Nth Korea cuts Military Hotline to Sth Korea

[+and-then]

Although I still largely think they are just flexing their muscles. There is a growing part of me that thinking he is determined to go to war.

At a minimum I'd say someone taught the fat boy to play poker pretty well. Maybe while he was away in Switzerland? Oh well, it would be a great irony if a world war began NOT in the M.E. but because of a lunatic in a totally different part of the world. But I believe if he starts this thing it will be the end of him and the current regime there. Unfortunately it will be the end for thousands of innocent North and South Korean people as well.

[sear]

"At a minimum I'd say someone taught the fat boy to play poker pretty well" at

He's bluffing.

And the whole world knows it.

If NK goes to War NK will almost certainly be conquered by SK et al. They'd have to be spectacularly stupid to fall for their own propaganda.

[Mr.United_Nations]

He's bluffing.

And the whole world knows it.

If NK goes to War NK will almost certainly be conquered by SK et al. They'd have to be spectacularly stupid to fall for their own propaganda.

If so why are the embassies being evacuated?

[Space Commander Travis]

I must admit I love the name of missile no 1.

NO DONG, lol

Suppose he does launch a Taepodong-2 in the vague direction of Alaska (the only bit of the U.S. he could get anywhere near); don't you think there'd be a good chance it would emulate all the others, and fall somewhat short, somewhere in, for example, rings 2 or 3? That might have somewhat unfortunate repercussions for him, don't you think, if he dropped a Missile in China or Russia ....

Edited April 5, 2013 by Colonel Rhuairidh

[Space Commander Travis]

If so why are the embassies being evacuated?

perfectly normal safety precaution when a country is behaving in a silly fashion.

[Mr.United_Nations]

Suppose he does launch a Taepodong-2 in the vague direction of Alaska (the only bit of the U.S. he could get anywhere near); don't you think there'd be a good chance it would emulate all the others, and fall somewhat short, somewhere in, for example, rings 2 or 3? That might have somewhat unfortunate repercussions for him, don't you think, if he dropped a Missile in China or Russia ....

Its a stage 3 rocket

perfectly normal safety precaution when a country is behaving in a silly fashion.

This is the first time its happend though

[Coffey]

I'll say one thing for you Coffee - you are consistent. But in this case your rhetoric holds no strength at all. A tiny bit of research would show you that NK has been doing the same song and dance for years now. And it always happens in the spring of the year. BECAUSE that is when they are running low on food. The sanctions have not gone on for years. They only recently reimposed them due to NK breaking their word and testing ANOTHER nuke. Let me repeat that - ANOTHER nuke AFTER they gave their word they would not so that they could get food and assistance the last time this happened. They are serial liars and thugs that torture and starve their own people to the point of cannibalism yet you still think they are somehow more noble and worthy of respect than America - does that about sum it up?

Never said the sanctions have bene ont hem for years. But if thye already had food problems, then my point is even stronger. lol

Depends exatly what you mena by "America".

As you said htis happens yearly.... So why is the media blowing it out of proprtion, why is the US making it worse, why is the US even giving him the time of day?!

If he is truly the great nuclear threat... Assisante him. Ther eis no wya the US couldn't achieve that with it's resources. Especially when they could jsut take some starving NK civilian who would happily do it for money/food. Or use a special team. A nuclear wepoan is worth that, but instead they will send thousands of troops in and spend load sof money on a another war machine so thye cna suppyl all the rich people who own fuel companies and wepaon manufactorers etc with loads of money while not giving 2 ****'s about human life.....

Edited April 5, 2013 by Coffey

[skookum]

He's bluffing.

And the whole world knows it.

If NK goes to War NK will almost certainly be conquered by SK et al. They'd have to be spectacularly stupid to fall for their own propaganda.

That's what I think,

However history is littered with lunatic leaders that have gone on a rampage risking their own annihilation.

He thinks he has something big up his sleeve with his nuclear program. Estimates are that NK warheads are about 3 kiloton, very small when compared to the Hiroshima bomb or 15 and Nagasaki of 20 kiloton. The Russians reckon they have monitored tests of up to 20 kilotons, but believe they are still very much in development stage.

It is still thought the longest range missile cannot carry the warhead, so his only options with nukes are South Korea.

Edited April 5, 2013 by skookum

[sear]

"If so why are the embassies being evacuated?" RN

"Sabre rattling".

It's called "going through the motions."

The most up-to-the-minute report I've gotten on it is that Russia has declined to evacuate their Pyongyang embassy.

