North Korea: Threat or Blackmailer?

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Nothing but fear mongering. NK doesn't have the ability to fire a nuclear weapon at this point. They are still in the testing phases.


Also, the people of NK may be blind and pumped full of indoctrination, but why do you think their leaders are? The leaders of NK know the reality of it. They've seen us slap other people around in the world via our military and KNOW without a doubt that a war is a losing battle. Now, that's not what they are telling their countrymen, but they know the truth. People in power want to stay in power, and they certainly will lose their power (and lives) by invading or attacking. To stay in power, they thump their chests, show their people how mighty they are and invigorate the populace once again. NK history at its finest.

1st, we know they can attach a warhead to a missile. We found their last launch vehicle, and the connections were correct for that. I am sure that's in a link somewhere in here, if you need it again, I will try to find it.

2nd, we didn't know the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki would work, but we dropped them anyway. If they want to test it out on Guam, I would rather knock it out on the launchers.

3rd, when a dictator is desparate, they do desparate things. NK is starving it's people beyond the point of the famous "let them eat cake" quote, and at the same time building a false luxury for the elite in Pyongyang. The US hasn't demonstrated great staying power in battles. Look at Iraq/Afghanistan, yeah we stayed a long time, but a little blood, and our population wants out. They may do the calculus (wrong I believe) that a blitz attack, plus a nuke launch successful or not will, will give them enough standing with China that we wouldn't dare do more than get back to the DMZ point, with them recognized as a nuclear power. The elite doesn't care if they sacrifice 2,000,000 NK's or 1,000,000 SK's, they want to maintain their power.

4. it could all be talk, but this is the longest, most sustained talk in decades, and they are giving themselves very little wiggle room to back out.

The question remains, do you accept NK as a nuclear state, and if not, what steps, what price are you willing to pay in order to prevent it?