North Korea prepares for a nuclear weapons test
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5402506.stm

Does it get any worse. I suppose Iran could get their hands on nuclear weapons as well...

I've tried to keep a level head in light of the developments in the world since 2001. But now, I wake up everyday now wondering if there is going to be a world for my kid to inherit.

I don't even pretend to know a solution. We can't possibly invade everyone. We can destroy them utterly, but where does that leave us?

j

"We can destroy them utterly, but where does that leave us?"


I suppose it buys us a little time!

Diplomacy doesn't work with maniacal fanatics!

A lack of faith in diplomacy, from a Cobra pilot? :D I agree though Terry. I know you're not talking about 2.5 in and 20mm diplomacy.

This will probably be a ground test. I think they ran out of all avaiable bottle rockets when they last attempted to fire their ICBM.

I am all for the North Koreans testing their nukes just as long as Kim Il Jong and the rest of the party leadership is at ground zero when they do.

I suspect that they are wondering what to do about Kim Jong-Il in China as well. North Korea has been a useful,l if troublesome, buffer but I don't see China being anymore pleased about Kim Jong-Il testing nukes there then we are. Not least of all because at some point we will have to respond and China doesn't want that kind of drama on her Southern border.

SFC W

At least they announced it this time.

But would they?

This would really work for China, IMO. If, and when, NK tests/detonates a nuke (and think they'll detonate several), both SK and Japan will react, and probably militarily, which will drag us into it.

Then while we're embroiled in what's happening on the Korean Peninsula, they walk into Taiwan, or use it as a bargaining chip....."Give us Taiwan and we'll get the NKs to pull back...or we'll back up the NKs with our troops."

The only thing that I think would get in the way of this happening is the 2008 Summer Olympics, which are going to be in China. I don't think they want any boat rockers until then....after that, all bets are off.

I think that we should find a way to pile on to their test.

Maybe give them several MT where they expect to get a few KT.

You know, the test will probably be attended by a lot of bigwigs.

Be a real shame if the blast radius got them, but stuff happens. ;)

TR

I think that China has just about had enough of of NK. I read that China has had a significant problem with defectors from NK. How bad does your life suck if you are escaping TO China? ;) In all seriousness though I was watching the Discovery Atlas show about "The Real China" on Sunday and it was very interesting. I know that a show like that is going to put the best face on it possible in order to get Chinese permission to film there but even still you can see that this is not Mao's China anymore. There is an awful lot of money in that country these days. It is starting to look a little less like a communist country and more like a capitalist country with a nominally communist government that is fighting like hell to stay ahead of the curve. It seems like they are privatizing more and more things every year. Perhaps they are realizing that econmic power will get them further than military power.

SFC W

The reason they're still Communist is because too many people are making too much money from it. The whole place is fucked like that.

EDIT: If they wanted Taiwan they will probably wait until after the Olympics to do it. All the have to do is arrest the Taiwanese businessmen in Beijing, Shanghai and starve the place economically.

And offer our delegation: President Carter, President Clinton, Vice President Albert Gore, Senator Shrillary, and Madeline Albrecht to witness the TEST!!!

And this surprises you?

If you look at the course of any 'communist' or 'socialist' government, not one has gotten past stage 2 of the path of growth - dictatorship of the proletariat - this is of course due to the concentration aof power and wealth in the top .5% of the Party, not the population, but the Party.... ahhhh, I'm not going into the old cold warrior mode, suffice it to say, any utopian ideology generally gets AFU for the same reasons.

I wonder if it'll be an above ground or below ground test. I thought I read somewhere it would be below but I can't find the article again. If so I'm curious to see if they have the know how to properly contain it.

I'm not really impressed myself. I'll be impressed when they give me an exact time and date and deliver.

The latest reaction of the UN Security Council: http://reuters.myway.com/article/200...-NORTH-DC.html

Reminded me of: http://global-playlist.yahoo.com/mak...0pnfik419bbfea (video)

:D
--Aric