Despite the Taep-dong's failure, the threat mongers now say the capability demonstrated by this test shows that the North Koreans will be able to threaten most US cities with a small chemical or biological warhead in a few years, and therefore, they argue, we have a moral obligation to increase the missile defense budget. While more reasonable thinkers may disagree over the North Korea's intentions, there is little doubt that the North Koreas have some kind of tactical capability to launch a chemical attack on parts of South Korea, and therefore, the North Korean chemical threat to our troops in South Korea is far more real than the North Korean chemical threat to the US homeland. But the email below is from an active duty staff sergeant stationed in Seoul, South Korea suggests our leaders are ignoring this clearer, more present danger. XXX tells us the troops don't have enough protective masks to go around.
Units going to the field for training have to borrow masks from other units.
But he also tell us the military is planning to buy masks for family members. He says it would make more sense militarily and would be far cheaper to remove family dependents from South Korea. They have to borrow from other units when they go to the field. When a soldier gets to be about 3 weeks short, he passes his mask over to a newbie. The rumor I heard about giving pro masks to family members is true.