In the mean time: North Korea....

[Zacha341]

President Trumps "fire and fury" response could've been more strategically tempered. The best retort to a threat is NEVER showing your 'complete' hand. Maybe a paperback of Sun Tsu, Art of War might in order, hand delivered! Or a DVD of Godfather 1, 2, and 3. Never let an enemy know everything on your mind... For example 0:17 ......

Setting aside Trump's un-parced comments, let's not forget what he was responding to. Some of our millennials have jettisoned an appreciation of boring history, but those of us over say 40? Eh, well.

The Korean conflict didn't start last week, or when Trump took office, but in 1950. My father faught in the first joyful round [[Army); that war leaving behind a divided pennusula. Families split for decades. Korea presents clear evidence in stark contrast two types of governance, resultant industry and options [[and lack thereof) for a people: enduring in one side, thriving the other. Kia's aren't made in North Korea.

Locally we've many local Korean merchants - some immigrated years back, whom I'm certain can detail life under a dictator - fullout. Many came here escaping that - leaving family behind. Trump's response was extreme in parts, but Jong Un's not simply suggesting a new hair cut for Trump. This is bigger than the Donald! Surpringly, former VP Gore had this to say:

"The former VP says “his [Trump] intemperate comments on North Korea were really unwise,” but reasons, “I think it’s only fair to point out he inherited this crisis. The previous three presidents were not able to find an adequate solution [to the North Korea crisis], so he can’t be blamed for all this.” http://www.newsweek.com/al-gore-inco...-crisis-649880

Uh, yep. The can of Korea was kicked for decades [[most recently by appeasement ala the Bushes; Clinton, Obama two terms etc.) and now we have a craven dictator no longer interested in mumbly peg or cans.

[Honky Tonk]

and now we have a craven dictator no longer interested in mumbly peg or cans.

And they have a nuclear warhead and a missile capable of delivering it.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Hah! This is the tri-level chess thinking that speaks to the complexity comprising this whole thing!

[Richard]

That sounds like a set up for the next round of anti Trump.

Well hell, we could not find any Russian collusion so now it will be all over in the papers that President Trump colluded with Kim to make up a nuclear threat in order to distract from the Russian investigation.

Do not forget about throwing Venezuela in there as a back up plan of collusion.Just in case Kim drowns in the bath water,you need to have a back up plan.

I am thinking that the US government is pretty big and can handle more then one task at a time.

Push comes to shove we can always send Drogon over there and say he got loose.

[Pam]

Some interesting things in these videos. Did you know the US killed 1 million Koreans during the Korean war? I didn't.

https://youtu.be/HRwf0qdy_S8


https://youtu.be/8Crf7dubJ3k

[jcole]

Some interesting things in these videos. Did you know the US killed 1 million Koreans during the Korean war? I didn't.

That's because we didn't:
Country Dead Wounded MIA Captured/POW Total
N Korea 215,000–350,000 303,000 MIA/POW =300,000 >900,000
China 400,000 +486,000 25,000 7,110 >900,000

https://www.historyguy.com/korean_wa...statistics.htm

[Jimaz]

Some interesting things in these videos....

https://youtu.be/HRwf0qdy_S8...

Thanks, Pam.

I don't think he mentioned Democracy NOW!'s website.

[Zacha341]

I want to hear more of what South Korea has to say beyond the rhetoric! Noam Chomsky [[re. the above videos), well while I can sign on to Chomsky in some areas, his take on Pol Pot is still being debated! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3IUU59B6lw

Also, as I posted before, the Korean situation has history, long and quite complex. The Armistice was originally set in 1953, yet unstable.... anniversary just this past July: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzPlVuqprFg

Analysis: 64 years after the Korean War, the world’s coldest and most dangerous peace http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/...ngerous-peace/

[Richard]

^ that's not as far off as one thinks.

He has two major fears one is being overthrown from within,which is why he has steadily killed everybody that could pose a threat from within and the United States.

He keeps his subjects locked out from the rest of the world and constantly bombards them with anti American retroric,they know no voice outside of his.

90% of their trade goes to China,so us talking about trade sanctions means nothing,China is the only one that can put the screws to them.

That leaves us in a bit of a predicament,China says okay we will put the screws to them but this is what we want in return.They are not going to do anything out of the kindness of their hearts.

Unfrettered trade to how they want to structure it,no more patent infringement sanctions and unlimited sharing of technology.

Then we have China dictating to us,which in turn opens the door to other countries doing the same thing.

Or we can give Kim another 4 billion to kick the can down the road a few years more while they can increase thier strength.

