North Korea

[hudson144 150]

With the situation in North Korea intensifying the test of this administration may be right around the corner. With troops on alert with missile defense systems in Hawaii and the USN Mcain following a ship with possible nukes it should be an interesting situation brewing! Time will tell.

[PoqFFEMT 6]

N. Korea will be in for a world of hurt should they try anything stupid...

With the situation in North Korea intensifying the test of this administration may be right around the corner. With troops on alert with missile defense systems in Hawaii and the USN Mcain following a ship with possible nukes it should be an interesting situation brewing! Time will tell.

[abaduck 123]

I think North Korea should remember the fate of the last militarist state to attack Hawai'i...

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

I would be alot more worried about Iran than North Korea.

While they might be unstable and irrational , they are not dumb. They know that if they do anything, the ENTIRE world will be against them. If Iran tries anything most of the Muslim world will be beside them to defend them against western, imperialist nations that they see as trying to detract from their religion and Muslim ideals.

[Goose 188]

I would be alot more worried about Iran than North Korea.

While they might be unstable and irrational , they are not dumb. They know that if they do anything, the ENTIRE world will be against them. If Iran tries anything most of the Muslim world will be beside them to defend them against western, imperialist nations that they see as trying to detract from their religion and Muslim ideals.

Iran's biggest problem are it's own citizens. Thy are in no position to do anything what so ever - the "leaders" of Iran have their hands full with the whirlwind they created with the "election." North Korea, on the other hand, is rather unpredictable. They detonated 2 nuclear devices with little care or regard for what anyone had to say about it.

[ny10570 745]

I'd say bomb 'em back into the stone age, but that's be kind of redundant.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Iran's biggest problem are it's own citizens. Thy are in no position to do anything what so ever - the "leaders" of Iran have their hands full with the whirlwind they created with the "election." North Korea, on the other hand, is rather unpredictable. They detonated 2 nuclear devices with little care or regard for what anyone had to say about it.

That is one of the largest misconceptions of Iran....The people do not support the government but the government and the religious autocracy have complete control of the people and the nukes but rule with an iron fist. Even if 75% of the people did not vote for Ahmadinejad that does not change the fact that the country is ruled by the religious leaders and elite, specifically the Ayatollah. Iran is a Islamic "Republic" but the decision making and process is made by the Ayatollah but expressed through the President. The Iranian people support the religious leadership but not their politics, they are content with Sharia Law and Jurispurdence but not the anti-western views that the government holds.

While the leaders hands are full with the election results....that will not stop them from obtaining and producing nuclear weapons unless a major leadership change takes place. If the current leaders stay in power they are going to work even harder than before to obtain nuclear capabilities because they will believe it is best for their people whose support they believe they have. If these election results stand, the Iranian government will be even more brazen that before.

Iran's greatest asset is its citizens because they will start a Velvet Revolution once the wool is removed from their eyes....something that is going to happen soon if this election remains so contested. The country is broke, falling apart and greatly divided along party, secular and ethnic lines, all thanks to the current government.

If Iran does get nuclear weapons, anything we do against them, from sanctions to intervention, will be seen as a direct attack against Iran, the Middle East and Islam. And that for one scares the living day lights out of me. Not some bipolar wacko that is being watched like a hawk that will get obliterated if they even get close to a real launch.

Edited June 20, 2009 by bvfdjc316

[IzzyEng4 427]

Helllwwwooooo! You have not heard the rast of Kim Jong-Il! I will return! You shall see. I will be back!

[gamewell45 258]

I wouldn't be too worried about North Korea; Kim Jung may be crazy but he's not stupid enough to risk nuclear incineration of himself and his lovely country. Its most likely window dressing on his part. Probably going to try and blackmail the US again.

[abaduck 123]

That is one of the largest misconceptions of Iran....The people do not support the government but the government and the religious autocracy have complete control of the people and the nukes but rule with an iron fist. Even if 75% of the people did not vote for Ahmadinejad that does not change the fact that the country is ruled by the religious leaders and elite, specifically the Ayatollah. Iran is a Islamic "Republic" but the decision making and process is made by the Ayatollah but expressed through the President. The Iranian people support the religious leadership but not their politics, they are content with Sharia Law and Jurispurdence but not the anti-western views that the government holds.

It's not quite so simple... the reports I've been reading, from people in our own intelligence community, suggest that Ahmadinejad DID actually win the election by a small margin (or would have, if it had been free & fair) - his current problems stem from the fact that they completely overdid it when trying to stuff the ballot boxes...

