The fear of North Korea

[Lozzer]

Why do we give their threats so much credence when we know they're absolutely incapable of military action, and will never follow through with nuclear retaliation, ever?

Their bravado is purely to protect the ruling regime, and they would never do anything out of character that might risk destabilising the status quo.

We really ought to ignore them

[Animavore]

I thought we already did.

[mistermack]

If I was in charge of China, I would keep supporting North Korea.

If the US insists on supporting Israel, a looney nuclear state, then China has every right to support North Korea.

Remove the nukes from Israel, and North Korea, and Iran. With full independent inspection and verification.
Result, a better world. The US started the mess by arming Israel. It's gigantic hypocrisy to call for North Korean and Iranian de-nuking.

[Rum]

Its their unpredictability that is feared I fancy. They seem to live in their own paranoid little world and if they feel it is under threat who knows what they could do.

One bomb.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

If they try anything they'll ruin the "The dark part is North Korea" meme.

[normal]

I think they can cause some trouble for South Korea, and that's where FBM lives

[cronus]

Ideological twaddle and paranoid regime, plus nukes = bad news

They don't need a missile. Smuggling one in would be easy given the size of 'mericas coastline....

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/ ... BR20130307

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Its their unpredictability that is feared I fancy. They seem to live in their own paranoid little world and if they feel it is under threat who knows what they could do.

One bomb.

And Israel isn't paranoid and under threat?

[Rum]

Its their unpredictability that is feared I fancy. They seem to live in their own paranoid little world and if they feel it is under threat who knows what they could do.

One bomb.

And Israel isn't paranoid and under threat?

Where did I say that?

And in any case, Israel is a different case altogether.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Its their unpredictability that is feared I fancy. They seem to live in their own paranoid little world and if they feel it is under threat who knows what they could do.

One bomb.

And Israel isn't paranoid and under threat?

Where did I say that?

And in any case, Israel is a different case altogether.

Oh. That's alright then.

[Rum]

Its their unpredictability that is feared I fancy. They seem to live in their own paranoid little world and if they feel it is under threat who knows what they could do.

One bomb.

And Israel isn't paranoid and under threat?

Where did I say that?

And in any case, Israel is a different case altogether.

Oh. That's alright then.

Good!

[cronus]

Which is gonna blow first?

[Rum]

N Korea is in my view far more fragile. A bit of a whiff of the freedoms that go with Capitalism and the place will collapse in its present form. I would love to visit it as it is now, because it can't last and it would be fascinating as it is.

[MiM]

North Korea has a huge army, with by far the highest rate of enlisted per capita in the world (Wikipedia claims it to be the 4:th biggest in the world). They also have a working weapons manufacturing industry etc. AND Seoul, with 10 million people lies about 50 km from the border. Well within in reach of conventional artillery. Add the possibility of somehow using a nuke (which would be suicidal, admitted) and their political unpredictibility...

No, they cannot attack the US or Europe, but they can definitely defend themselves, and create great mayhem amongst neighbours.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

What artillery can fire 50 km "easily"?