North Korea tests its sixth missle a couple of hours ago...

[DavidAllred]

Man, something has to be going on behind the iron curtain... maybe some civil unrest or something. Maybe Kim Jong Il kicked the bucket and everyone is panicking. This is just getting a little bit nuts if you ask me.

[DavidAllred]

Whoops wrong board... thought I was in community forum.

[Flash's Lightning]

Whoops wrong board... thought I was in community forum.

Oh my god, did Superman catch it??

Heh, kidding.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - North Korea will be the catalyst that propels the world into another war. If China stands behind them (and granted they've made statements that they do not condone the nuclear testing), and other communist countries fall in line, it could literally be a communist vs. capitalist war.

And a world war at this stage of our technological development is scary.

[mofo]

I think this is in the right board....

[DeTroyes]

Calling Team America...
Calling Team America...
Calling Team America...

[Radioactive Zombie]

And people still want a united Korea?

[Lord of Nonsensical Crap]

China's the scary factor here rather than North Korea: on its own, North Korea wont last long against a united world coalition. Heck, the country is falling apart at the seams internally, with mass poverty. The only thing keeping things together is Kim Jong Il's dictatorship, and if he dies, it will be anarchy.

But China...if China steps in to support North Korea (not because they particularly care about the North, but because, lets face it, they find it convenient), then yes, it could potentially escalate into a world war situation. Quite frankly, I'm scared.

[beetlebum]

Whoops wrong board... thought I was in community forum.

Ummm......

This is the Community Forum.

On topic: I think this is an exercise in strength by Kim Jong Il.

His health is failing, so to prove that he's 'still strong'. he's engaging in sabre rattling.

But I'm not sure if China will stand behind the North if they go to war; China has an interest in maintaining strong economic ties with the US, and relations will be strained if you support Crazy Dictator when does something stupid.

[Adam C]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/25/2580513.htm

"The Chinese Government expresses its resolute opposition," the foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

"The Chinese side vehemently demands North Korea abides by its denuclearisation promises, stop any actions which may worsen the situation and return to the six-party talks process.

"The Chinese Government calls on all sides to calmly and appropriately deal [with the situation]."

As a permanent member of the Security Council, China has the power to veto any resolution against North Korea. But it is likely to face pressure from Washington and other regional capitals to support measures punishing the North for its test.

Granted it's all words and hasn't backed any specific action against NK yet, but I think fears that it will side with North Korea and drag us into a world war are unfounded at this point.

[Kusanagi]

I could see china stepping in to stop a preemptive strike against North Korea, but if North Korea is actually dumb enough to attack one if it's neighbors I just can't see the gain in China threatening it's economic ties for an impoverished nation that's run by a lunatic.

[mikekerr3]

Oh my god, did Superman catch it??

Heh, kidding.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - North Korea will be the catalyst that propels the world into another war. If China stands behind them (and granted they've made statements that they do not condone the nuclear testing), and other communist countries fall in line, it could literally be a communist vs. capitalist war.

And a world war at this stage of our technological development is scary.

A Communist versus Capitalist war would be suicidal on China's part. and with th current level of nuclear Arms the race would survive unlike the when it was us and the USSR faced the brink.

What other communist nations are there that have enough military to matter, Cuba? Vietnam is as likely to join with China as Canada is.

And modern military tech, excluding nukes, make for less dead that even WWII tech. You don't have to drop a thousand bombs to destroy a bridge destroying everything within a half mile. One does fine now.

[Bakasama]

And people still want a united Korea?

Given the 500 years or so of history of the area, I don't think the Japanese really don't want that.

[Radioactive Zombie]

Given the 500 years or so of history of the area, I don't think the Japanese really don't want that.

The Japanese hate the Koreans.

Granted, the Koreans who want a united Korea are mostly right-wingers.

[mikekerr3]

The Japanese hate the Koreans.

Granted, the Koreans who want a united Korea are mostly right-wingers.

The feeling is mutual, but at least the Koreans have a reason for the hate. A half centrality of occupation, with rape of the resourdes murder of the residents, and organized government sponsored slavery and literal rape tend to cause a few hard feelings.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

China seems to realize the years of trying to play nice with Kim Jong is coming back to bite em in the ass. Like a rapid dog. Odds are Jong will see this as China betraying him and could launch an attack on them 1st.

But its good to see China realizing enough bullshit is enough.

[StoneGold]

A Communist versus Capitalist war would be suicidal on China's part. and with th current level of nuclear Arms the race would survive unlike the when it was us and the USSR faced the brink.


On the other hand, where would we get any manufactured goods from if China was at war with us?

[Charles RB]

Man, something has to be going on behind the iron curtain... maybe some civil unrest or something. Maybe Kim Jong Il kicked the bucket and everyone is panicking.

That's one analysis of it, yep: (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8068567.stm)

Rather than being any kind of odd signal to the wider world, North Korea's new militancy might be primarily driven by internal events, largely invisible to outside eyes.

Perverse as it sounds, barking louder than ever may be their way of scaring us off while they effect a delicate transition.

This could be a smokescreen behind which, not before time, one of Kim's mysterious and untried sons is being wheeled into place as his eventual successor.

If so, we may get more sense out of Pyongyang once such internal ructions settle down. But to speculate thus may be clutching at straws.