[FFPCogs 863]

I guess I'm the pessimist here. I'm very worried about North Korea and the possibility of renewed hostilities on the peninsula. Kim Jong-Il and his regime are increasingly bellicose and more importantly desperate. People are starving including the elite now, as even their traditional protectors have begun to alienate the regime. With no natural resourses and the world cutting them off from access to the basics there is nothing to lose. Desperate people take desperate measures. Like Japan just prior to Pearl Harbor it may seem to Kim Jong-IL that war will be worth the risk especially with a nuclear capability to deter interference and the U.S. tied up in miltary actions elsewhere. Our downsized armed forces are hard pressed now to meet the commitments of the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan let alone a large scale conventional conflict. It would take months at a minimum before we could ready and deploy enough forces to Korea to dislodge the worlds 3rd largest standing army from any gains they would most certainly make in the South, just as they did at the outset of the first Korean War in 1950. There is little doubt that with their backs to the wall Kim Jong's regime will use WMDs to protect those gains regardless of the consequences.

We are now firmly on the razors edge. The UN has mandated that North Korean vessels can be searched, but has not authorized the use of force in doing so. Failure to stop and search those vessels will allow for the distribution of nuclear or other WMD material out of North Korea thereby spreading the threat and further diverting attention away from the peninsula, opening the door for a strike South by Kim Jong. Not only that but it will encourage military action against the South by Kim Jong to secure his regimes future as we will be seen as weak (the same mistake made by Japan in 1941). On the other hand stopping and searching the vessels will cause the complete loss of revenue and prestige at home for the North and further exacerbate the problems for the regime, which will increase their desperation and erode whatever sense may still hold sway in Pyongyang. A quick strike South to control the peninsula reinforced by the willingness to use WMDs to protect that effort may seem a plausable option to that lunatic Kim Jong.

While war is not inevitable it may be that the option is fast becoming the only choice left for Kim Jong-Il and company to survive.

Cogs

[Goose 188]

That is one of the largest misconceptions of Iran....The people do not support the government but the government and the religious autocracy have complete control of the people and the nukes but rule with an iron fist. Even if 75% of the people did not vote for Ahmadinejad that does not change the fact that the country is ruled by the religious leaders and elite, specifically the Ayatollah. Iran is a Islamic "Republic" but the decision making and process is made by the Ayatollah but expressed through the President. The Iranian people support the religious leadership but not their politics, they are content with Sharia Law and Jurispurdence but not the anti-western views that the government holds.

While the leaders hands are full with the election results....that will not stop them from obtaining and producing nuclear weapons unless a major leadership change takes place. If the current leaders stay in power they are going to work even harder than before to obtain nuclear capabilities because they will believe it is best for their people whose support they believe they have. If these election results stand, the Iranian government will be even more brazen that before.

Iran's greatest asset is its citizens because they will start a Velvet Revolution once the wool is removed from their eyes....something that is going to happen soon if this election remains so contested. The country is broke, falling apart and greatly divided along party, secular and ethnic lines, all thanks to the current government.

If Iran does get nuclear weapons, anything we do against them, from sanctions to intervention, will be seen as a direct attack against Iran, the Middle East and Islam. And that for one scares the living day lights out of me. Not some bipolar wacko that is being watched like a hawk that will get obliterated if they even get close to a real launch.

Bro, you're entitled to your opinion. No one is downplaying the threat of an Iran with nuclear weapons - hence why they should not be allowed to having any processing technology. However, the more pressing problem today is North Korea as they are starting to move away from posturing to something a bit more tangible (ie: 2 nuclear tests, hundreds of missile launches, etc.).

Additionally, no one is obliterating anyone. Clinton had the chance (that is take out north korean missiles on their launch pads) back in 1994 and it was even recommended by then defense secretary Perry. But, it didn't happen. If Clinton didn't do it, i can't see Obama not doing it. Hell, Bush should haven taken out the Taepodong's when they were on the launch pad in 2006 - but even he didn't. Why? Who the hell knows. All our administrations have been doing is talking, talking and giving carrots and more carrots. Trust me, Obama is going to be the last one caught dropping bombs in a preemptive attack.

Edited June 20, 2009 by Goose

[moggie6 54]

I have to look for it but there was an interesting documentary with a british reporter who went to the North Korea. The country was in shambles with rolling black outs and a repressed population. It gives great insight as to what is happeing in North Korea. It's down right scary.

Ok I found it on youtube here's the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ6E3cShcVUundefined

Edited June 20, 2009 by moggie6

[abaduck 123]

There's also a very good and insightful piece on Iran by the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8111290.stm