is none (!):

10 U.S.C.A. � 843 Art. 43. Statute of limitations:

(a) A person charged with absence without leave or missing movement in time of war, or with any offense punishable by death, may be tried and punished at any time without limitation.

-koji K.

mako0956

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 02:59 AM

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We've all heard stories of 80+ year old men being tried for war crimes.
Not very often, but we've heard of them.

How then can the government charge these other guys and not this one?

I guess there is no statute of limitations.

After living 40 years in one place and basically changing his lifestyle to accomodate the new culture, this man is not the same man.
40 years is a whole life time.

(What would the "new" adoptive country's policy be on desertion?)

*And what's up with the "reunion"?

[edit on 8-7-2004 by mako0956]

starky

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 11:55 AM

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Powell's stance seems very harsh. maybe along with kerry we need to look back at powell and his influence in viet nam.

torque

posted on Jul, 8 2004 @ 12:55 PM

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It seems he'd be courtmartialed and therefor able to give his side of the story. But, however harsh it seems, it's the way it goes. You sign up and either do your tour or pay the consequences of deserting.

I think this could go a few ways. Either we'll play the compassion card and let him off with a light slap which will look good for Bush on a human level as well as giving us a little sugar with Japan. Or we'll slap him good for his desertion as a message that we are serious about the way we run the military. Or the dude will split with his family to some new corner of the earth where we can't get him and the question will be moot.

TexasConspiracyNut

posted on Jul, 9 2004 @ 09:41 PM

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He should be returned to the United States, interogated, and if he cooperates spend the remainder of his life behind bars. If no cooperation is received then he should be eliminated. He is a traitor and a coward.

This is the way ALL traitors should be treated with NO exceptions.

koji_K

posted on Jul, 16 2004 @ 05:09 AM

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Texas-

he signed up for the army when he was 15. i think he may have an action for negligence there against the army for allowing him in. it also goes to show both his bravery and his mental state when he was in korea (ie, young and foolish.) i think these are mitigating factors.

latest update:

story.news.yahoo.com... 535&e=4&u=/ap/20040716/ap_on_re_as/japan_jenkins

-koji K.

bullseye98

posted on Jul, 16 2004 @ 05:37 AM

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he signed up for the army when he was 15.

Actually, he was 25. He's 64 now, defected in '65.

koji_K

posted on Jul, 16 2004 @ 05:47 AM

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he was 15 when he signed up with the national guard:

Jenkins, who lied about his age to enlist in the North Carolina Army National Guard at 15, was so proud of his uniform he would wear it to school, Lassiter said. He later dropped out of school to join the regular army, rising to the rank of sergeant.

source: news.yahoo.com.../afp/20040716/wl_afp/us_nkorea_jenkins_040716041810

you're right he defected at age 25, so i guess he was old enough to bear responsibilty for his decisions. i was under the impression he had signed up for the korean war, but in retrospect he'd have to be much older. turns out he refused to serve in nam. strange behaviour for someone so eager to join the army. but apparently he came from a poor town where the army was the only way out (same article). the cycle claims another victim, in an odd way...

-koji K.

FredT

posted on Jul, 16 2004 @ 06:02 AM

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Any Possibility that this guy was a CIA plant? I mean he fits the profile, the fact that he is not in shackles, He is being treated rather well for a deserter. If you are going to try to infiltrate one of these cells, it would be a good tactic to take. Plus his background would help him assimilate in etc. The CIA has been known to run ops from within military units without the units knowledge.