Telling the story of Korea, a forgotten war

Perhaps it's fitting that the planning for the Korean War National Museum has not brought the kind of fanfare that greeted early plans for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

As its veterans have justifiably lamented for more than half a century, Korea is America's "forgotten war."

But Springfield needs to take note of the nascent museum that one day could make this city a prime stop on the agendas of Korean War veterans, their families and others interested in learning more about the war that put American troops into battle against the Chinese.

The museum is planned for the corner of Fifth and Madison streets, just a block from the Lincoln museum and library. Its organizers have said they'd like to have the first phase of the museum ready for 2009, to take advantage of the attention and traffic Springfield will see for Lincoln's 200th birthday. For now, though, Springfield will get a look at what the museum's planners have in mind in a more modest setting.

The former Osco drug store on the Old Capitol Plaza likely will soon house a precursor to the Korean War National Museum. The storefront will offer visitors a preview of the planned museum and also will house a gift shop.

It's a humble start, but a start nonetheless. And, we think, it's an appropriate step in a winding journey for a museum dedicated to a war that too many Americans know almost nothing about.

Senseless decision

The blistering verbal attack launched Wednesday on U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman and his colleagues involved in the apparent decision to snuff out the proposed clean coal project known as FutureGen was deserved. For Illinoisans, and those closest to winning city Mattoon and coal research-rich institutions such as Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the abrupt about-face to kill the $1.8 billion project was Future Shock. U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin had the sharpest tongue. "In my 25 years on Capitol Hill, I have never witnessed such a cruel deception."

We agree. It was nothing more than a sucker punch to the gut. Bodman and the Energy Department still haven't specifically outlined why they believe pulling the plug on the state-of-the-art power facility is the right course now.