I am not going to get into the politics of Obama or the bush years in this article. Discuss it if you like below but for all intents, this article is to bring up the things North Korea has been up to, for those of you that are unaware and to probe the minds of those of you that are aware. If I am mistaken please let me know so i can correct this article as I am going by what i have read and seen on TV and the internet as of the last few months.
In April of this year North Korea flew a rocket over one of Japans Main Islands. Many say it was to test the range of flight while North Korea contends it was to launch a Satellite into space. Later this year North Korea says it conducted underground nuclear tests further marring relations with many countries including Japan, China, Russia and of course the United States. Bad enough that sanctions were placed on North Korea by the UN.
North Korea's latest war mongering is perhaps the worst. According to the news on several sites and news agencies, North Korea has stated that they intend to fire a missle towards the United States or more specifically Hawaii on or around July 4th. While the range of their missile shouldn't be long enough to reach Hawaii (Missile Range is 4000 miles I think and Hawaii is 4500 miles from North Korea if i remember correctly), to me this is more than enough to warrant military response by the United States.
Every time we turn around North Korea is declaring that such and such will be considered an act of war and will retaliate without mercy. War may not be a good answer to the problem, but protecting the United States sometimes call for things to be done that we may not wish to do. This is one of those times. How many threats must the United States and its allies endure before we say enough and call their bluff. We are a World super power for a reason but if we don't back up what we say and also defend ourselves when threatened how long before a lot of other Western Hating Countries fall in with North Korea and attack us?
What is your take on this? All opinions welcomed, but please..this isnt a liberal or consevative thing so please lets keep it somewhat friendly if possible.
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Comments: 24
The problem is we are short-handed and lack funds because of the wars in the Middle East.
So do we let the immediate threat be over shadowed by the problems in the middle east or re-evalute where we need to focus our attention?
We needed to re-evaluate our stance in the Middle East years ago.
I like you Bryran have been following very closely the actions of N. Korea and it has me very concerned. This is an angry government ruled by a "thirst for blood" dictator. Although he is suppose to be ill, who knows what steps his son will take. How long will we remain a super power? All the other super powers have fallen. Throughout history all of the mighty have fallen. Too much unrest all over the world. I hope the US is awake!
North Korea is run by a guy who seems just craqy enough to try. He's evenalienated his staunchest supporter, China. If he'd settle down, China could feed his country without noticing the loss of food, but the man's insane. I can't even say I doubt he'd fire a nuclear missile. He just might.
I'm just glad I don't have to figure out how to deal with this guy. I sure hope our President's military and foreign affairs advisor corps includes a couple of criminal psychiatrists. They're likely the only folks who CAN assess this man's likely actions.
Craqy?
lol Chuck. He could be Craqy and crazy too. lol
I think he is crazy too chuck! LOL. I dont know if I believe that everyone we should be watching is being watched. I dont believe that the policies being put forth in this country make much sense so how can we trust that the crazies are being monitored? It scares me bigtime. Thanks for the post Bryan!
North Korea, and certain other nations past and present, is a perfect example of why the world needs an international federation of nations, similar to the federation of states of the United States of America, or the European Union. The sooner we achieve this the sooner we can say good-bye to regimes such as the one in North Korea.
Pardon my reality testing, here, but what sort of military response, exactly, would you be suggesting, Bryan?
If you could, please be very specific. And then, after being specific, what might the repercussions be, if any?
You're not on trial, here; that's not my point. My point is, if you really think about it, what true options does the US have?
Many seem to think that we can simply go ahead and excute a response, if a North Korean missile lands in the ocean, away from Hawaii's territorial rights.
I ask, therefore, what sort of dangers, if any, are there, politically, or otherwise--if we engineer a military response, without our country and its territory being attacked?
In other words, we should continue to learn from Pearl Harbor and 9/11 and do another pre-emptive, like we did in Iraq?
Will the world continue to let us get away with pre-emptives?
Should the world let us get away with pre-emptives?
Would the world recognize that we are justified? And if not, would our own country's security be therefrore threatened?
Thanks.
Brett to be honest I wouldnt even begin to know how to handle this situation but I think by the same token if we sit on our hands and let them continue to threaten us we are going to be viewed as weak by countries that would attack us if they found the right chance to do so. In some ways i would like a pre-emtive stike, but by the same token I hate the thought of us being viewed as the bad guy yet again so I guess I have to stick with the original answer of I truely have no idea what to do.
The United States is the largest arms seller on the planet. As a result every terrorist (and there are few, unlike what the US might prefer you to think) has US made weapons.
We seem to enjoy and actually need to label freedom fighters and anyone that disagrees with us as terrorists. If a country doesn't want to bow to US hegemony they're targeted. Their freedom fighters are terrorists. According to the US there are no freedom fighters anywhere on the planet. That's odd. The media lied us into two wars and was complicit with the government in doing so.
I don't trust anything that I'm hearing in the media, especially if it's about Iran, Korea or South American countries. This country is stretched thin and is perhaps more willing than ever to lie, which, by the way, has been the preferred method of operation for 100 years or more. I'm tired of finding out 30 or 50 years later that I was lied to.
