The solution to the problem lies with China. If the PRC could live with a unified (and democratic) Korea on it’s border, there would be no need for it to prop up Kim or to have propped up his father before him.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Well, let’s analyze why global polls might drop…
China & Russia view N.K. as a useful thorn in the side of the U.S.; helps keep our eyes away from the funny stuff they’re pulling.
The Middle Eastern states will oppose action because they hope to buy the missile and nuclear technology that N.K. is developing.
The Europeans (except for the Brits perhaps), will oppose it because they believe that only a mushroom cloud over a South Korean / Japanese / American city will make proper pre-text for taking “salient” action against N.K.
African and South American non-aligned types may oppose us because their tin-horn dictators hold up Kim Jong Il as some sort of perverse idol of the kind of control and forced adoration they’d love to have from their people.
Who might back us? Probably the Eastern Europeans (they have recent experience with what being ruled by Stalinists means), the Japanese (they’d be under the gun, just like we are), the Israelis (another country familiar with having a bunch of loons who want nukes and missiles to kill them), and the Australians (those fine folks down under who haven’t misplaced their spines like their European ancestors, and have been steady allies to us around the globe).
I recognize you were probably joking Tim, but there are some who read this discussion board who thing that the popular thing around the globe is also the same thing as the “right” thing to do. Usually these are the same people who believe in “human rights” when it applies to the terrorists we have locked up down in Gitmo (who get far better nutrition, sanitation, and medical care than they’ve ever experienced in their lives there), but are silent about the genocide that Kim Jong Il is carrying out against his own people (so he can stay in the lobster and cognac).

Like or Dislike: 0  0

But, but, but…taking action would mean commitment and a drop in the global polls.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

I hope and pray that our intelligence services have a better picture of the “true” capabilities of the North Korea than what is publicly available. But, since I have only a limited amount of information, I can only offer ideas of what we should do on a contingency basis:
1) If the missile’s splash down in the Pacific and its failed underground nuclear test are an indication that N.K. is still very much technically lacking, and we have the time to set N.K. up, then we would be wise to engage in what has been called “Hawk” Diplomacy. The reason why none of our punitive measures have worked with N.K. is that cutting off something they don’t have in the first place doesn’t really hurt them. Also, historically countries don’t have changes in government at the absolute low in their prosperity; it’s when things start to improve that the people rise up to change things. Hawk Diplomacy recognizes this. Basically the idea is to provide / sell more things (not stuff that would have their weapon systems notably) to N.K. to help the country improve itself. The idea then is that, first the people of N.K. will cease to be starving masses, incapable of rising up, and second that should we cut off what we’ve been providing, we’ll have a real “stick” to change N.K.’s behavior. The idea is to make the eventual N.K. collapse a “soft-landing” style one, versus a crash. Both South Korea and China are loathe to see a stream of N.K. refugees streaming across their borders if N.K. falls down and goes boom in a sudden manner.
2) If the U.S. has info that would lead us to believe that N.K.’s missile and nuclear technology are rising to the level of genuine threat; then we would be wise to take to heart more our own interests (and also those of the Japanese), and take more direct action. The F-22 offers a perfect platform for striking any North Korean missile while it is on the pad, using the right kind of munitions, and given its stealth capabilities, that plan offers us plausible deniability. The mysterious explosion at a N.K. rail switch is a possible indication that the Chinese are trying to make their displeasure known to the N.K. government. However, China’s obstructionist activities at the U.N. cast some shadow on that.
In any event, the U.N. is an entirely useless organ for trying to address this issue, and bothering with the sham of going through the security council is a waste of breath. BHO is showing off his foreign policy weakness early on in his term with the handling of this event.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Newt Gingrich said today on “Fox News Sunday” he would have disabled the missile before North Korea launched it. Not sure how that’s done, but it must be possible, and would send a message to NK that we won’t allow them to even try to launch another one.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Bill-TB said; “Barrack “the naive” Obama has brought his teleprompter to the launch pad, fueling has started, and he is preparing to fire it.”

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…LOL!

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Dave Noble said; “Like you and Word, I don’t know what the answer is. BTW, I do think Kim Jong Il is far crazier than Saddam every was.”

I don’t think anyone knows for sure who was crazier. Considering what they have done in the past, it doesn’t even matter. There’s no doubt about one thing though, Kim Jong-Il is insane and Saddam was insane.

Anyway, back to the article. I agree with CJ, and Wordsmith. Talking, urging, and passing fruitless resolution after another has gotten us nowhere. However, I don’t want to see another war added to the ridiculously long list of conflicts that are going on throughout the planet.

It’s not that I am afraid or that I wouldn’t serve my country. It’s just that I am sick of all the war politics. I could not stomach all of the political junk that the Iraq war has brought, and I don’t know if I could deal with another anytime soon.

Reply to Bill-TB,

That’s funny. I bet the North Koreans are running for cover, LOL! Some more self-depricating humor in these uncertain times.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Barrack “the naive” Obama has brought his teleprompter to the launch pad, fueling has started, and he is preparing to fire it.

Meanwhile, Hillary is planning another dance in NK.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Word,

Thanks for setting me straight. Kudos for humility, Bro. I’m not sure what the answer is either.

General Sherman,

Thanks for noting the extent to which Seoul is “under the gun” What if it was 10% ? Would the level of casualties inflicted by that artillery be acceptable to the South Korean people?

Like you and Word, I don’t know what the answer is. BTW, I do think Kim Jong Il is far crazier than Saddam every was.

Like or Dislike: 0  0

Those 10,000 Nork heavy artillery pieces pointed at Seoul – how many of them do you think are in working condition? 100%? 10%? I have no idea.

A quarter of Nork young men are not fit for military service due to the effects of a lifetime of malnutrition and hunger. The army is short of fuel for its vehicles. If the country were not mountainous and next to China, Korea would have been unified by force long ago.

There is a N. Korean oligarchy that wants to live comfortably. That’s all they care about. In a free society with some kind of merit-based reward system (what we used to have in this country) many of them would not live comfortably. Their people can starve, they can sell heroin to get cash, print counterfeit money, no problem. There is an opium quota for thousands of villages. Grow that on some of your land instead of food, or else. As long as the VIPs can eat lobster and drink cognac, no problem.

A mad society powered by pure evil. Always on the brink of collapse, if survival of the oligarchy is all we’re talking about. Long past the point of collapse, if you look at the whole population. Kept from utter final ruin and oblivion by shipments of Western food and petroleum.

Can they continue like this indefinitely? Maybe a regime change managed by China is in the future. I have no idea.

Like or Dislike: 0  0