I very much hope that you are right. My worry is neither party is particularly rational, the North Koreans may be tempted to believe their own rhetoric about dealing a blow to the wicked Americans, and the man in charge of the Wicked American side of things, well who knows?

 

A particular worry is that they may, believing they have their own deterrent shield, believe that they would not lose, and be tempted to actually launch attacks on the South. Because of the geography (Seoul being so close to the border) things would escalate very quickly, particularly if they inflict large scale casualties on the US in the opening attacks.

That's kind of my point. trump is less rational than Kim. If the generals can't handle trump then I think the chance of a military conflict is quite significant. How well the generals can reign in trump is anybody's guess. Pence who would replace trump if he's pushed out is no prize but at least he's more mentally balanced.

 

 

Great insight and article. 

 

https://theintercept.com/2017/09/04/undercover-in-north-korea-all-paths-lead-to-catastrophe/

21 hours ago, Jingthing said:

They have missiles. They have nukes. It's really doubtful they've blended them yet. I don't see how war is avoided now. 

Pakistan has missiles and nukes; India has missiles and nukes.  No war yet. 
Sane people understand the aftermath of a nuclear exchange.  It's the insane ones, on both sides of nuclear capable countries, that the average citizens needs to worry about.

3 minutes ago, connda said:

Pakistan has missiles and nukes; India has missiles and nukes.  No war yet. 
Sane people understand the aftermath of a nuclear exchange.  It's the insane ones, on both sides of nuclear capable countries, that the average citizens needs to worry about.

Right, and I think the trump-Kim match up is unusually concerning in the rationality department (emphasis on trump). On India - Pakistan, that's not a no risk situation either. But Korea is clearly hotter now. 

Edited September 6, 20178 yr by Jingthing

On 9/5/2017 at 2:39 AM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

It would seem like something has to be done.

 

We've had years of attempted diplomacy with NK, we've had de-nuclearization deals that were entered into and then broken, and all that's happened is this rogue nation has steadily progressed closer and closer to being able to launch nuclear attacks on its neighboring countries and the U.S.

 

I'm not sure what the solution or best tactical approach is, but just leaving NK alone to continue further down the nuclear road seems a recipe for disaster.

 

The crazy part is, the Korean war ended give or take 60 years ago, and yet all we ever hear is they need their nukes because the U.S. is intent on attacking and invading them. Well, the U.S. has had 60 plus years of opportunity since the end of the Korean War to attack/invade North Korea, and never has/never did.

 

The only reason the U.S. is doing anything there other than ensuring the defense of South Korea is because NK has become a rogue nation led by an unstable dictator who seems willing to use nuclear weapons.

 

 

Problem is, the  US Empire, (see Libya, Iraq), probably would  "pre emptively" launch an attack against NK,  The US  with   the  stupid fool  now in charge,  will probably eat itself.  

 

Gee,  lets have a massive war games on  NK's border,  Gee,  NK didn't like that,  Gee, am I acting  like I'm aggressive  by  flying  Nuclear B2 's across the border,    Gee we have  "Viper" war games in Hokkaido, I wonder why the missle landed there??  (any sign of this reported on any of the so-called  news channel , PBS  pentagon broadcasting service)

 

 

Mad Dog  and   the  Presidiot  are going to  get 100,000 Residents of Seoul   killed , Gee,  I wonder  why  the South Koreans  prefer to "talk" .

 

This was almost solved during Clinton's time, but the US  , as usual,  is now living with "Blowback",  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chalmers_Johnson#The_Blowback_series

 

but anyway,  Climate Change  will  kill off   the  White Republicans,  eventually, along with everyone else.    Miami and Arizona  should go 1st, then Texas , Alabama, and Mississippi ,   

 

 

Then throw in Orange County  .....

20 hours ago, midas said:

Great insight and article. 

 

https://theintercept.com/2017/09/04/undercover-in-north-korea-all-paths-lead-to-catastrophe/

I read with interest this article (and got caught up in many others) If "the intercept" is legitimate reporting, 

it would seem that there is no chance of resolution. Just a constant stand off. It states from someone who taught 

there that the whole country is a cult dedicated to the family of Kim, but if you managed to remove Kim, a clone

would appear to take over the whole country cult mentality. ad infinitum. 

 Albania springs to mind of another cult country that appears to have integrated itself back into "normal" society.

But apparently not for Nth Korea. Possibly just leave them alone as a pariah state. Back off, stand down.