The US knew the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor and we also knew that the Japanese were fully willing to surrender and end the war. Never-the-less we had psychotic and sociopathic leaders who manipulated events to enable them to drop two, not one, two atomic bombs making us the only country sick enough to ever actually use them.
The leaders of Iran and Korea are not suicidal maniacs. They want to be left alone. They would never be so stupid as to threaten us but our government wants you to believe otherwise. A realistic threat to us would be met with superior power and perhaps a nuclear weapon. Threatening the US is simply suicide. War is all for profit. A country like North Korea is as closed as it is because they would otherwise be inundated with covert operators just like Iran is today.
Smedley Butler wrote "War Is A Racket." It's short. It's free all over the internet. If you haven't read it carefully you can't discuss this subject logically.
It's fascinating to me that when people discuss history in the making they completely forget about the history of the past. Let's review:
Marcos?
Allende?
Pinochet?
How about Trujillo?
Noriega?
Those are just the more popular names we're all familiar with.
Colonel Elías Wessin?
Anastacio Somoza?
Arbenz replaced with a series of right-wing dictators whose bloodthirsty policies killed over 100,000 Guatemalans in the next 40 years?
Ngo Dinh Diem?
"Papa Doc" Duvalier and the Tonton Macoutes?
Vice President Carlos Arosemana?
Patrice Lumumba?
Juan Bosch?
Joao Goulart?
General Castelo Branco who created Latin America’s first death squads?
General Suharto who massacred between 500,000 and 1 million civilians?
George Papandreous?
Mobutu Sese Seko?
Prince Sahounek?
CIA puppet Lon Nol?
Juan Torres?
Hugo Banzer who had over 2,000 political opponents arrested without trial, then tortured, raped and executed?
Prime Minister Edward Whitlam and the Australian CIA coup in 1975?
Jonas Savimbi?
Roberto D’Aubuisson who had Oscar Romero murdered?
El Mazote in 1982 where between 700 and 1000 men, women and children were massacred in El Salvador?
Battalion 316?
Jean-Bertrand Aristide?
The US is great at overthrowing Democratically elected governments but we always allow brutal Dictatorships to remain intact. Why? Because it's easy to get them to give us what we want in exchange for what they want. Power.
Western hating countries hate us because they should. We are a threatening and brutal terrorist regime and have been for 100+ years.
"""Western hating countries hate us because they should. We are a threatening and brutal terrorist regime and have been for 100+ years."""
Yeah, look at what America did to those poor nazis. Why would we do such a thing? Why didn't America just think like John Rebel?
Jeff H.
America used those poor Nazi's by affording them protection via Operation Paper Clip so that we could advance against the Soviets. The real criminals were protected and given new identities.
The war, both sides, was funded and manipulated by the same entities.
You live in a nice cozy bubble. I understand how comfortable it is. Unfortunately real history isn't.
Janice B.
You also live in a bubble. Saddam might have been a bad guy but he wouldn't have murdered 1.2 million Iraqi's since 2000 and killed another 500,000 Iraqi children via US embargo's that Madeline Albright called a fair trade off. He just wasn't that bad. Get educated about people before you open your mouth and show your lack of knowledge.
Go to Wikipedia and look up "Saddam Hussein"
Scroll down to "Modernization Program"
Read beginning at, I think, the 3rd or 4th paragraph, then, go to Saudi Arabia and read the entire entry and THEN come back and talk to me about Saddam. You're a propagandized automaton.
As for US aid, a lengthy investigation, which I don't expect you to make, finds that most US aid is suspicious at best. The NGO's behind US aid to Africa especially have been found to be directly involved with government coercion. At worst, they're incompetent. One NGO purchased several hundred bicycles! The problem is that not only aren't there any repair parts for them, there aren't any roads where they can be used. They're useless and are sitting, rusting. Examine US aid. Really examine it. Or don't.
We are burying foreign countries with GMO foods, depleted uranium and medical and nuclear waste. We could care less about helping foreign countries but if you want to live in a world where you believe the lies that's your prerogative.
"""Sorry to say Bryan greatest war monger of the century is U.S.."""
Bryan, enjoy your liberals. They don't see threats they blame America. And you don't have the stones to call them on it because they agree with you on taxes. Shame on you.
Yawn! you have a thing for my stones? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even the ones I dont agree with so if you dont like my post or the people that comment here stick to your anti obama threads where you can whine to your hearts content.
I am an equal opportunity hater.
I dislike Obama, McCain, Liberals, Conservatives, Democrats, Republicans and the US governments military/industrial complex ALL EQUALLY. Throw in the multinational corporations, Congress, the House, the Senate and most mayors and city council members and THAT'S ME.
According to one of the local South Korean ladies here, she doesn't consider North Korea to be a threat unless the U.S. is messing with them.
Makes you wonder how our diplomats are dealing with them.
The world will get what the world needs. Allah-u-Akbar. God is great.
The better option to deal with them will be a good diplomatic conversation. As Rodman, said the leader of North Korea, waiting for the voice of President Obama. This might be a win win solution to get the heart of the North Korea...