As for China i know for certain they would not go nuclear! Those guys are quite crafty ...and going nuke would not go well with their 50 year plans since the US would systematically eradicate their ability to do anything more than grow radioactive rice! Hence a Chi-com nuke strike is definitely out of the question unless someone gets possessed over there!
However i doubt Chona would accept a unified Korea since that would be a huge affront to them! They would do something, and maybe we would see some Chinese 'meddling' in the matter ...again not a rush of a million Chinese from across the border but definitelty something!
Maybe Taiwan.
And while such an action would not be sagacious for China (they are not ready yet) it would also throw a spanner in the works for the US in the region. War on terror, plus I-raq, plus N.Korea, and now a Chinese threat on Taiwan (who we have promised to back). And let us say that Japan is even threatened in the process (eg N.Korea was doing some missile tests, with one missile flying right over Japan).
It would be a gambit, and we might find ourselves unable to call their bluff and hence backing off. Note that Rumy emphasised there was no plan to attack N.Korea (which i have to say could mean anything from there is no plan to attack to a B-2B Spirits flying to drop JDAMs on N.Korean nuke facilities as we speak. I wish i had a crystal ball LOL)
However you never know .....maybe Rumy and co. are working on some amazing stratagem that will shock all of us (i am actually 100% certain they are working on something as we speak).
And that "adequate" figure is lower than most people think. The ROK military is a very good one, very focused on realistic training and preparation for war.
As for China i know for certain they would not go nuclear!
I concur.
However i doubt Chona would accept a unified Korea since that would be a huge affront to them!
The question is "what can they really do about it?"
They would do something, and maybe we would see some Chinese 'meddling' in the matter ...again not a rush of a million Chinese from across the border but definitelty something!
Too big a contingent invites the US to widen the war as they see fit. Too small a contingent, and the ROKs stuff and mount the PLA on the wall next to the NKPA.
Maybe Taiwan.
I'm dubious about that one. The ChiComs would have to be willing to risk losing ALL face if the amphibious adventure fails.
And while such an action would not be sagacious for China (they are not ready yet) it would also throw a spanner in the works for the US in the region. War on terror, plus I-raq, plus N.Korea, and now a Chinese threat on Taiwan (who we have promised to back). And let us say that Japan is even threatened in the process (eg N.Korea was doing some missile tests, with one missile flying right over Japan).
Yup. Annoy everyone around you, including the nations that control your access to the high seas.
I'm sure Hu Dis or Hu Dat or whatever his name is would look up from the PowerPoint slides and say "Comrades, this is the dumbest set of ideas I've heard, and I've heard lots of dumb ideas in my time."
It would be a gambit, and we might find ourselves unable to call their bluff and hence backing off.
Actually, we would simply call their bluff by ignoring them. They would either have to back down and admit it was a bluff, or throw the dice and hope they got extremely lucky.
I admit I am ignorant on this issue, perhaps you could enlighten me.
What are the current relations between North Korea and China? If a crisis situation appears to be imminent, could China step in and appear to calm a crisis situation? Would North Korea, or the world accept Chinese peace keepers in control of North Korea military assets? What sealift capabilities does North Korea have?
I am just wondering if China could along with North Korea perform a sort of maskirovka (deception) to unite their forces under cover, while China supplements its military hardware with North Korean assets and gains good PR, in front of a world wide audience, for dissolving a critical situation.