North Korea is Correct!

[Hermit]

This situation is never going to result in war, though, unless an 'accident' were to occur at any time where emotions are truly running high.

North Korea's frustrations are real, but their aggression is contrived. It's all talk.

That reminds me of 1984, where the the governments kept their peoples in check by contriving threats from the outside. The North Korean government's belligerent stance may just be so much posturing with the objective of keeping a lid on popular foment.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I doubt many people are serious when they suggest turning Pyongyang into a glass parking lot. I'm not, anyway.

Pull the teeth, and the body will not be a threat.

[Coito ergo sum]

I'm sure Seth is. And possibly Coito.

I never said that, and I don't think that.

[FBM]

I doubt many people are serious when they suggest turning Pyongyang into a glass parking lot. I'm not, anyway.

Pull the teeth, and the body will not be a threat.

A case could be made that all the economic sanctions imposed from the outside contribute to the starvation in the outlying areas while doing little or nothing to affect the attitudes of the leadership in Pyongyang. And they say those proven most loyal to the dynasty get to live in the capital. In the long run, I'm not sure the death toll would be higher if we bombed Pyongyang (not necessarily with a nuke). As soon as the dust settled, a whole buttload of food and medicine would make it to a lot of sick and starving people.

[Coito ergo sum]

This situation is never going to result in war, though, unless an 'accident' were to occur at any time where emotions are truly running high.

North Korea's frustrations are real, but their aggression is contrived. It's all talk. They know they could never win any war, but the threat is that they could inflict massive amounts of casualties. In any event the ruling regime could escape quite easily with impunity were the tables to quickly turn. They have nothing to lose except income, and an unprecedented, total power over millions of subservients.

We've had plenty of people arguing that the US and its allies "lost" the "unwinnable" wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Maybe Kim Jong Un is buying that argument and thinks that he can be the third country in this century to defeat the United States and the UK and their allies.

[Coito ergo sum]

This situation is never going to result in war, though, unless an 'accident' were to occur at any time where emotions are truly running high.

North Korea's frustrations are real, but their aggression is contrived. It's all talk. They know they could never win any war, but the threat is that they could inflict massive amounts of casualties. In any event the ruling regime could escape quite easily with impunity were the tables to quickly turn. They have nothing to lose except income, and an unprecedented, total power over millions of subservients.

We've had plenty of people arguing that the US and its allies "lost" the "unwinnable" wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Maybe Kim Jong Un is buying that argument and thinks that he can be the third country in this century to defeat the United States and the UK and their allies.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I doubt many people are serious when they suggest turning Pyongyang into a glass parking lot. I'm not, anyway.

Pull the teeth, and the body will not be a threat.

A case could be made that all the economic sanctions imposed from the outside contribute to the starvation in the outlying areas while doing little or nothing to affect the attitudes of the leadership in Pyongyang. And they say those proven most loyal to the dynasty get to live in the capital. In the long run, I'm not sure the death toll would be higher if we bombed Pyongyang (not necessarily with a nuke). As soon as the dust settled, a whole buttload of food and medicine would make it to a lot of sick and starving people.

And a case can be made that the government ignoring the plight of the people is good reason for that government to be removed. The attitude of the NK government is the cause, not the effect.

[Coito ergo sum]

....wrong thread

[Coito ergo sum]

....

[Coito ergo sum]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130329/DA5AMR381.html

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un warned Friday that his rocket forces were ready "to settle accounts with the U.S.,"

[FBM]

If they want to settle accounts, let's start with the millions of tons of food aid we've sent them over the past few decades.

[Jason]

This situation is never going to result in war, though, unless an 'accident' were to occur at any time where emotions are truly running high.

North Korea's frustrations are real, but their aggression is contrived. It's all talk. They know they could never win any war, but the threat is that they could inflict massive amounts of casualties. In any event the ruling regime could escape quite easily with impunity were the tables to quickly turn. They have nothing to lose except income, and an unprecedented, total power over millions of subservients.

We've had plenty of people arguing that the US and its allies "lost" the "unwinnable" wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Maybe Kim Jong Un is buying that argument and thinks that he can be the third country in this century to defeat the United States and the UK and their allies.

I don't think so as it's a completely different situation. Afghanistan and Iraq were relatively easy 'victories', but the quagmire left in their wake threatens to undo everything the 'allies' have tried to achieve - which is why they've been occupied for more than a decade. North Korea is a different kind of state - a truly absolutist dictatorship. That is to say there's no telling that the people of North Korea would continue on with this insane militarized starvation ideology - but I'm strongly inclined to think they would not. Without a strong dictator backed by an enormous military I'm nearly certain there would be a grassroots revolution - I do not believe Pyongyang's politics are the people's politics. That is unless they enjoy being oppressed and starved. That said, if Pyongyang were flattened tomorrow, the military would remain largely intact. I suspect without immediate intervention afterwards, which would necessarily require rapid deployment of an assload of troops and probably many lives lost, that we would see a short period of civil war as this general and that laid claim to the seat of power until eventually NK would rise from the ashes with the same insane ideology only sparked by hatred and the desire for revenge on those who flattened their center of power. Where it goes from there in the short term is anyone's guess - if their new dictator is a strategic thinker we may have a period of 'peace' while they rebuild the military infrastructure that was lost but it would be short. Sooner or later they would certainly embark on a campaign of vengeance. Perhaps the new dictator would be the benign sort.. but I think that an unlikely mindset in the upper echelons of North Korean military command.

In short, the NK situation has become worrying. Either we find a way to de-escalate the situation, or commit to the inevitability of a war. In the event of the 'war' option, I suggest a rapid strategic bombing campaign to eliminate as much of the North Korean chain of command as possible followed by a rapid and massive deployment of ground assets to stabilize the country and preempt the civil war and rise of a new dictator that would be inevitable otherwise.

[tantamount]

In short, the NK situation has become worrying. Either we find a way to de-escalate the situation, or commit to the inevitability of a war. In the event of the 'war' option, I suggest a rapid strategic bombing campaign to eliminate as much of the North Korean chain of command as possible followed by a rapid and massive deployment of ground assets to stabilize the country and preempt the civil war and rise of a new dictator that would be inevitable otherwise.

So, either wage war or find peace, but don't muddle around in some worrying middle ground.
Like we did for the 40 years of the Cold War, avoiding nuclear conflict.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

If North Korea is correct, then the question is "Of which country is Pyongyang the capital?"

Do I win a prize?

[pErvinalia]

I'm sure Seth is. And possibly Coito.

I never said that, and I don't think that.

Yeah, I figured you probably never did. I thought I'd just chuck that in there for good measure (and some trolling)...