Military Officer - July 2007 - (Page 10)

fromtheeditor Change Will Come Because of the conﬂicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, some tend to forget that other countries — speciﬁcally North Korea and its Kim dynasty — might pose a threat to the U.S. and its allies. D uring our military careers and professional education — from basic course to war college — we spend a good chunk of our time analyzing threats and war-gaming scenarios. Most ofﬁcers relish these spirited exercises — although a few probably feel more at ease in the ﬁeld dealing with concrete matters. Well, for those who enjoy a mind-stretching drill, we have a treat for you this month — another installment in MOAA’s military professional series. “After the Kim Dynasty,” page 56, looks at potential paths for Korea after the end of the Kim dynasty. Why be concerned about Korea, you might ask, when Iraq and global terrorism are the current issues? The answer is simple: The dangers posed by terrorism and tyranny are not conﬁned to the Middle East. Recall North Korea’s missile tests in July 2006 and apparent nuclear detonation a few months later. Could there be another Korean War — or a continuation of the ﬁrst Korean War, which technically was only paused in 1953? The certainty is that neither Kim Jong Il nor his regime will live forever. Some sources predict a fall in ﬁve or 10 years. The unknowns are what direction that fall might take and what America can do to prepare for it. The story’s author, Alan Dowd, proposes several scenarios. Potential outcomes range from a “soft landing,” similar to the reuniﬁcation of East and West Germany, to an “explosion,” a nightmare 10 MILITARY OFFICER J U LY 2 0 0 7 nuclear blowup that sends fallout in every direction. What do you think might happen after the end of the Kim regime? We’d like to hear from you. To post your feedback, go to www.moaa.org/ discussion, and scroll down to After the Kim Dynasty. For those who are not into speculation and war-gaming, you’ll ﬁnd some down-toearth information this month. “Animal House,” page 62, shows how man’s best friend is proving to be a best friend to wounded servicemembers. Guide dogs have been in service for decades, helping blind and vision-impaired veterans. But today’s service animals are doing much more, including helping amputees walk and assisting those with other forms of physical and psychological wounds. And take a look at our newest department, “Faces of MOAA,” page 74. Here we introduce you to fellow MOAA members across the country. We’re always looking for people to recognize, and you’re our source. If you know a member you’d like to nominate, see the guidelines on page 20. Have a great Independence Day! — Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret. PHOTO: STEVE BARRETT http://www.moaa.org/discussion http://www.moaa.org/discussion

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - July 2007

Military Officer - July 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: In Focus After the Kim Dynasty Animal House Paying Tribute MOAA Member Services Pages of History Faces of MOAA Information Exchange Advertising Index MOAA Scholarship Donors MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - July 2007

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