North Korea

...aside from your self-convinced tone on just how wrong and senseless the war in Iraq is....

...keeping countries such as N. Korea Iran from acquiring/developing nuclear weapons is pointless. Yes, pointless. Primarily based upon this:

It's only a matter of time.

 

Put lots of economic sanctions on them (including countries around them). If they try to sell nuke tech. or a bomb to anyone, take action before it gets out of the country. Once the tooth paste is out of the tube it is almost impossible to get it back in.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 9 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]330005[/snapback]</div>

We (the U.S.) should follow our own rhetoric that military action is a "last resort", and cease the threats and saber rattling. Why have diplomatic efforts failed? Given that all people basically seek the same thing (peace, security, healthcare, education, economic oppportunity, and fairness) why can't we find some common ground to work from. Diplomacy is a heck of a lot cheaper than war. We should be working day and night to find reasonable and mutually beneficial solutions.
Reading the recently declassified potions of the NIE, it is clear that terrorists are motivated by perceived inequities and denial of opportunity (i.e. Palestine). We will never defeat terrorists until we break their will to fight. So long as the U.S. is perceived as the bully on the playground, and preventing the advancement of certain countries/groups for selfish reasons, terrorists will continue to recruit and be motivated.
When I think of the billions expended in Iraq, I can't help but wonder how many 'good works' that money could have bought at home and abroad. The goodwill generated by those actions could have dramatically changed how the U.S. is seen, and turned many would-be terrorists into intelligence reporting assets instead.
Don't get me wrong. I work for, and believe in, the Department of Defense. But lately the Bush and Rumsfeld Neocons have transformed it into the Department of Offense, a strategy I do not support.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 9 2006, 10:11 AM) [snapback]330005[/snapback]</div>

Obviously, the neoconners placing them on the "axis of evil" hasn't helped. I'm kind of depressed that the situation progressed this far, but N. Korea having the bomb bothers me about as much as Israel, India, etc. having it. So what if they can reach Alaska? We could nuke their entire country, and probably would, were such a thing to happen.

 

How will this test affect any planned air strike on Iran?

Story: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/october20...006nuketest.htm

 

I'd say the intelligence is wrong.. All these countries are making up their seizmic data and this is just Bush trying to steal the oil from north korea.

Let's just elect some democrats, stick our heads up our butt and wait till we see their next test... which I belive the test location is in NYC or LA depending on which city will provide accomodations.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 9 2006, 10:11 AM) [snapback]330005[/snapback]</div>

Park 500 megatons of warheads about 5 minutes off their coast, and drop them if there's a hint of need.

Beyond that, not a lot...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Oct 9 2006, 12:28 PM) [snapback]330060[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for such a thoughtful & rational response. It's nice to see this kind of clarity & insight brought to such a complex issue.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jmccord @ Oct 9 2006, 11:37 AM) [snapback]330035[/snapback]</div>

Well, you might consider that North Korea, while not having enough resources to feed it's own people, has the 5th largest military in the world and the largest percentage of it's population serving in the military.

While the people of North Korea undoubtably are interested in "peace, security, healthcare, education, economic oppportunity, and fairness", their leadership is nuts.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Oct 9 2006, 11:57 AM) [snapback]330041[/snapback]</div>

oh yeah, that's right, truth is cotingent upon masses... Keep shoving propaganda the war in Iraq was wrong, and they're not a threat, and maybe we'll ALL believe it...

...that is, until the dirty nuke is traced back to a camp 200 miles outside of Baghdad... but oh yeah, there was no evidence, just like in Afghanistan on 9/10....

there isn't anything to discuss that hasn't alread been related by the respective diplomatic parties, as is thier purpose... Without the diplomatic "buffer", you've got two individuals that thinks the other is just a f'in moron which their respecitive intel agencies would have little problem assasinating... There's far greater risk for an a senseless argument resulting in even worse relations... Besides, it's not like either side doesn't know "what the deal is"....






<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Proco @ Oct 9 2006, 12:55 PM) [snapback]330071[/snapback]</div>

It accurately reflects the idiocy some of the more left oriented folks here insist upon, and when argued against, turn violent.... :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Oct 9 2006, 01:26 PM) [snapback]330087[/snapback]</div>

Thank God MS is back to his fascist self! I was beginning to get worried when he actually supported gun control.

 

I think we should hold more 'talks' with North Korea.

Shouldn't we just all get together and talk?

The talks with NK and Iran are going so good. I wish we would have done another dozen years of talking with Iraq and Saddam. Just a couple more meetings and I think they will hand over the keys to the nuke factory.

Yep, just another meeting or two...

I think we should also pass a UN resolution stating that it is wrong for NK to blow up any US City.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daronspicher @ Oct 9 2006, 03:08 PM) [snapback]330143[/snapback]</div>

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Bordering countries to North Korea: China, Russia, Japan, South Korea. None of them like the fact that North Korea has the bomb and that its government is nuts.

If all these countries would get aboard the plan, A BLOCKADE would be the best response. A forceful message from all these countries stating that if North Korea did not immediately give up its nuclear weapons and all nuclear nuclear fuel, the blockade would remain in affect until the country of North Korea shriveled up and died. And attack by North Korea on any one of these countries would be considered an attack on all the countries and would be dealt with in the harshest of manners.

North Korea would not want to try to endure the upcoming winter with a blockade cutting off all supplies.

Time for talk is over.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mikepaul @ Oct 9 2006, 12:36 PM) [snapback]330062[/snapback]</div>

Been there, done that, bought the shirt. (Boring holes in the ocean at 150 ft is BORING).

Deterrent only works when both sides (I guess now it's all sides against NK) are concerned about the final outcome. I am not sure NK is. Now we just need to do everything (except Battle Stations Missile) that we threatened in the way of sanctions and see if there is resolution. If not, I guess we're back in the Cold War.

We did blockade Cuba once but that was a long time ago in a galaxy far far away - we were the only other player in the game.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mikepaul @ Oct 9 2006, 11:36 AM) [snapback]330062[/snapback]</div>

OK lets look at this option. We set off a nuke which sends a nice cloud of radioactive dust that goes up into the ionosphere. Notice on the local weather how they allways show the jet stream flowing from west to east, across the Pacific, then Alaska, Canada, and the US? Efusco, would you care to explain the medical ramafications of radiation sickness? Don't think this is the best idea IMO.

This might be the best response initially, I think it's a pretty safe bet that Japan and South Korea would be promptly on board, Russia would also be a pretty good bet. China could potentially be a problem though.

What I think would be a bad idea though is for the US to try something on its own. Right now the Security Council (UN) is unified on this matter and I think it's important we let that avenue work through.