Their's are the lives that are on the line.

If they thought there was going to be a War of sufficient scale to necessitate such evacuation, I think they'd be getting to it.

Why would they hesitate, if the treat were real?

[Mr.United_Nations]

"Sabre rattling".

It's called "going through the motions."

The most up-to-the-minute report I've gotten on it is that Russia has declined to evacuate their Pyongyang embassy.

Their's are the lives that are on the line.

If they thought there was going to be a War of sufficient scale to necessitate such evacuation, I think they'd be getting to it.

Why would they hesitate, if the treat were real?

its North Korea, noone knows what they will do and thats the scary part

The world under estimates NK and thates a weakness i think

Edited April 5, 2013 by The New Richard Nixon

[sear]

"its North Korea, noone knows what they will do and thats the scary part

The world under estimates NK and thates a weakness i think" RN

It's a political dynasty.

We know what Kim Il Sung did.

We know what Kim Jong Il did.

It's true we don't know what KJU's limits are (if any). And indeed, that's the risk. Even against his own politburo's intentions, KJU may push NK over the edge, and into full-scale War.

But that would almost certainly be the end of their regime.

China backed NK in the '50's.

I gather that's not so likely now.

China may be more ideologically akin to NK than SK; what with the authoritarianism, and the human rights abuses, and all.

But China's own politburo is fully aware, capitalism is a key element of China's own swelling prosperity.

And I imagine SK's economic ties to China are more valuable to China than NK's political ties.

NK may have a big army.

NK may have Seoul well within NK artillery range.

But there's a line in the sand. If NK / KJU crosses that line, it will seal the fate of NK for perpetuity.

[Drayno]

I feel like both China and Russia realize the seriousness of the situation.

Every one is abandoning the US dollar and America is about to enter a dark period politically..

With economic instability we'll have our officials insisting we go to war with North Korea to bounce back the economy.

With the Russians' training to take out US missile bases I'm not sure where they stand...

I feel like they would retaliate against the US for invading a neighboring country.

Then China and Russia might enter a dispute.

[sear]

"Every one is abandoning the US dollar and America is about to enter a dark period politically." E

It would already have happened if there was someplace better to go.

The E.U. was hoped to supplant the U.S. $Dollar as a currency of international exchange.

But right now it's hanging on by a thread.

Greece looked like it might be the straw that broke the camel's back, until Cyprus got even worse.

Meanwhile U.S. stocks are hitting "record highs", simply because, Earth's economies are doing so poorly, the good ol' reliable "green back" is still the most reliable work-horse.

[skookum]

He has given British embassy workers along with other countries till the 10th April to leave or their safety will not be guaranteed. I know this happens with the odd sabre rattling exercise but when you but everything together it really looks like he has something planned.

Surely he is not that deluded? Maybe the loss of his father has sent him right over the edge?

[Space Commander Travis]

Its a stage 3 rocket

it may be supposed to be, but the don't seem to have reached a level of reliability you could entirely trust, though, does it. I suspect that China or Russia would not be happy if they were drop a rocket onto their territory by mistake.

[Corp]

I feel like both China and Russia realize the seriousness of the situation.

Every one is abandoning the US dollar and America is about to enter a dark period politically..

With economic instability we'll have our officials insisting we go to war with North Korea to bounce back the economy.

With the Russians' training to take out US missile bases I'm not sure where they stand...

I feel like they would retaliate against the US for invading a neighboring country.

Then China and Russia might enter a dispute.

Trying to deal with millions of starving, brainwashed, and uneducated people in a country that's decades behind the rest of the region is a massively stupid way to restart an economy and the US knows this. There's no way they're going to start a war for economic reasons. A huge reason why their economy is in rough shape is because of the wars they've fought.

As for Russia and China neither of them have made any effort to block sanctions against NK and China has been quite vocal in their displeasure over NK's actions. I don't see them risking their own economic interests to protect NK if Kim decided to pull the trigger.

[Drayno]

Trying to deal with millions of starving, brainwashed, and uneducated people in a country that's decades behind the rest of the region is a massively stupid way to restart an economy and the US knows this. There's no way they're going to start a war for economic reasons. A huge reason why their economy is in rough shape is because of the wars they've fought.

As for Russia and China neither of them have made any effort to block sanctions against NK and China has been quite vocal in their displeasure over NK's actions. I don't see them risking their own economic interests to protect NK if Kim decided to pull the trigger.

Not unless they're trying to start World War III, in which all the nation's resources would be put on the line and used to develop better technology.

