"Now what are you gonna do about it?"

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Sikander
Funny, because this is just the story I got from the U.S. media on Sunday. I guess they are just being perverse in order to trash your Apolyton talking points.

I only saw it here on Sunday on the ABC's Sunday monring news show. Aside from that, it's been USA! USA! USA!

[GePap]

Originally posted by Sikander


We weren't doing anything to them before they had the nuke either, so one wonders exactly what they have gained. I guess they just needed the attention.

Obviously you ahve not been reading up on the current thoughs of Rummy and Co. and his little regime change scheme, though he has the good sense of not trying to do it militarily...which then would fail anyway.

There are still folks in the admin. itching to take out the Yongbong plant and other nuclear facilities, and they really have a hard on after Iraq and the nice picture show they got on Fox.

[chequita guevara]

According to the Pentagon, a million people would die in the first DAY of a new Korean War.

I think we should avoid this.

[GePap]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
According to the Pentagon, a million people would die in the first DAY of a new Korean War.

I think we should avoid this.

Unless a nuke was used on the first day, unlikely...

wait.......

I guess the chickenhawks hope that if they bombed the North' plants they would keep quiet an not start a war anyways. That way the Bushies get to claim victory again, without any messy wars that might not make for the same type of "uplifting" TV picks.

[Drake Tungsten]

If you don't mind, I'd rather not see Asia go up in flames.

What makes you think that an American presence in Korea is going to keep Asia from going up in flames? The more I learn about East Asia, the more pessimistic I get about the prospects for future peace in that region. The ethnic hatred and nationalist fervor in East Asia is going to lead to an explosion of violence someday and I don't particularly want America involved in it.

I am not sure about that. AFAIK, part of President Roh's campaign platform is to get rid of US bases.

It was part of his campaign platform, but he abandoned the idea soon after he got elected and urged the US forces to stay. You have to be anti-American to get the youth vote in South Korea; Roh was just playing to the population's bias. Consider him the Gerhard Schroeder of Asia.

The most valuable thing they have to offer the world is their regimes non-existence. I hope it happens soon.

So do I.

[Giancarlo]

I heard the People's Republic of China has some $40 billion in investments in South Korea... and only has a marginal $670 million in North Korea. (Can anybody who quote a source to see if this is true?)

I think the PRC has big interests at stake here. I even predict that the PRC might end up invading North Korea if its investments in South Korea are at stake. Just like the Vietnamese did with the Khmer Rogue.

[Drake Tungsten]

Fezzie is back? And with a semi-intelligent post? Is this really happening?

Welcome back.

[SlowwHand]

A million people in first day sounds like something paiktis would write, and is as highly unlikely as 500,000 civilian casualties in Iraq.

[Giancarlo]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Fezzie is back? And with a semi-intelligent post? Is this really happening?

Welcome back.

Thanks for the welcome...

You wouldn't have to have a source on you about the South Korean/PRC trade totals?

[Drake Tungsten]

You wouldn't have to have a source on you about the South Korean/PRC trade totals?

No. I know that it's a large amount, but I don't have any figures at the ready and can't be arsed to search Google for them.

[Giancarlo]

Yeah I heard in the area of $40 billion. The Chinese know if South Korea goes down it will be a severe blow to their economy. A very severe blow.

[Q Classic]

What makes you think that an American presence in Korea is going to keep Asia from going up in flames? The more I learn about East Asia, the more pessimistic I get about the prospects for future peace in that region. The ethnic hatred and nationalist fervor in East Asia is going to lead to an explosion of violence someday and I don't particularly want America involved in it.

it's making you pessimistic? you were't before?
hell, even I never thought that there could ever be a lasting peace in east asia. an uneasy peace, yes, but not a calm, lasting one as seen amongst the countries in western europe or north america.

A million people in first day sounds like something paiktis would write, and is as highly unlikely as 500,000 civilian casualties in Iraq.

i can't imagine 1mil casualties, first day, even with as many arty placements that nk has. then again, seoul has a population on the order of 10million or so, in a land area half that of nyc, iirc.

some figures dating in 2001:

http://www.sri.or.jp/asia/7th/2-3e-Park.pdf

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
A million people in first day sounds like something paiktis would write, and is as highly unlikely as 500,000 civilian casualties in Iraq.

The source is Bruce Cummings, who is more or less an expert on Korea. He teaches at U of Chicago. I'm looking for a transcript of his speach o you can listen to it here.

[Q Classic]

he's a nice prof. one m in his name.

tad liberal, though--he'd probably make an extremely liberal estimate.

[Drake Tungsten]

it's making you pessimistic? you were't before?

I was pessimistic before; recent events just serve to destroy what little hope I had left.