[Charles RB]

China seems to realize the years of trying to play nice with Kim Jong is coming back to bite em in the ass. Like a rapid dog. Odds are Jong will see this as China betraying him and could launch an attack on them 1st.

If North Korea looked like it was going to nuke China, half the country would be burnt off the Earth. You'd hope Kim knows that.

[Lord of Nonsensical Crap]

Ummm......
But I'm not sure if China will stand behind the North if they go to war; China has an interest in maintaining strong economic ties with the US, and relations will be strained if you support Crazy Dictator when does something stupid.

I could see china stepping in to stop a preemptive strike against North Korea, but if North Korea is actually dumb enough to attack one if it's neighbors I just can't see the gain in China threatening it's economic ties for an impoverished nation that's run by a lunatic.

A Communist versus Capitalist war would be suicidal on China's part. and with th current level of nuclear Arms the race would survive unlike the when it was us and the USSR faced the brink.

What other communist nations are there that have enough military to matter, Cuba? Vietnam is as likely to join with China as Canada is.

And modern military tech, excluding nukes, make for less dead that even WWII tech. You don't have to drop a thousand bombs to destroy a bridge destroying everything within a half mile. One does fine now.

Hmm, point. I was showing concern because China has, IIRC, vocally backed North Korea in the past. In the current context, though, I'll concede that you're probably right in that China won't be rushing to aid a madman.


On the other hand, where would we get any manufactured goods from if China was at war with us?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the U.S. still owe financial debt to China from the Bush years?

[Ontir]

I've said it before, I'll say it again - North Korea will be the catalyst that propels the world into another war. If China stands behind them (and granted they've made statements that they do not condone the nuclear testing), and other communist countries fall in line, it could literally be a communist vs. capitalist war.

And a world war at this stage of our technological development is scary.

There aren't any Communist countries. There actually haven't ever been any, although China came pretty close. It, however, abandoned Communism in any weak pretense years ago, and has been migrating to full-on Capitalism, which isn't a political system, by the way, ever since. North Korea isn't Communist either. They're a failed feudal state that uses the cease-fire they have with us as a means to motivate its people to continue at break-neck speed to develop weapons, usually to be bartered away for whatever it is their half-wit leader decides he needs at the moment.

As I've said before, and many have said before me, we need to finally broker a treaty with N Korea and end that war once and for all. It IS dangerous, because the world is already involved, often holding a place behind a political and military stance they no longer fully support, but if all hell breaks loose, they may have to uphold, regardless.

[Adam C]

And people still want a united Korea?

Mostly on the hopes that it will re-unite a formerly divided country and end the decrepit Stalinist regime in the North as well as the long standing military tension between the two.

[Adam C]

There aren't any Communist countries. There actually haven't ever been any, although China came pretty close. It, however, abandoned Communism in any weak pretense years ago, and has been migrating to full-on Capitalism, which isn't a political system, by the way, ever since. North Korea isn't Communist either. They're a failed feudal state that uses the cease-fire they have with us as a means to motivate its people to continue at break-neck speed to develop weapons, usually to be bartered away for whatever it is their half-wit leader decides he needs at the moment.

Very well said, though North Korea does have all the political and economic hallmarks of Stalinism so I wouldn't say it's not a Communist state. Then again most Communist/Leninist states have been failed feudal states anyways.

[Gary_B]

Man, something has to be going on behind the iron curtain... maybe some civil unrest or something. Maybe Kim Jong Il kicked the bucket and everyone is panicking. This is just getting a little bit nuts if you ask me.

The Iron Curtain hasn't existed for 20 years.

China seems to realize the years of trying to play nice with Kim Jong is coming back to bite em in the ass. Like a rapid dog.

This is what I think of when I hear the term rapid dog.

http://artchive.com/artchive/f/futurist/dogleash.jpg

[SUPERECWFAN1]

If North Korea looked like it was going to nuke China, half the country would be burnt off the Earth. You'd hope Kim knows that.

He doesn't....he believes South Korea , Japan , China and the USA will stand by and eat it. That they'll back down before it. From whats been reported he wants better concessions and aid for his country. So by threatening he feels he'll get it.

[Adam C]

Looks like we may have a reason for this dick waving on NK's part:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8078324.stm

N Korea 'names Kim's successor'

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il has designated his youngest son to be the country's next leader, according to reports in South Korean media.

Two newspapers and an opposition lawmaker said South Korea's spy agency had briefed legislators on the move.

North Korean officials were reportedly told to support Kim Jong-un after the North's 25 May nuclear test.

There has been much speculation over who would follow Mr Kim, who is thought to have suffered a stroke last year.

Analysts have said the North's recent military actions, including last week's nuclear test, may have been aimed at helping Mr Kim solidify power so that he could name a successor.

Which isn't exactly comforting given that he's been described as being exactly like his crazy father, nor that North Korea has to engage in this kind of destabilizing action to do a hand off of power. On the other hand we actually have something to go on in regards to judging its actions.

[Charles RB]

With luck, things should settle down now the handover's done, right?

That said:

The youngest Kim has been reported as being the son who most resembles his father.

Oh dear.

[Dennis K]

Calling Team America...
Calling Team America...
Calling Team America...



"Team America f*ck yeah!"