That is, if we don't create a nuclear holocaust or North Korea doesn't,

Think of the Monroe Doctrine? "Mess with South America and you're messing with an interest of the US."

Russia wouldn't let the US merrily just invade its neighbor unless it decided to cut North Korea loose.

[Space Commander Travis]

Has anyone thought that all this talk of "nuclear Holocaust" is just giving the silly little man the attention he wants? If no one took any notice of him, he'd stop stamping his Foot.

[Corp]

WW3 would benefit the economy? Sorry but no, no it wouldn't. The US and China do far too much business with each other to throw it all away over a place like North Korea. They're even working together to put in the latest round of sanctions. And we're doing ok at developing technology without destroying infastructure and killing millions of people. The US doesn't want a war in North Korea anymore than China or Russia does. About the only party involved that seems to want a war is North Korea.

Nuclear holocaust? Given that the radiation would screw over the entire region, which include close American allies, I'd say the chances of that happening would be this side of never.

Russia isn't that involved with North Korea anymore. China is the big protector of NK and they're getting sick of how they're acting. Trade with the US, SK, and Japan are of far greater benefit to China than anything NK can offer. If it ever did come to war I think it more likely that China would take NK out themselves and put in some sane leadership.

[sear]

"it really looks like he has something planned." sk

Ah.

So this kid, KJU, smarter than any of the more seasoned members of his politburo twice his age, has a military plan to take his tin-pot dictatorship up against the most powerful War machine ever known anywhere in the cosmos; and win?!

As our D.I.'s used to say:

- He's got TWO chances: slim, and none! -

KJU might nuke Seoul. It would only seal his own terminal fate.

[Stellar]

Never said the sanctions have bene ont hem for years. But if thye already had food problems, then my point is even stronger. lol

If they had food problems, perhaps they should have asked for food and been friendly and polite rather than trying to threaten and extort the rest of the world...

If he is truly the great nuclear threat... Assisante him. Ther eis no wya the US couldn't achieve that with it's resources. Especially when they could jsut take some starving NK civilian who would happily do it for money/food. Or use a special team.

Yeah... Because its that easy. You're very naive regarding these things.

[spud the mackem]

He's playing poker and bluffing like mad on a pair of deuces.Why do the hierarchy in N.K fear this tub of lard, he must be a nephew of Bhudda or something,or an excellent hypnotist on his Generals.

[Coffey]

If they had food problems, perhaps they should have asked for food and been friendly and polite rather than trying to threaten and extort the rest of the world...

That's their leader, he does not represent the people. OBVIOUSLY. So why shoudl the people suffer.

Yeah... Because its that easy. You're very naive regarding these things.

Yeah I'm niave.... It's not like they found Bin Laden in his house.... Oh wait...

[Stellar]

That's their leader, he does not represent the people. OBVIOUSLY. So why shoudl the people suffer.

Well, it's the people's responsibility to change that then. It's not any other country's "responsibility" to feed those people, nor do they have that ability. The UN tried giving them food in the past, but did it make it to the ppl?

Yeah I'm niave.... It's not like they found Bin Laden in his house.... Oh wait...

Exactly. Naive. Like that time you claimed the US doesn't need a well trained army or air force because they have drones.

[+and-then]

Never said the sanctions have bene ont hem for years. But if thye already had food problems, then my point is even stronger. lol

Depends exatly what you mena by "America".

As you said htis happens yearly.... So why is the media blowing it out of proprtion, why is the US making it worse, why is the US even giving him the time of day?!

If he is truly the great nuclear threat... Assisante him. Ther eis no wya the US couldn't achieve that with it's resources. Especially when they could jsut take some starving NK civilian who would happily do it for money/food. Or use a special team. A nuclear wepoan is worth that, but instead they will send thousands of troops in and spend load sof money on a another war machine so thye cna suppyl all the rich people who own fuel companies and wepaon manufactorers etc with loads of money while not giving 2 ****'s about human life.....

Initially this time the US DID try to ignore him. But he got louder, then shriller then darned near hysterical -BECAUSE that is all they know how to do. They threaten to get what they need. They are unwilling to give anything in return and cannot be trusted in negotiations. Anyone who is unbiased in this can see this is true. You may remember Desert Storm - where the US, unprovoked, raped and pillaged Iraq? That's a joke btw..Coffee.... Well Saddam caused that little adventure by miscalculating weak and confusing signals from American diplomats. Sometimes it can be as deadly not sending a strong signal as it is to send TOO strong a signal. Hence the name: diplomacy.