Why Do Western Nations Nerf Their Military Responses?

[David Floyd]

You're putting too much emphasis on the well being of the people.

The real problem is that North Korea is ****ing with us. Let's solve the problem. If that means that half the country dies, so ****ing what? I bet that will deter other countries from acting in a similar manner.

Remember, if it's not a threat, we shouldn't be there. If it is a threat, it shouldn't exist. That is the crux of my preferred foreign policy.

[C0ckney]

at both the above posts

[kittenOFchaos]

Alot of rather optimistic posts re: fighting NK a push-over.

Should it come to War, it'd be extremely bloody and as for Seoul, it'll be a crater.

[Elok]

North Korea is an even bigger ****hole than Afghanistan was, and with a population already conditioned into insane, paranoid subservience to a cause. Forget the actual war part--the US military is so gigantic, I think it'd be hard to lose to any single power except China in actual combat--the occupation would be horrific.

[Wezil]

at both the above posts

Can we hear your solution (between the laughs)?

Are you a humanitarian? Continue with the sanctions and starve the people for another decade?

Seriously, I don't see any good options and wonder what approach you have that makes other ideas laughable.

[Dr Strangelove]

When is the next major accident going to happen in North Korea? I'm certain that their safety standards can't be very high. So the next time a factory burns down or an epidemic occurs is North korea going to blame it on the west and invade South Korea?

[OzzyKP]

So... apparently N Korea said that if S Korea responds at all they will do a full invasion. S Korea cut off trade, is sending their navy close to the border, and is seeking some action from the UN Security Council. I saw a quote from S Korea too that they backed down in the past when N Korea attacked, but this time they are taking action.

So... are we approaching the worst war in decades?

[Dinner]

The North Koreans routinely claim they go to war over little things but they never do. It's just routine rhetoric.

[SlowwHand]

That could be a good sig line quote.

[MrFun]

So... apparently N Korea said that if S Korea responds at all they will do a full invasion. S Korea cut off trade, is sending their navy close to the border, and is seeking some action from the UN Security Council. I saw a quote from S Korea too that they backed down in the past when N Korea attacked, but this time they are taking action.

So... are we approaching the worst war in decades?

Don't be a drama queen.

[SlowwHand]

North Korea hasn't sunk a ship before, is a key difference.

[Patroklos]

I wouldn't be so certain about South Korea's ability to stomp North Korea on its own. The South Korean army is bigger, but North Korea has more tanks and air planes. The terrain is very rugged and easily defended. OTOH two of South Korea's biggest cities, Seoul and Inchon are within artillery distance of the border.

1.) The South does not have a bigger standing army.

2.) The North does not have more airplanes, in fact they only have a couple dozen modern (and thats being generous) fighters all told.

3.) The North might have more tanks, but then so did Iraq in 91. Their cram is old and of no consequence for the most part. I think they still field T-34s.

4.) The "leveling" of Seoul boogie man is tired and played out. A simple look at a map will tell you that if you placed an artillery piece exactly on the border it is over 40km to the center of Seoul. In reality such artillery would be well behind the border. They best Western rocket assisted artillery has a normal range of 40km, some experimental stuff can go further. The crap NK has will not approach this. They may have some specialized pieces that can hit Seoul proper but they will be few and far between. Soeul will survive just fine, especially since the artillery will be overrun in the first days if not hours of a conflict, if it hasn't already been destroyed via air power of counter battery fire.

[Dinner]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127106969

Read between the lines. North Korea today sent a blustery message that it was cutting all ties to the south and made fiery speeches but as a foot note the exempted the Kaesong industrial complex which South Korean companies built in North Korea to build goodies for export using cheap North Korean labor. The Kaesong complex produces the majority of North Korea's exports and gets much of its subparts and supplies from the south. North Korea isn't going to war and instead is just posturing; they know they sank that ship and they want to stir the pot but they don't want to actually start a war. Like their missile tests and their nuclear program it is all look at me stuff hoping to get concessions from the South.

[David Floyd]

And to go full circle to the OP, why the hell doesn't the South have the balls to strike back??

If North Korea sank a USN warship, there'd be hell to pay. Well, maybe not under Obama, but under a real President (ie, someone other than Carter or Obama).

[MrFun]

North Korea hasn't sunk a ship before, is a key difference.

I think it's just the same old story. North Korea makes a blatant violation because it can do whatever it wants, then South Korea, United States, and others beat their chests like gorillas and threaten "measures" like writing angry letters and wagging their fingers.

Same old, same old . . .