Retired general and former U.S. secretary of state Alexander Haig made an unexpected statement in his congratulatory remarks at the tenth anniversary of the Washington Times, celebrated in 1992.

       “I am a veteran of the Korean War,” he said. “As a commander, I was in charge of the attack against Heungnam, and we staged the strongest attack we could. I am deeply moved to hear that Reverend Moon was being held by the communists and was set free by that day’s attack. It seems I was sent there to free Reverend Moon. Now, Reverend Moon is here to save America. The Washington Times is a newspaper that will save the American people by providing a balanced view of history that is neither right nor left, and show us the way forward. As we see, there is no such thing as coincidence in history.”

       A few years ago in Korea, there were people making the argument that the famous statue of General Douglas MacArthur in an Incheon park should be removed. If United Nations Forces had not joined the war effort, the country would not be divided between North and South, as it is today, this argument went. I was shocked to hear this. Such an argument can only be made from the position of the communist party of North Korea.

       Great sacrifices were made on a global level, and yet the peninsula remains divided. We do not know the exact date when unification will come, but it is clear that we are making strong strides in that direction. There are many obstacles to be overcome on the road to unification. As we come face to face with each obstacle, we need to work to tear it down and then move on. Though it may take a long time and prove difficult, unification will absolutely come if we work with the same desperation we would have if we were swimming across the Yalu River.

       Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Romania resisted change the longest among the communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Then, at the end of 1989, Romania experienced a bloody uprising by its people. As soon as the regime was toppled, Nicolae Ceausescu, who had ruled the country for twenty-four years, was executed, along with his wife. He was a brutal dictator who mercilessly massacred those who opposed his policies. In any country, one reason a dictator will tend to tighten his grip is that he fears for his life in the event he may lose power. I think that if a dictator can be certain that his own life will not be placed in danger, he will not go headlong down a dead-end street in the manner of Ceausescu.