North Korea missile showdown!

[chequita guevara]

Which country is more likely to be involved in a nuclear war? India or North Korea?

[Kuciwalker]

Which country can we do anything about? North Korea.

[Kuciwalker]

Plus, if we were in a nuclear war with NKor a couple would hit us.

[chequita guevara]

If we could do something about North Korea, don't you think it would have been done by now?

[lord of the mark]

Reuters:

"The North Koreans demanded that the South stop joint military drills with the United States due next year, saying it was ready to protect South Korea with its 1.2-million-strong armed forces.

That provoked an unusually biting reply from South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok that echoed the rhetoric of the years before Seoul's determined policy of rapprochement.

"Who in the South asked you to protect our safety?" Lee told Kwon on Tuesday, according to a South Korean official. "It would help our safety for the North not to fire missiles or develop a nuclear program."

The South said the North could also forget about any more aid until it returns to separate talks on its nuclear weapons."

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
LOTM

Yeah, so they can go around doing whatever they want, from kidnapping innocent Japanese citizens, to counterfeiting US dollars and smuggling drugs.

This has nothing to do with whether the DPRK has the right to develop missiles.
.

Because it was a response to someone who said that all NKor wants is a guarantee of its security.

NKor's behavior is a threat to regional security, as Japan recognizes, as the US and the Europeans recognize, South Korea and even China and Russia are coming to recognize. When all those countries recognize that N Koreas mindset and behavior is a threat to the region, it will behoove N Korea to change that behavior, if it wishes to avoid sanctions that will destroy its regime. You can wave the Treaty of Westphalia and the UN charter around as much as you want. Neither was intended to enable a regime like this to blackmail the international community.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
If we could do something about North Korea, don't you think it would have been done by now?

If we could do something about [insert ANY problem here], don't you think it would have been done by now? Obviously we should do nothing.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

There was a pretty interesting discussionpanel on PBS regarding the inner working of Dear leader. The consensus is Kim Jong Il is in a very tenuous position. he is doing all he can to maintain his own power. what seems illogical on the world stage means next to nothing if the goal is for im jong Il to maintain his godlike status amongst his people and maintain power. The feeling was Kim Jong Il has supplante dthe party apparatus's power and elevated the power of the military. his decision to showcase military prowess onthe world stage is as much to curry favor with the military and show himself to be a great leader to his own people in order to further cement what appears to be a more tenuous position of power.

A rationale actor if viewed from that prism in what otherwise woudl be considered an illogical act.

[chequita guevara]

Most of the leaders we call insane are quite rational. They just go against "our" interests, and thus they must be mad.

LotM, what if the DPRK launched a missile and nobody cared? Would it still then be a destabilizing event? It is only destabilizing because everyone's getting worked up into a tizzy, which is exactly what the DPRK wants.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Face it. North Korea sucks. No one who isn't blinded by ideology wants them to have any sort of advantage that will perpetuate their regime.

Who?

Didn't you speak of realism just not that long ago? Have you ever considered the consequences of DPRK imploding? My guess is you haven't, given your responses in this thread so far.

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Because we can't do anything about India, duh.

It seems that India is much more vulnerable to economic measures than DPRK. For example, just imagine what would happen if the US and EU pass measures against using Indian IT services. No call centres, nothing. That's an enormous blow in itself.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
NKor's behavior is a threat to regional security

How so? This worn out chestnut is not based on rational analysis but the necessity of a boogeyman.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
as Japan recognizes

The rightwing LDP cabinet, unable to solve its domestic problems, needs a boogeyman to shift the attention.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
You can wave the Treaty of Westphalia and the UN charter around as much as you want. Neither was intended to enable a regime like this to blackmail the international community.

Who's blackmailing whom? What's DPRK demanding from the international community (read: US and Japan) again?

[Saras]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger

The rightwing LDP cabinet, unable to solve its domestic problems, needs a boogeyman to shift the attention.

Hello? Japan is in an economic recovery unseen for 20 years? Or do you mean some other, non-economic problems?

[Flip McWho]

It seems that India is much more vulnerable to economic measures than DPRK. For example, just imagine what would happen if the US and EU pass measures against using Indian IT services. No call centres, nothing. That's an enormous blow in itself.

You're forgetting theres a lot of corporate interest in outsourcing to India. North Korea has nothing to offer anyone so is ripe for the bullying.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Who?

Didn't you speak of realism just not that long ago? Have you ever considered the consequences of DPRK imploding? My guess is you haven't, given your responses in this thread so far.

The DPRK would implode a lot faster if you bastards would stop propping them up.

Kudos to SKor for stopping food aid

It seems that India is much more vulnerable to economic measures than DPRK. For example, just imagine what would happen if the US and EU pass measures against using Indian IT services. No call centres, nothing. That's an enormous blow in itself.

1) That would hurt us too.

2) It probably wouldn't work.

3) Therefore, it's a stupid suggestion.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara

LotM, what if the DPRK launched a missile and nobody cared? Would it still then be a destabilizing event? It is only destabilizing because everyone's getting worked up into a tizzy, which is exactly what the DPRK wants.

Actually from the PBS panel view, the point isn't even what DPRK wants or what is in their best interest. The acts are only being done in order for Dear Leader to retain his own power, be damned with what is in the interests of DPRK.