Posted on 09/21/2017 6:03:46 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
It probably is a type of extortion. He is no fool. All he has to do is look around the world. Those countries which have abandoned their nuclear programs under pressure from the west have been toppled. Libya agreed to a program in return for lifting of trade embargoes. He was regime changed. Iraq lost their program in an attack and never restarted. He was regime changed. Pakistan and India developed programs and grew closer to the US. And notably Iran audaciously refused to give one inch, not even to reduce their “remove Israel from the map” rhetoric and we gave them a peace treaty. The then asked for ransom and we paid it!
So why would Rocket Man back down now?
China appears to be cooperating
Russia /Iran is a wildcard
Iranian help as well.
Obama is no longer in charge
“Why are we risking US blood and treasure in this far away peninsula when the south Koreans are perfectly capable of defending themselves?”
1) South Korea doesn’t have the capability and any exchange would necessarily wipe out Seoul.
2) North Korea is threatening us, not South Korea. They are using SK as a foil.
3) There will be US treasure involved, but I doubt much if any blood will be spilled on our side. Delivering Nukes, doesn’t involve a lot of folks, and surely no ground troops, particularly after a nuclear strike.
4) I just imagine that we have a defense treaty with South Korea.
Actually I think so too. This is China’s boy.
With info passed on from the Iranians and A.Q. Khan. Who also got stuff from the Paki Khan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Qadeer_Khan#North_Korea.2C_Iran_and_Libya
Very skeptical that China is cutting off all banking with NK.
You make some good points ... except Trump was not President when all those things happened. Kim can see that Bush II invaded two countries including the toppling a leader and Trump appears more aggressive than Bush. So I think Kim will go only so far with Trump.
Personally, I think he’s trying to provoke a reaction so that he is not the first one to use the nukes, and can then justify a retaliatory strike.
They’ll portray themselves as the victims of the big, bad USA, and try to garner world sympathy and then claim they had to defend themselves.
To say I don’t trust them is a vast understatement.
EMP?
“It seems like war with N.K. cannot be avoided.”
It is the right thing to do.
And the most humane way to do it is a preemptive Nuclear Counterforce Strike.
Complete annihilation of Norklandia so the rest of the world will have peace and security.
President Trump is smart. He knows the only way it can play is if NK does something first.
Which is not good. But that’s pretty much where we are these days.
But I think it’s the only way it can be without full world war. I expect Fat Boy to keep pushing.
Launching over Japan is provocative enough. And then he did it again.
I don’t know. Very difficult problem.
I’m sure the subs have their targets from months back and are locked-in.
Most powerful ever in the pacific?
I don’t think so. I don’t believe they can build a 15MT warhead and get it anywhere.
Well it would keep NK from getting their first strike; that’s for sure.
[so the rest of the world will have peace and security[
No offense intended but I don’t think you want that last 3-word phrase. (for other reasons)
Just a comment - not directed at you personally.
1. They’re not. NK war starts, Seoul ceases to exist in 30 minutes.
2. Rocket Man’s whole goal is to be equal to USA, ramping things up until US backs down. At some point he becomes an actual threat. Let’s not get there.
Didn’t they cart out the top 5 feet of top soil and replace it?
It’s not looking good to me; that’s for sure.
Seriously, Trump could order a nuclear strike against Pyongyang. At this point I really don’t think anyone would do anything but use tough language. If America is wiped off the map the world suffers and all the Russians and Chinese know it. North Korea, not so much.
Trumps approval rating would plummet, he’d probably be impeached, people would be pissed, America would be on the receiving end of tough rhetoric for a few years and maybe some sanctions but ultimately the world would move on.
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