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Once A Deserter Always A Deserter?

Recently the news has included a story of a US deserter from the 1960's. He was stationed on the North Korean border and "defected" to North Korea. He was in the Army. Not only did he defect, but then he appeared in anti-US propaganda films.

The twist is that he met and married a Japanese citizen who had been abducted by North Korea in the 1970's. Apparently, up to 13 Japanese citizens were abducted and taken to North Korea against their will. They were held their and used to teach North Korean spies to speak Japanese. Well, so now there is the the sympathy part of the story. This Japanese woman has now been allowed to return to Japan. North Korea admits taking her against her will. The US deserter and their children have now joined her in Japan. Since Japan and the US have treaties covering US military personnel, the US now can prosecute him for desertion.

Click Here to read a story about this in more detail. There is one small mention that one of his family members says he, too, was abducted and didn't desert. However, he doesn't say that and there has really not been a lot said about that.

So, what do you think? Should the US pardon him or prosecute him?

Deserter Always Deserter Once

I guess that if he stays outside of the country, he should be left alone. If he wants to make his record clean, then he should turn himself in, and face the consequences. Otherwise, he should live as a man without a country.

Once A Deserter Always A Deserter? History & Civil Business Politics

I have been following this story since it broke sometime last week. It is very interesting because of the circumstances surrounding his departure, and now his need to go to Japan because of health reasons. He is very old now, and obviously in dire need of medical attention, but it is reported soon after his desertion, he was featured in anti-Americal films, etc. It is my opinion that no matter the age, a crime against your country is still a crime, and therefore should be punishable. I am for him receiving the treatment he needs etc, but after that he needs to be ready to be accountable for his former actions.

Edited: malexander on 18th Jul, 2004 - 6:41pm

Deserter Always Deserter Once

In his run for US President in 1844 a man most of you will know, by name Joseph Smith, said this of deserters:

Dubhdara.

Deserter Always Deserter Once

Here is an update on this story:

ref: https://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/07/2...reut/index.html

Apparently the Japanese have been touched by Jenkin's story and would like to see some type of plea bargain. To date the US has held off any actions against Jenkins due to his health problems. I have made my stance on this pretty clear. Do you think the Japanese are right in asking for the US to forgive him, or are they letting their emotions get the best of them? Remember, he is not only a deserter, but was seen in many North Korean anti-US films, although his family claims he was brainwashed when he did this.

Once A Deserter Always A Deserter?

I think that as long as he doesn't want to return to the US, we should just ignore him. Let the Japanese deal with him. I don't see it as a matter of forgiving him, but rather of letting a poor old man alone. Prosecuting him would give no useful results.

Once Deserter Always Deserter

I think he needs to be prosecuted. I don't think he needs to go to jail, but he should be given a dishonorable discharge. I think it is important because of the message it sends to others in the military. I think he should be severely inconvenienced while waiting for his trial also. He needs to be attached to some military base in the US while awaiting trial and be forced to report for duty - kitchen or grounds keeping or even just pushing papers around or answering the phones, whatever his health will allow.