North Korea: Threat or Blackmailer?

It is about NK. But ... to fail to recognize that the situation has been ratcheted up b/c of NK's most recent rhetoric and is further complicated NK's reliance on China and vice-versa is to ignore a potentially explosive situation.

Regardless of NK's idiocy, our relations with China will take a much more serious turn if China feels the US is trying to exploit the situation.

It is about NK. But ... to fail to recognize that the situation has been ratcheted up b/c of NK's most recent rhetoric and is further complicated NK's reliance on China and vice-versa is to ignore a potentially explosive situation.

Regardless of NK's idiocy, our relations with China will take a much more serious turn if China feels the US is trying to exploit the situation.

Agreed, and lately I think it has actually been going better.
China is showing signs of being exasperated with North Korea and is buying more and more into our sanction program.

China and the US need each other too much to strain our relations. End of story.

Yea buddy, gunboat diplomacy comin your way!

U.S. would seek regime change in North Korea if attack occurs - Washington Times (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/apr/4/us-would-seek-regime-change-north-korea-if-attack-/)

Hopefully the DPRK will die with a whimper, not a bang. Like the USSR did.

daily first look

North Korea's aggression could strengthen US-China alliance | Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/04/05/north-korea-aggression-could-strengthen-us-china-alliance/)

Tensions With North Korea Unsettle South’s Economy (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/06/world/asia/tensions-with-north-korea-unsettle-souths-economy.html?pagewanted=all)

N Korea said to move second missile to coast - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/04/201344231511247914.html)

and oddly:
North Korea urges Russia, Britain to evacuate embassies| Herald Sun (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/intercepted-north-korean-military-communications-reveal-plan-to-launch-missile/story-fnd134gw-1226612936097)
A spokesman for Britain's Foreign Office told London's Daily Telegraph:

"We can confirm that the British embassy in Pyongyang received a communication from the North Korean government this morning.

"It said that the North Korean government would be unable to guarantee the safety of embassies and international organisations in the country in the event of conflict from April 10."

Loved this tweet from HTTR24-7: Someone needs to sit Kim Jong Un down and show him Zero Dark Thirty.

I find it interesting that when a SK exec from Kaesong said that NK told them to be out by the 10th, he quickly backtracked, and yet now it looks like that was a deadline NK is imposing. I also find it interesting that the SK minister who at first said a 4th nuke test looked likely, now says it's routine movement. I don't think we are getting the real story from our government on all of this.

From the NK newspiece organization(google kcna):
DPRK FM Statement Distributed as UNSC Official Document
Pyongyang, April 6 (KCNA) -- A statement of the DPRK Foreign Ministry was distributed as an official document of the UN Security Council S/2013/194 on April 1. The statement was made public on March 26 as regards the fact that the U.S. hostile act against the DPRK has reached the phase of a nuclear war.

I think our analysts really don't want to believe a madman may be in charge over there, but there rhetoric is way above anything in the near recent past. You can go to that KCNA link, and look at other periods of tension (I did that over this past weekend) and you can see that the words and rhetoric was never anything close to as bellicose and drumlike as it is now. Yes some of the phrases (referring to SK as a puppet, and touch and go politics, and some others) are similar, but this time, they consistently refer to the honorable final battle of reunification under the banner of Songun (or noble fight). And to the fact that the US has "laid seige" to them by the sanctions and refusing to acknowledge their rights as a sovereign nation. and so on and so on.

As the NK said, the moment of explosion is near. I really hope it's a temper tantrum, and not a "final battle to decide the outcome of the Korean Unification" as they are describing it.

I find it interesting that when a SK exec from Kaesong said that NK told them to be out by the 10th, he quickly backtracked, and yet now it looks like that was a deadline NK is imposing. I also find it interesting that the SK minister who at first said a 4th nuke test looked likely, now says it's routine movement. I don't think we are getting the real story from our government on all of this.

From the NK newspiece organization(google kcna):


I think our analysts really don't want to believe a madman may be in charge over there, but there rhetoric is way above anything in the near recent past. You can go to that KCNA link, and look at other periods of tension (I did that over this past weekend) and you can see that the words and rhetoric was never anything close to as bellicose and drumlike as it is now. Yes some of the phrases (referring to SK as a puppet, and touch and go politics, and some others) are similar, but this time, they consistently refer to the honorable final battle of reunification under the banner of Songun (or noble fight). And to the fact that the US has "laid seige" to them by the sanctions and refusing to acknowledge their rights as a sovereign nation. and so on and so on.

As the NK said, the moment of explosion is near. I really hope it's a temper tantrum, and not a "final battle to decide the outcome of the Korean Unification" as they are describing it.

I read somewhere (probably on one of the links in this thread) that Kim Jong Un ramped up his rhetoric so the top military commanders dont think hes a p#$$y. I dont know if its due to legitimate concerns of a military coup or just to make himself look strong.

I read somewhere (probably on one of the links in this thread) that Kim Jong Un ramped up his rhetoric so the top military commanders dont think hes a p#$$y. I dont know if its due to legitimate concerns of a military coup or just to make himself look strong.

He's the kid of a dictator who was the kid of a dictator, historically this does not bode well for rational decision making.