A couple of the blogs run by expats who have been in Korea a few years voiced what is a common phenomenon when Korean anti-US activity starts to hit a peak: they took some comfort in a poll that said most Koreans are opposed to the violent protests in Pyongtaek.

If you read around the site I have worked on since 2002 (www.usinkorea.org) you should see that I am not suprised by the recent polls reporting major opposition to the effort by anti-US groups to delay or kill the Pyongtaek expansion plan.

These are the realities:

Below the age of 70, the vast majority of Koreans view the US relationship as:

A Necessary Evil.

Just because they deem it "necessary" does not wipe out the "evil" part.

I have said from the beginning, since 1997:

the Process of anti-Americanism is about keeping an acceptable amount of heat on the US in Korea - never too hot but never cold.

It was the truth in 1997 and long before, and it is true today.

Even in the throes of the orgy of hate of 2002, when Donald Rumsfeld started talking about leaving and announced some units would go to Iraq never to return to Korea, and the US news media began watching, ---- Korea put a halt to the orgy.

Now, even before Pyongtaek protests turned violent ---

1/4th of USFK is leaving and the US has shown clear determination in reshaping USFK or else....

So, it is absolutely no suprise most Koreans are against the protest movement.

They don't want to lose USFK.

But that does not mean they like or respect or even really want to want USFK and the US relationship.

Let me put it this way ---

I never understood the saying, "Have your cake and eat it too" until I got to understand Korean society's overall view of the US in relation to Korea:

They want the security guarantee and the US consumer market ----

but they also want to pump up Korean sense of nationalism by beating the hell out of the US in Korea and especially the US military in Korea.

If they believe their enjoyment at exercising developed and pent up frustration at the US in Korea might have gone too far - that it might have caused a backlash in the US or in the US government ----

they turn off the spigot of anti-Americanism

and turn on good sounding words about the "blood alliance" and how "most Koreans want the US military to stay in Korea" and how the relationship has been such a wonderful partnership.

Then when the danger of change has passed --- it is back to the normal routine of fomenting anti-US thoughts throughout the society.

I learned this teaching Korean adults, but you can see it through the media too.

The media follows this pattern.

They also report quotes from government officials and quotes from people in the street and polls and so on.

What you will find if you did enough is that the process of cultivating hate and necessary "love" is institutionalized in Korea in several of the key society-influencing institutions like the National Assembly, news media, elements of pop culture, and these days, even elementary school education.

So -------- Korean society is against obstruction of the Pyongtaek base expansion by radical groups.

No suprise.

None at all.

And it should give Americans absolutely no comfort.

It is all part of the long functioning process of anti-Americanism.

A necessary evil is still deemed evil.....