N.Korea nuclear test

[Flash]

When should we start to care then? Ok, so they've got nukes now. NBD. 5 years from now we should worry...? Come on, seriously?

What are they going to do with them? They use them against us and that is the end of North Korea, period. Again, it is all about survival with these guys, even the crazy North Koreans. What could we do anyways? Sanction them? Invade them? Strike their nuclear facilities? That is, if we know where they are.

There are no good options, so what do you suggest we do?

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

When should we start to care then? Ok, so they've got nukes now. NBD. 5 years from now we should worry...? Come on, seriously?

I agree. So, in 5 years when they do have a reliable way to deliver the nukes, whats it going to be then? "Well, they haven't made threats to the U.S. directly" or "The missles aren't pointed at the U.S." The further the U.S. allows these countries to progress in their nuclear programs, the less credibility we have as a nation. We just keep getting softer and softer.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

What are they going to do with them? They use them against us and that is the end of North Korea, period. Again, it is all about survival with these guys, even the crazy North Koreans. What could we do anyways? Sanction them? Invade them? Strike their nuclear facilities? That is, if we know where they are.

There are no good options, so what do you suggest we do?

I know what we shouldn't do, and that is sit here on our thumbs making idle threat after idle threat. What exactly should we do? I don't know. People who get paid a hell of a lot more than you and I need to make those decisions.

 

[Flash]

So, in 5 years when they do have a reliable way to deliver the nukes, whats it going to be then?

That is an awfully big presumption, one that may very well not play out.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

That is an awfully big presumption, one that may very well not play out.

Do you want to wait and see if it plays out? I don't.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

What I want to say is far too barbaric for this forum. But if they become a larger problem I don't think we'll have much of a problem taking "care" of it.

On a side note if China does take care of it then that's a win for us I suppose. Watch them get praise for preempting though.

 

[Clux4]

China is just being smart about the whole issue. North Korea already depends on China for most of its power generation and a lot of food assistance. If China were to cut those, it would be looking at a large influx of immigrants with no place to put them. You would think they would be more concerned than us but the situation is really hairy. Again, one of those political issues that is not as easy to fix. Bush 43 was not as successful and we are yet to see how the new administration will change things; if any. Unless we get some significant support from countries like China and maybe Russia, we are NOT doing anything with North Korea aside from wiping them off the face of the earth.

 

[Bevo16]

Well this is an interesting development.

South Korea Declares War?

I think that this is a good move by the South Koreans. It makes it clear that they are not going to sit there and do nothing, and it is a pretty clear F-U to the North. If the crack-pots up north are really serious about making some noise, then the ball is in their court.

 

[SkywardET]

Any "solution" to the problem would have to involved South Korea. Reunification on peaceful terms under the government of Seoul would be ideal, but it is likely that Pyongyang would get some concessions. This will never happen with Kim Jong Il, but perhaps once he's out of the picture it may be possible.

I think one way to expedite a peaceful solution would be to give North Korea whatever power generation materials they need (fuel, construction equipment for new power plants, etc.) and then give every North Korean a computer or laptop that is capable of running StarCraft. Then give them satellite TV and let them watch the South Korean TV networks, especially the one dedicated to StarCraft (if it still exists).

In all seriousness though, the Sears Catalog did more than its fair share to bring down the Soviet Union. Something similar could happen with North Korea.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Well this is an interesting development.

South Korea Declares War?

I think that this is a good move by the South Koreans. It makes it clear that they are not going to sit there and do nothing, and it is a pretty clear F-U to the North. If the crack-pots up north are really serious about making some noise, then the ball is in their court.

Does anyone not view the nuclear tests as a breach of the armistice? Maybe my interpretation is flawed but why are we putting up with this? We're still at war with them. If they're going to treat it like its a game let's play their game and kick their ass.

 

[Bevo16]

That pretty much sums it up.

 

[scoolbubba]

What are they going to do with them? They use them against us and that is the end of North Korea, period. Again, it is all about survival with these guys, even the crazy North Koreans. What could we do anyways? Sanction them? Invade them? Strike their nuclear facilities? That is, if we know where they are.

There are no good options, so what do you suggest we do?

I don't know, you said it yourself...no "good" options. Plenty of effective ones, but we've only had the stones to use them once..er, twice...

Given the NKs penchant for belligerent actions, added to their attempts at developing nukes as well as a ballistic missile delivery system that could hit Hawaii/Alaska could be seen as a danger to our national security as well as our allies.

Making it clear that further tests/missile launches will not be treated with a slap on the wrist and could in fact endanger the survival of the leadership might be a step in the right direction. Maybe we oughta send a few pictures of what happened to the last guy who poked a hornet's nest one time too many...

 

[Clux4]

Does anyone not view the nuclear tests as a breach of the armistice? Maybe my interpretation is flawed but why are we putting up with this? We're still at war with them. If they're going to treat it like its a game let's play their game and kick their ass.

How exactly do you plan to kick their ass? I think we have already established that we do not have money and personnel to successfully engage another conventional war unless you suggest a nuclear engagement which you already know is not a viable option. So I guess we need to have some countries join us. Those countries that backed out on Iraq, do you remember? Before we even go to those countries, let us get majority of our citizens to buy in on it. Believe it or not, a lack of public consensus on the use of force is the quickest way to lose a war.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

How exactly do you plan to kick their ass? I think we have already established that we do not have money and personnel to successfully engage another conventional war unless you suggest a nuclear engagement which you already know is not a viable option. So I guess we need to have some countries join us. Those countries that backed out on Iraq, do you remember? Before we even go to those countries, let us get majority of our citizens to buy in on it. Believe it or not, a lack of public consensus on the use of force is the quickest way to lose a war.

It's not a buy in or buy out. We are at war with them. What part of that do you not understand?

 

[Flash]

It's not a buy in or buy out. We are at war with them. What part of that do you not understand?

A war where we don't shoot at each other. While technically correct it is not the present reality.