Posted on 10/16/2006 6:41:56 AM PDT by presidio9
AS many problems as North Korea's Stalinist dictatorship makes for the rest of the world, what it inflicts upon its captive population is far, far worse. Life in Kim Jong Il's iron-fisted police state is a hellish nightmare.
It's the most repressive country on earth, under absolute control of "Dear Leader" Kim. Fear, intimidation and wild-eyed propaganda dominate every aspect of society.
From outside, it can seem comical - like Pyongyang's recent boast that Kim had fired 11 holes in one - in 11 holes, of course - the first time he played golf. Somehow, that whopper was supposed to boost the tyrant's image.
But let's take a peek behind Kim's Iron Curtain.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom reported in 2005: "There are virtually no personal freedoms in North Korea." Indeed, any and all civil liberties are considered a threat to the regime.
Radios and TVs are hard-wired to pre-set frequencies, over which North Koreans are subjected to constant propaganda, martial music, or B-grade Korean War flicks (this time, they win.) All homes display pictures of the "Dear Leader" and his father, "Great Leader" Kim Il Sung.
Crimes in "Kim-land" include defecting (or just trying), slandering Kim or the government, listening to foreign broadcasts, reading "subversive" material - even sitting on a newspaper that displays Kim's picture.
Failure to play by the rules can mean a bullet to the back of the head or time in one of Kim's seven political gulags, hard-labor camps that hold more than 200,000 men, women and children. The North Korean Freedom Coalition estimates that 400,000 to 1 million political prisoners have perished, some in gas chambers,
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The sad fact is that compared to North Korea, Cuba actually is a paradise.
and dontcha know that this is the kind of freedoms that Pelosi and her gang want!
Maybe we could even tie it into Kim's proficiency at sports ---
"The first time Kim tried golf he got a hole-in-one, and the first time he tried Russian roulette he was lucky enough to blow his brains out"
BTW, I lived in Seoul for a while, and I can verify that it is colder than a witch's teat there. I can only imagine what it is like right next to Siberia in the North.
I've wondered why SK doesn't just invade, occupy, and solve this problem.
I agree we should stop giving aid, but that approach didn't help Cuba.
Polycarp perhaps?
There's gotta be some way to do it. I keep reading about how we're taking out jihadis all the time with Predator drones and smart bombs.
Seoul is within artillery range of the DMZ. Civilians in Seoul would take a hell of a beating before the guns could be subdued. Also, the Northerners are likely to practice human wave tactics, which will result in appalling losses on their side, and higher than expected losses for the Southerners. Iran did this same thing with little boys in their war with Iraq, and can be expected to repeat if/when we invade there.
I'm will to donate $5 towards a fund to buy the DUmmies at DU at one way ticket to NK.
After all, they're all suffering here so much since Bush "stole" the elections in 2000.
That approach didn't help, because we were the only country observing the sanctions.
bump for later
Example, Indira Gandhi: Shot by two of her bodyguards, who were then shot by other guards.
Example: Park Chung Hee, ROK president, shot dead, along with his bodyguards by the chief of the KCIA.
Kim Jong-Il lives in constant fear of assassination and runs a fleet of decoy cars for security reasons whenever he travels. Kim makes it a rule to have five identical cars driving in convoy on his trips by road. Kim has some 100 expensive foreign cars, including Mercedes Benzes and Cadillacs, with 10 each of the same model to ensure a supply of five identical cars for his motorcade.
Kim never travels by air, and has a special armored train when he goes to another country on a state visit.
Kim has increased the number of loyalist bodyguards to more than 8,000 from 280 in the 1970s on top of 100,000 elite forces who are powerful enough to crush any military revolt. Kim's bodyguards were exceptionally "well-fed and well-clothed" to reassure loyalty to Kim. We are literally talking meal ticket, here.
I just went to googlemaps and looked at pyongyang.
It's like a deserted island- no cars on the road, huge buildings with empty parking lots.
Poor people, I pray that the Light will shine in their dark world.
Whoaaaa, I think you just hit on it. That's it! Someone should write that book and put Kim's name on it, and then sit back and let the Muslims take over! He'd probably have more fatwahs against him than one could count in a lifetime. Hahahahahaha! Job done!
Redundant
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