North Korea warns of nuclear war amid rising tensions

[DaShi]

I'm sure the US will be more than happy to withdraw quickly from a country bordering China. Then they'll withdraw from Japan as well.

[SlowwHand]

Don't count on it, bucksnort.

[DaShi]

Sarcasm is wasted on you Sloww.

[SlowwHand]

No, it's not. It's wasted on you.

[DaShi]

Nice save.

[Heraclitus]

Also why are people so convinced forced unification would be a good thing?


NK would need at least 30 decades of a reform goverment, fast econoimic growth and independance from South Korea just to make the difficulties of unification comparable to that of East and West Germany.

[Wezil]

So should we continue on until they catch up? Are they closing the gap?

[zakubandit]

The SKs I have talked with when I was there all said they want unification, but it would do more harm than good. You have a population of poverty that would have an open door to freedom and wealth. It would be like the US opening the border to Mexico, low wage workers all wanting a better life. The economy would either tremble, fall, or sink so far down the tube that Korea would be a 3rd world country within 5 years. But thats what they would tell me.

[HalfLotus]

We have every right to sanction.

NK has a right to its liberty, the US/UN have no right to tell the NK people how to run their country.

Certainly not the Unites States, which has been on the warpath invading innocent countries for the better part of the 21st century.

NK is not threatening anyone, they are reacting defensively to aggressive measures from others.

[zakubandit]

I do agree that the UN has no authority to tell NK what they can and cannot do. But they started out acting aggressive for intimidation. They ARE threatening SK, Japan, and the US. Especially SK.

[Seeker]

Some local info...

What's going on is a Succession Crisis in NK.

Kim Jong-Eun (the youngest of the three princes and the dark horse candidate) is the darling of the military gang. He is least tainted with drugs, sex, and general weirdness scandals. He has been given the 'Regnal Name' of 'the Brilliant Leader' (see Great Leader, Dear Leader...) in the Worker's Daily, and, in keeping with NK tradition has started to be given credit for inventing/improving/making various absurd things. This is a huge sign, because usually the current Leader is given credit for literally everything.

He also seems to have ordered the assassination of his elder brother (hiding out in China) since all successions in absolutist systems seem to involve the liquidation of potential rivals.

One of the great achievements being given to Jong-Eun is the nuke and missile programme. It's tied to his prestige and the real regime is making it a big part of his personality cult.

Now daddy Kim ain't dead yet, although many suspect a Howard Hughes like situation, and the elder brother survived the assassination. The other sons are potential trouble sources for the regime in that they are not 'part of the programme' right now.

So basically, expect a huge but temporary increase in nuclear posturing as Jong-Eun shows that he can 'defeat America' or whatever.

[SlowwHand]

I do agree that the UN has no authority to tell NK what they can and cannot do. But they started out acting aggressive for intimidation. They ARE threatening SK, Japan, and the US. Especially SK.

If they have no voice, then disband them. I'm for that.

[zakubandit]

The UN disbanding would be a nice thing. No more paying the UN with US tax dollars, as well as other people's taxes. No more US troops playing defense for bad UN calls.

[Heraclitus]

The UN disbanding would be a nice thing. No more paying the UN with US tax dollars, as well as other people's taxes. No more US troops playing defense for bad UN calls.

The UN would need to be replaced by a un-like structure, so why not just reform the UN? Also if the US dosen't want to contribute its tax dollars its free to leave or cut funding, what does this have to do with disbanding the UN?

United States 22.00%
Japan 16.62%
Germany 8.66%
United Kingdom 6.13%
France 6.03%
Italy 4.89%
Canada 2.81%
China 2.67%
Spain 2.52%
Mexico 1.88%
South Korea 1.80%
Netherlands 1.69%
Australia 1.59%
Brazil 1.52%
Switzerland 1.20%
Russia 1.10%
Other member states 16.99%


PS
Wow it seems the EU members fund more than 30%! WTF we need a security council seat. (actually really why don't they do this? It woul remove the akward need of eventually having to give Germans one)

[Heraclitus]

If they have no voice, then disband them. I'm for that.

You do realize that if you give the UN the authority to tell NK what to do, they also have a authority to tell the US what to do?


Do I really need to explain why many member states have always worked against such suggestions?