We moved critical stuff from the west coast this time in less then 24 hours,think of those logistics.

What happens if we give him more time to then be able to hit the east coast.

So we are kinda backed into a corner,more so then him in the bigger picture of things.

England has also taken the stance of if they attack first then they will support us,if we attack we are on thier own.

If we attack and China steps in then,Japan,Philippines,and every other country in the region will have no choice but to go to our side because if we lose then China will take those as their territories like they said they wanted to do anyways.

But then it goes back to Russia wanting to stretch their legs.

We could infiltrate and do a coupe but that takes time.

On one hand it is better to just make the move and get it over with letting the chips fall where they may and just deal with it,because it will not end on its own.

The biggest and most dangerous threat to this country in the case of war is internal.

It takes high public opinion to fight a war and based on events in the last year,we really have the military power to resolve it but this country would be crushed internally by the rhetoric,and it would be Vietnam all over again.

Personaly and it pains me to say it but in a time of war,I would not trust a large percentage of the American population,the first thing that would happen is the cry out of President Trump created the war and alot would do what it takes in their mind to undermine that in many different and potentially dangerous ways.

We also have a large group of people that seems to embrace the socialist ways and may view that as an opportunity to further that cause internally in detrimental ways,including sabotage.

Lots of little different things to look at I guess.

I kinda like the idea that is going around social media,if you look at the generals uniforms they have medals covering almost every square inch and down the legs of some.

The idea was to pass a huge electro magnet over and pick up all of the top leadership in one pass.

[ABetterDetroit]

A story on North Koreas love of sweets.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/27/world/...eas/index.html

[Richard]

Interesting story,can you imagine at $10 a pie it would take at least 10 people chipping in and splitting it ten ways.

Saving up pennies for monthes to enjoy a couple of bites of pleasure.

We go to the park to relax and enjoy lunch,they go to the park to eat enough grass to tide them over until they get home and can fill up on a bowl of rice.

As bad as it may seem in this country, the tiniest little things that we take for granted is unheard of in countries like that.

Something as simple as a piece of chewing gum would make a child's month,while in this country a dead battery in a IPhone throws a child into a temper tantrum.

It is funny,my mother used to say eat everything on your plate and do not waste food because anything left over would feed a family in China.

I never really believed her until I got older and actually saw how right she was.

You go to places like that and even in the Philippines and you never see any wildlife,if it flies,slithers or crawls it becomes somebody's meal because there are no alternatives.

Venezuela is like that now,if you support the current dictator,you recieve a weekly meal package,if you do not then you have to figure out how you are going to eat,for a little extra food your neighbor will turn you in.

[Zacha341]

North Korea Fires Missile Over Japan

From article:

Public television programs in Japan were interrupted with a rare warning screen announcing the missile’s flight over the country. Several bullet train lines were temporarily halted, and the government spoke of the missile — only the third North Korean projectile to fly over the country since 1998 — in unusually dire terms.

“North Korea’s reckless action of launching a missile that passed over Japan is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat,” said Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe. He later told reporters that he had spoken by telephone with President Trump. “Japan and the U.S. stances are completely matched,” he said, adding that they discussed ways to tighten pressure on North Korea.

Trump says 'all options on table' after North Korea missile launch ...

[JBMcB]

Kim Jong-Un is not stupid. If he fires a missile and hits Japan, or South Korea, or even China, his country will be wiped off the face of the earth. The only countries that could be even close to be called 'allies' are China and Iran, and they would care less about them being destroyed if North Korea attacked first.

Like everything else North Korea does, this is a ploy for more aid, and a hedge against any possible pre-emptive attack against them.

Their only bargaining chips are the potential destruction of other countries, selling nuclear technology to undesirables, and the infliction of suffering on their own people.

The only way to effectively deal with North Korea without killing a lot of people is to get China on board, and Trump doesn't seem too keen on doing that.

If negotiating with North Korea seems like an odious proposal, remember one of our most valuable allies in the middle east is Saudi Arabia, who is currently bombing the crap out of civilians in Yemen using our military hardware.

[Richard]

Chaos is a ladder.

China wants the fishing grounds and contested lands around Japan,Philippines and is now supplying the Bahamas with military hardware.

They already have been building floating military island bases.

60% of world trade flows through the South China Sea,imagine if one controls that.A two month shutdown would throw stocks into a flurry.

We did not finish dealing with Iran and now they are supplying Korea with nuclear support.Who does Korea then start supporting.

They now have hydrogen capacity,it would have cost an estimated 200,000 lives to finish them back then,one hydrogen missile shot from a sub off of our coast covers our entire country with a potential loss of 200,000 in the first strike.Or in a matter of seconds.

