So the most batshit crazy dude on the planet has now tested a nuclear bomb. A guy who is scarier than Bin Laden and Ahmedenijad's love child has a nuclear arsenal.
I'll be honest, I have no idea how the hell anyone should handle this issue. This is a non-partisan confusion. The GOP has no clue. The Democrats have no clue. The UN has no clue. Howard Hughes has the bomb.
So, what the hell should we do about this? What does China do about this? Japan? Russia?
Iran should scare us more than Korea. China has ways of handling this but has been reticent to act strongly as they wish to keep the regime in power. This is a case where North Korea's neighbors must act together. And even James Baker says we must talk to these nuts.
You are correct in that this a total nonpartisan issue. And he is a whack job that makes Irani leadership look like Einstein.
(edited by DrDirt on 9.10.06 1100) Perception is reality
The only surprise I have is that the nutcase didn't test the bomb over downtown Seoul. As long as China wants to keep this guy in power there isn't much the U.S. can do though. You can blame every U.S. President and Congress from Eisenhower through Carter through Bush Jr. for this. The only real hope is that China realizes that the 'wacky' North Koreans might be bad for business and ruin their economic growth and decide they aren't worth the headaches anymore. Old style 19th century European power politics question here: Is it worth it at this point for the U.S. to sell Taiwan down the river if the Chinese are willing to sell out the North Koreans?
This is bad, but not I suspect, "Kim Jong-Il will destroy Asia!" bad. As crazy as he is, he knows that if he drops the bomb, he won't live for more than an hour. He will try to use this to establish himself on the world stage more and get more aid. Japan should be more worried than we are, and there may be a rush to build nukes of their own (which with their tech and resources, they could have in no time at all.) I do think MAD will keep everyones triggerfingers still though. I wonder how tense the DMZ right now is?
Chris, that crap was happening back when I was stationed over there. So it is nothing new. Hell, the bad guys shot down a Chopper ( http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=7800 ), came across the bridge of no return and killed a couple guys ( http://www.kimsoft.com/2000/bunyan.htm ) (and causing a young AWArulz to learn the sweet art of Prayer, because they gave me lots and lots of bullets, green underwear and a seat on a truck with other young men with the same equipment), and generally were sneaky bastards. We filled in hundreds of tunnels while I was there, four or five guys in my unit got hit by stray shots from the NKs shooting behind their side of the 'Z.
Oh, and the Swedes and Swiss? Partying in Seoul, no doubt, instead of making sure the 'Z was actually D-Zd'.
so, I am thinking nothing new there.
(edited by AWArulz on 9.10.06 1622) We'll be back right after order has been restored here in the Omni Center.
I guess they've been working on it since the 60's and the yield was only 1.5 to 2.4 kilo tons. What once was the republican's october 'scare-prise' turned out to basically be a dud.
I just remembered that im absent minded wait i mean i lost my mind, i cant find it.
Originally posted by canis582I guess they've been working on it since the 60's and the yield was only 1.5 to 2.4 kilo tons. What once was the republican's october 'scare-prise' turned out to basically be a dud.
Wow, we got all the way to message #9 without a lame partisan reference. Bravo
Originally posted by canis582I guess they've been working on it since the 60's and the yield was only 1.5 to 2.4 kilo tons. What once was the republican's october 'scare-prise' turned out to basically be a dud.
Geez. I know I'm one of the more liberal folks on the board, and there isn't much that you could tell me the GOP has done that would surprise me. But do you really think that the PDRK gives two shits what's going on in our midterm election cycle, or that the rest of the world's reaction is being orchestrated somehow by GWB?
Originally posted by canis582I guess they've been working on it since the 60's and the yield was only 1.5 to 2.4 kilo tons. What once was the republican's october 'scare-prise' turned out to basically be a dud.
Geez. I know I'm one of the more liberal folks on the board, and there isn't much that you could tell me the GOP has done that would surprise me. But do you really think that the PDRK gives two shits what's going on in our midterm election cycle, or that the rest of the world's reaction is being orchestrated somehow by GWB?
I would agree. Plus, "W" really doesn't need this right now. This really shouldn't be a partisan issue. North Korea has played both parties quite effectively.
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