North Korea Tests Nuke

[SubGod22]

Korea Conducts Powerful Nuclear Test, Reportedly Fires Short-Range Missiles.

[SubGod22]

N. Korea Ignores World, Tests More Missiles

[rrshock]

This is gonna get bad, I'm afraid.

[BostonWu]

Just when you thought our military was stretched thin. I'm not sure sactions are going to work as it appears we are long past that point.

[WuDrWu]

Just when you thought our military was stretched thin. I'm not sure sactions are going to work as it appears we are long past that point.

We'll probably go over and shake hands and bow to Kim, smile and everything will be good. We're loved by the world now.

[SubGod22]

N. Korea Restarts Nuclear Plant

[SubGod22]

N. Korea Warns of Strike Against S. Korea, U.S.

Russia Fears Korea Conflict Could Go Nuclear

Blast Shows N. Korea Nuke Threat Growing

I think we can comfortably say that both Clinton and Bush have mishandled this situation for the last decade or so.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

NO MORE NUKES!! NEGIOTIATE!! NO WAR!!!

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!!

Our newer diplomatic strategy makes as much sense as a serial killer getting caught and instead of putting him on death row, you put him back on the streets with a signed piece of paper that says he won't do it again.

Then act suprised when he does, so make him sign another piece of paper, this one signed by more judges so he knows how serious they really are!

Then act so surprised as the death toll rises, that you get even more judges to sign a piece of paper. This time it is the Supreme Court.

When he kills yet again, this time, in addition to the papers, you offer him a lifetime of free Subway to not kill anyone else. Due to budget cuts though he will only be able to eat there 4 days a week on the gov't dime. I mean, we'd be paying for it if he was in jail right? Why not pay for it out there also.

Everyone still puzzled when he kills yet another person. This time though, the husband of the lady kills him, and that guy gets put to death for murder.

What a great world!!

[Maggie]

Well, well, well – this is certainly a slap in the face to our President’s effort (fantasy, in my judgment) to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

You know, at some date very soon President Obama will cease with the "it's our fault," reset button, "Bush did it" apologetics and come to find that the world cares not about the past, but only how much things can be redefined under his administration.

However, if past conduct is be to the guide our vocabulary of "grave concern," "totally unacceptable," "deepening its own isolation," "in violation of UN resolutions," and "inviting stronger international pressure" will quickly become exhausted, and, as in the case of "man-caused disasters" and "overseas contingency operations," we, unfortunately, will come up with new words and phraseologies for the new mood of the times — perhaps, "really grave concern," "absolutely totally unacceptable," "greatly deepening its own isolation," "in extreme violation of UN resolution," "inviting especially stronger international pressure," etc. and on and on and on. As I believe Peggy Noonan pointed out in an article I posted a while ago, in a different context, it is language like this that “becomes vague to the point of meaningless and meaningless to the point of menacing”.

Seriously, I agree with the past couple of posts the recent tests demonstrate both how serious the North Koreans are and how manifestly unserious we remain. Throughout the Clinton, Bush, and now the Obama administrations, we have lived under the delusion that we could negotiate with the North Koreans or the even more absurd notion that we could use China to pressure them. None of this has worked.

I am not sure what to do but talking is not going to get it done. Possibly, President Obama should reconsider slashing the missile defense projects the military has been so diligently working on. One thing that could help would be the ability to render a missile delivery system obsolete.

[RoyalShock]

I'm not convinced N. Korea has intentions of using whatever nuclear weapon it is developing. As arrogant as their commie leaders might be, they know they'd get wiped off the map if the did anything.

This is a an isolated country that is quite poor. Based on that, I wonder if what they are trying to is two-fold:

1. Threaten neighboring countries until sanctions are lifted.

2. Develop a weapon they then sell to someone else for a very high price.

I wonder if this is an economic, and not a military exercise.

Are they being dealt with the wrong way? Perhaps a serious lifting of sanctions in exchange for a complete abandonment of their program is the way to go? At least if it's offered and they decline, we'll have a better understanding of their intentions.

[Maggie]

I think you are partially right it is an economic exercise – as is all saber rattling done by dictatorships of this type. There is a reason for it – it works. And the proliferation of the weapons or perhaps more importantly, in some respects, the technology is of great concern.

However, I think you should not be so quick to discount the possibility of a North Korean leader actually using a nuclear weapon.

As for their intentions? Two words: Power and survival.

[SubGod22]

If Korea were to use it on someone I wonder what the response would be?

However, I do think it's more likely that they plan on making a lot of money by selling to Iran and/or other like minded nations.

I'm not ruling out the crazy leaders desire to use it himself though. Does anyone know anything about his kid that he's named to take over? I haven't heard anything and wonder if he's as nutty as his father.

[RoyalShock]

As for their intentions? Two words: Power and survival.

Which can be econimic, militaristic or a combination of both. The thing is, if they make good on the military side, they'll have neither power nor survival. I would have to believe they understand that.

On the other hand, they wouldn't be the first to have their lust and arrogance extinguish the flame of reason.

[Maggie]

As for their intentions? Two words: Power and survival.

Which can be econimic, militaristic or a combination of both. The thing is, if they make good on the military side, they'll have neither power nor survival. I would have to believe they understand that.

On the other hand, they wouldn't be the first to have their lust and arrogance extinguish the flame of reason.

True. But I think you hit on my main concern: I simply cannot bring myself to rely on North Korean leaders (:wacko:) to act reasonably or rationally.

[RoyalShock]

Which is why you go to the bargaining table and try to get a solution worked out diplomatically. If that fails, the situation is basically where it is right now. But it has to be done quickly.