Korea

[Gingernuts]

Anyone else concerned about recent happenings in this region?

I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling about how things are developing. North Korea have been unbelievably aggressive.

To sink another country's naval ship, and now bomb an island. They are basically acts of war.

Serious kudos has to go to Sth Korea for showing the restraint they have so far. Can you imagine if it was an American ship or territory that was bombed? There would be hell to pay.

Very uneasy about this one, will be interesting to see how things develop.

[Bum Crack]

There is only one solution to this problem. They require the services of "Team America"

[tipper]

America, **** Yeah!!!

[Gingernuts]

There is only one solution to this problem. They require the services of "Team America"

I'm so ronrey......

[Strawb]

Just what we need now they will remake M*A*S*H

[Bum Crack]

There is only one solution to this problem. They require the services of "Team America"

I'm so ronrey......

"Top Gun work there Gary"

[ca]

A big worry, the concern with North Korea is that this 'War' could be over before it even gets started. If anything does eventuate, it won't be a 'traditional war'. South Korea are probably wise to not rush into anything.

[redden whites]

After being labelled as evil in 2001 by the leader of the "free world" and seeing two others labelled be invaded Nth Korea had no choice but to arm themselves to the eyeballs.Fair enough I say.

[GWW]

I can't see it as being justified. Its obviously the newly appointed North Korean President trying to make his mark in the world.

[Squawk]

Very concerning issue this one.

So many dynamics at play.

NK - succession issues; wants reunification but on its terms; wants more recognition from the rest of the world, just like Iran; knows the yanks are flat out fighting a few bushfires and a gazillion spot fires and that Obama's priorities are domestic, not international. The mood of the people in the US is not likely to be inclined to support the US fighting 'someone else's problems'. Dont forget they've just had some big summits in Hanoi and Japan too, which Clinton and Obama went to (one each). Then there's the nukes; the one party state and the army of 1 million conscripts; and a dire domestic economic situation exacerbated by sanctions.

SK - wants reunification, but on its terms. Is also in the midst of negotiating a free trade agreement with the US - and they don't do many of those. (Aust has one, as does Canada and Israel, but IIRC no European country does, including the UK). Has a rapidly growing economy. Is everything North Korea is not, other than in relation to ethnicity and language.

Asia - the fastest growing economic region in the world, especially when you also factor in India alongside China.

China - has its own agenda and ironically, NK's actions may be just to their liking. They are the next rival to the unipolar USA - economically and militarily. The Yuan is pegged to the US Dollar. Anything that hurts or distracts the US, without having a flow-on effect for it, means China is smiling on the outside and not just the inside.

[once_were_warriors]

After being labelled as evil in 2001 by the leader of the "free world" and seeing two others labelled be invaded Nth Korea had no choice but to arm themselves to the eyeballs.Fair enough I say.

Well actually only 1 has been invaded.

Stupid address by Bush at the time.

China needs to keep a short leash , nothing else will influence North Korea

[Sojourner]

Agree that China need to attempt to keep N Korea on a short leash, Fear does a lot of things to people and if N Korea keeps going its not going to be long before the people of Japan and S Korea put pressure on their governments to acquire second strike nuclear weapons like Israel have to keep the threat of attack at bay, and more countries joining the nuclear case is not a good thing. Also if those two nations were nuclear armed, Chinas "influence" in the area would become a lot less overnight, hence the original point that its probably wise for China to try and reign in the current problem.

[Squawk]

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/41476.html

[Bat Pad]

After being labelled as evil in 2001 by the leader of the "free world" and seeing two others labelled be invaded Nth Korea had no choice but to arm themselves to the eyeballs.Fair enough I say.

They were armed to the eyeballs well before that.

[Psyber]

After being labelled as evil in 2001 by the leader of the "free world" and seeing two others labelled be invaded Nth Korea had no choice but to arm themselves to the eyeballs.Fair enough I say.

They were armed to the eyeballs well before that.

They've never not been armed to the teeth.
In fact that and their provocative behaviour towards the south and other Asian neighbours was one of the reasons they got the label.

[mick]

After being labelled as evil in 2001 by the leader of the "free world" and seeing two others labelled be invaded Nth Korea had no choice but to arm themselves to the eyeballs.Fair enough I say.

They were armed to the eyeballs well before that.

They've never not been armed to the teeth.
In fact that and their provocative behaviour towards the south and other Asian neighbours was one of the reasons they got the label.

What a pity Douglas MacArthur wasn't allowed to finish the job in the 1950s. There would be only one Korea today.

[gossipgirl]

a legend in his own lunchtime

[dedja]

What a pity Douglas MacArthur wasn't allowed to finish the job in the 1950s. There would be only one Korea today.

... and no Reds under the beds.

[mick]

What a pity Douglas MacArthur wasn't allowed to finish the job in the 1950s. There would be only one Korea today.

... and no Reds under the beds.

exactly