This just in: North Korea to End armistice!

[Bereta_Eder]

_We told you so.

Yep, we did

[DuncanK]

Spiffor,

I know that, and I apologize. It's just getting to me and I should probably take a break from this place for awhile. I know they are just trying to make us mad here.

[Caesar the Great]

Originally posted by Comrade Tribune


The Korean War itself was the fault of the United States.

What business did they have to meddle in SE Asia?

hey comrade, do we still go around blaming autria for starting ww1???

they've had 50 years!

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by Caesar the Great
Is it Bush's fault that North Korea has one of the largest standing armies in the world?

The NKs won´t take crap from you. I wish more peoples were like them.

[Nubclear]

Bush diplomacy really seems to be working, doesnt it?

[DuncanK]

Originally posted by Comrade Tribune


The NKs won´t take crap from you. I wish more peoples were like them.

You are like them butthole

[Caesar the Great]

Originally posted by Comrade Tribune


The NKs won´t take crap from you. I wish more peoples were like them.

so oppressing their own people is not taking crap from us?? so kicking out nuclear inspectors and restarting a nuclear weapons program is not taking crap from us?? when they develop missles which an reach your country, we'll see what you have to say.

[Demerzel]

Originally posted by DuncanK
Ned,

You can tell that there is a great deal of difference between the way the Europeans and the US believe problems can be solved. The European way is to use straight diplomacy first, and then talk about military action. The US way is to get the troops over there, threaten military action and then talk diplomacy. The US way is undeniably more successfull. That's why we can talk all we want about the Europeans doing something here, but it's not going to happen, and I don't think we should allow this to be handled by the Europeans. It's too important.

Maybe we go with the diplomacy route first because we know how bad war is? Considering Europe has been ravaged by two world wars in the last century and the USA has not had that feeling since 1865, maybe be don't want to inflict that on others if we can.

I think if your final statement read

I don't think we should allow this to be handled by the Americans. It's too important.

then it would be correct.

Diplomacy first.
War as last resort.

That is the correct route, gun boat diplomacy should have stayed in the Imperial age where it belonged. Threatening to beat the crap out of someone who doesn't do what you want them to do categorises you as a bully not the good guy that Bush is saying you are.

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by Caesar the Great
hey comrade, do we still go around blaming autria for starting ww1???

Touche!

(Must admit, this was a good one; but consider this: The Austrian Empire was dismembered after WWI, but the American Empire still exists. )

[DuncanK]

Demerzel,

Diplomacy never works with dictators like this unless they think you will use force if no deal is made to your liking. If he doesn't think we will take military action he will never negotiate. Don't take this the wrong way, but that's why the US is better at these things.

[Caesar the Great]

Originally posted by Comrade Tribune


Touche!

(Must admit, this was a good one; but consider this: The Austrian Empire was dismembered after WWI, but the American Empire still exists. )

we've become pretty good at making other people fight for our interests in other places

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by Tassadar5000
Bush diplomacy really seems to be working, doesnt it?

As not... exactly... a friend of American hegemony, I start thinking Bush may the best thing since sliced bread.

[Caesar the Great]

Originally posted by DuncanK
Demerzel,

Diplomacy never works with dictators like this unless they think you will use force if no deal is made to your liking. If he doesn't think we will take military action he will never negotiate. Don't take this the wrong way, but that's why the US is better at these things.

kim is playing "gun boat diplomacy", i doubt his country can survive all out war at this time... we aren't going win by offering him an olive branch, we need a battleship

[Comrade Tribune]

Originally posted by DuncanK
You are like them butthole

I forgive you the insult because of the compliment preceding it.

[Agathon]

Let's get real for a second.

This is Bush's fault for the exact reason I gave on the "Bush is incompetent" thread.

Bush has given the North Korean regime good reason to believe that the United States aims to change the regime in Pyongyang by force (the "axis of evil" rubbish and the "pre-emptive strikes" doctrine). Therefore, NK is attempting to compel the US into signing a non-aggression treaty with it. That's what all this is about.

So someone answer me the following questions:

1) Does the North Korean regime have good reason to believe that the US aims to depose it by force?

2) If the US does intend to depose the NK regime by force, was it a good idea for Bush to effectively tell them this when he already had plenty on his plate elsewhere? (he could have shut up and surprised them when the Iraq thing was over at no political cost)

3) Would NK Korea be engaging in this sabre rattling if Bush had not threatened them?

If the answer to (1) is "yes", or the answers to either of (2) or (3) is "no" (the only reasonable answers IMHO), then it's Bush's fault because of his incompetent diplomacy.