It is easy for China to say,hey we did not start this thing but as long as we are there ....

China and Korea are not a bunch of officials sitting around making decisions,it is a couple of guys.

The previous administration gave them 4 billion to pacify,which kinda paid them to build a missile to kill us,and here we are.

I guess it depends,if they are nuke capable and unstable,they can always demand that we do as they say,or else.

I guess it also depends on how much people prefer to live under the gun.

[Zacha341]

Don't cha' just wish Korea would go away?

Even the hatred of and distraction regarding Trump's mingling and mangling just won't make it happen!

Japan split over how to deal with North Korean missile launches - CNN

Kim Jong-un LAUGHS as North Korea sends missile over Japan and vows 'equilibrium' with US

Trump: US would destroy North Korea if forced to defend itself

[Honky Tonk]

Then there's always the chance that someone will make a mistake...

[Bigb23]

Caution - This prank was pulled on several people on a park bench with an Ipad. Yesterday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m25a-uHIDfo


Maybe the best and the worst prank ever. I was stunned and not surprised for four minutes. We thought it was an Amber Alert, and stared at each other in silence. [[Except for me, who now had four hours to smoke in my Apt.)

This is the world we live in with TWO crazy people at the helm. And I'm not surprised.

What used to be local fallout shelters, are now turned into spa's and juice bars.

We are all doomed. [[With a tax break). `

I heard an EAS test in my car today, and instantly froze. Fuck, is this anyway to live? Duck and cover is so 60's.

[Jimaz]

[Bigb23]

Yes - it's all playground. One family escapes, the rest die. And they make America great again. Okay, Ivanka will be a nice she womb.

[Richard]

Well you have Kim who was raised from day one as you do what I say or die,and then you have President Trump who really wants to put the little tyke across his knee and spank the hell out of him.

Which is really what he needs.

Or President Trump can do what his predecessors did and just kick him a few billion in order to pacify him until the next election and let the next president take the heat 8 years down the road.

I guess it is how one decides to react to a child throwing a temper tantrum.

[Bigb23]

I guess it is how one decides to react to a child throwing a temper tantrum.

Or a child with nuclear tipped ICBM's aimed at the United States. Are you kidding me? The days of a bombed into the stone age country are upon us.

[aj3647]

Or a child with nuclear tipped ICBM's aimed at the United States. Are you kidding me? The days of a bombed into the stone age country are upon us.

First off, there is zero evidence that the North Koreans have advanced to the point where they can shrink a nuke to fit on an ICBM, let alone that they can deliver a nuclear-tipped ICBM within range of the continental United States. [[all of their prior ICBM tests have been with reduced or empty payloads).

Second, I wish I could say I am shocked at how so many Americans [[including Donald Trump) can so casually call for the total genocide of 25 million North Koreans, the vast majority of whom are innocent victims of the Kim regime. But sadly, I'm not shocked. That would be 4X as many dead civilians as the Holocaust, all in the name of "pre-emptive self-defense." Of course, I think we all still remember the last time a Republican President waged war on a foreign country under the notion of "pre-emptive self-defense" based on that country's alleged WMDs posing an imminent threat to the United States and how things didn't exactly go as planned with that, but I'm sure things will go swimmingly with Trump leading a war against North Korea and it won't be an epic disaster on all levels.

[oladub]

Of course, I think we all still remember the last time a Republican President waged war on a foreign country under the notion of "pre-emptive self-defense" based on that country's alleged WMDs posing an imminent threat to the United States and how things didn't exactly go as planned with that, but I'm sure things will go swimmingly with Trump leading a war against North Korea and it won't be an epic disaster on all levels.

I agree about avoiding conflict with N. Korea. I would extend that to the new McCarthyites promoting a renewal of the cold war with Russia. It wasn't just Bush who got us into the Iraq War. Hillary, Kerry and other Democrats also gave license for Bush to wage that war. Even Robert Swan Mueller III promoted that war for Bush before Bush made him head of the FBI. And let's not forget that Hillary/Kerry/Obama conducted an unconstitutionally war against Libya and tried to topple Assad.Those efforts led to hundreds of thousands of actual Arab deaths and millions of refugees. Even Trump, recently, has been attacking Syria. Most of these idiotic, costly, and failed foreign policy efforts have been promoted by the establishments of both parties.

[Richard]

The US has been under the threat of nuclear threat sense 1947,remember the Cuban missles?

Just practice duck and cover and you will be okay.

[Zacha341]

Yep. Both sides weigh in on the war scene.... Recalling Bill Clinton's Kosovo.