North Korea tears up agreements

Communists are a cancer for this world.

judiestar writes,

"Now you know were going to get involved in this too."

And "involved" looks like what?

I think most people realize that if war was in the offing it would have begun unannounced. Warning an enemy in advance would be pretty dumb. To take Kim's blustering seriously assumes that Kim isn't bluffing. Simply because he threatens, that really means war, and we should over-react?

If you thought he was doing no more than over-acting would you do more than beef up security and wait for him to see his gambit's failed? That's probably what will happen. Remember too, that by putting the onus on Kim to make the first move he now knows his first misstep could be his last.

As points of departure from the usual stateside propaganda mills there is a more useful journal on the net called "The Asia Times". Economists, scholars, diplomats, etc, provide commentary. The journal consistently provides better-informed and higher value viewpoints than you find elsewhere in media.

Two examples you might find interesting.

Pyongyang oversteps the mark
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KA31Ak03.html

A peek into China's military mind
By Owen Fletcher
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KA28Ad01.html

Now you know were going to get involved in this too.

anikhanj writes,

"What the hell is North Korea going to do? Have their malnourished, weak, low-morale citizens fight one of the technological and economical epicenters of the world?"

Great insight.

Kim Jong Il is a TOOL. What he's supposedly doing [who knows if he's even alive?] is an obvious bluff. He can't possibly win in any military conflict

But China can. Financially.

In the same way that Russia was bankrupted by a no-win war in Afghanistan, we now have armies in Iraq and Afghanistan to drain the treasury. We expect at some future point to challenge Iran, and maybe tackle nuclear armed Pakistan as well.

Look like it's time to reenlist fellas? Any volunteers to go? Anyone? Sign up now - you chickenhawks are the ones who want the fight.

Iraq made it obvious that we haven't the manpower to occupy and control any of these countries, let alone North Korea as well. Regardless of what tech advantage we can apply this is not a contest that makes sense.

Knowing this, what does it cost Kim, or China, if he resorts to bombast and threats he can never fulfill? 'Dear Leader' is an isolated runt whose only hope is that China, and American common sense, stands between him and certain destruction.

Let's be honest about logistics. Where will we get armies to fight again in Korea? We'd have to reintroduce the draft and mobilize. How long would that take?

There are too many downsides.

Assuming we invade Korea immediately we weaken ourselves elsewhere, both of manpower and by skewing logistics priorities.

For what advantage?

Assuming we won a resounding victory and the North capitulated completely, who is going to pay to rebuild the North, and feed its population? We can pretend this is another great humanitarian venture to save a desperate population from a despot. But who'll pay the bills?

Where will we get the money to finance such a war? Oh, that's right, we'll borrow it from our great pal CHINA - who could snuff this guy in a nanosecond.. .

Being goaded into a fight during a recession\depression, with no economic benefit at the end of it, isn't just bad policy, it is a fool's gambit.

If you did not see this coming along with escalation in Iran and Venezula, you can't tell which way the wind blows when you in it.

Obama is a soft guy and invokes this action, because they know he has not the guts or intel to act. Rember the Iran hostages held for nearly a year and an hour after Reagon got elected they were on a plane back? The reason is because Reagan was gonna blow the f..k out of them, I was doing contract work for NCPAC then, my qualification. When you know a sissy with personal agenda's are in charge like this Obama guy, this is to be expected. Hold on American, the worse is still to come under this adminstration. I seriously doubt if we will survive it.

What the hell is North Korea going to do? Have their malnourished, weak, low-morale citizens fight one of the technological and economical epicenters of the world? It would be like the US (from the 90's) fighting Mexico!
Kim Jong-il is clearly deprived of logic...but that goes without saying...

For a moment, forget South and North Korea. Both are pawns on a larger board. Instead think Geopolitics.

Power at that level is very tricky to analyze from without because what appears as irrational or insane to one side, merely are tactics and strategy to achieve another's objectives. We have similar objectives.

Worse, somehow we have forgotten the only regional player that really counts is CHINA.

Our Most Favored Nation, most beloved trading partner, and the only nation left on earth wealthy enough either to bail us out or sink us in financial purgatory for several generations. We gave them our piggy bank and the industries which used to fill it.

Advantage - theirs. Doubtless they intend to use it to the max.

Let's remember too a lesson from Tibet. Had China not found either Kim 1 or Kim 2 particularly useful they would likely be dead. North Korea likely would be absorbed as another 'ancient province' of the Empire. "Look! We found these ancient owner's documents! It's ours!"

And face it - who would, or could mount enough force to oppose it?

On the other hand does anyone seriously believe that China wants NATO and the US to lob nukes onto its frontier? If not, why have North Korea take the risk? How about Taiwan?

To put it country simple: we don't know what this is all about. None of us.

Maybe State Dept, NSA and CIA wonks have a handle on it, but I doubt they're about to risk their agents and sources lives just to keep us more calm.

What could be going on?

Most likely some form of high-level hardball bargaining. Neither China nor Russia wants to be encircled by nuclear launch installations nearby. But NATO loves the idea, despite scaring both targeted nations witless. Another plan which seems insanely destabilizing to the intended targets - hence perhaps their incentive for their counter tactics.

Tactics? One result was the recent dispute between Ukraine and Russia which pitted European self interest (in not freezing during winter) as leverage against Ukraine's desire to join the European Community and NATO. Europe wanted not to intervene - the issue was forced.

In a word, Geopolitics.

Personally i think South Korea is being rather friendly. If there ever was full scale war between the 2 nations South Korea would easily dominate the North without any help from foreign powers.

Imo the South is being rather polite in regards to how long theyve wanted to just reunite their country again.

It's like how the U.K and Ireland used to be just with south korea and the north this time

Its a matter of national pride for the south koreans, all they want is a unified korea. no matter how many people die to make it unified. Theyre just getting pushy,the students are going nuts again putting pressure on the south korean govt,The south koreans are a very pridefull people. kinda like the Irish. I think the south is like a stalker boyfriend to the north, and the north is like the protective dad "if he dont leave you alone im going to kick his ass" but i love her---------------P

And what the warmongering U.S. who probably started all of this with their inhuman actions in Abu Gharib where they put panties on humans heads and then mocked them, for shame or the horrors of Gitmo where it is known that on some days the middle eastern food cooked to order was sometimes not served hot. Pure Evil I say.

This is more skulldugery by Bush. Everyone thinks Bush is gone, but there are those of us who know that he lives in the basement of the WH and is secretly still in control. Obama is only a puppet prince president, put there as a ploy by the neo-cons.

Oh God save us all. We must immediately sit down with North Korea and reason with them. Send Hillary NOW, send Obama NOW, we've got to save this poor country from further incursions from the evil imperial Americans..Thanks.

In the book World War Z, North Korea just disappeared.

NK's regime would rather starve and incarcerate all its people before it would move an inch towards freedom. Worse than the murderous military dictators in Myanmar.