North Korea

Re “A Spark That Might Ignite,” by Chalmers Johnson (Commentary, Dec. 20), I can only say “bravo,” and why isn’t our government listening to this man and the American people who believe, unlike our political leaders, that American blood and money are not cheap.

The war was won with North Korea at a terrible cost when the Chinese decided to become involved and destroy the Paper Tiger, the United States. The Chinese bolstered North Koreans, started the war up again and the United Nations forced a political settlement after three more years of supposed negotiations with North Korea. During this time more Americans were killed in treacherous acts by North Koreans than during the actual war. All this time, the hands of our military were tied behind their backs by the U.N. and no-win attitude of the U.S. government.

South Korea has twice the population of North Korea and is a very progressive nation with an $8 billion imbalance of trade with the United States. There is no reason in the world for American troops to be sacrificing themselves for this strong South Korea, no reason for any American troops to be in South Korea suffering, no reason for the U.S. to waste $3 billion a year of our needed money and no reason for any more American deaths.

DONALD L. MELLMAN

Studio City