The General Political Thread

[Theodin]

But remember, Shillary's the warhawk.

It's good to remind us of this. Good to see what the US avoided

The US isn't avoiding it very well. More like hurtling straight towards it.

Forgive me if I don't believe a conflict with NK comes soon.

[Toffee]

I don't believe it will either but you can't argue that tensions aren't the highest in a long time. When it comes to diplomacy trump is like a bull in a china shop.

[Edwin]

It isn't really diplomatic incompetence when Trump calls out NK. The President has to address threats to national security no matter what - even if those threats are as hallow as NK's.

In reality, Kim isn't prepared to destroy his dynasty and be forgotten forever, and Trump isn't prepared to wage an unwinnable war in the east with China.

[StevenChilton]

This is what happens when you kick the can down the road for so long until it becomes an unavoidable problem. Should have been dealt with by Bill Clinton or Bush II. I sympathise with Trump on this, it's a massive problem he's inherited from his predecessors. I guess they thought North Korea would eventually collapse and the issue could be won via diplomacy, but that's not going to happen.

I should think a military solution is out of the question give the risks, NK will continue its nuclear testing and Japan and/or South Korea will start developing their own nuclear weapons are a deterrence.

[Toffee]

I agree with you on the fact that the issue should have been dealt with earlier. For once I actually agree that Trump's hard stance on North Korea should be commended but for me it is the way he's going about it with threats via social media rather than dealing with the issue directly with talks with NK like a president should.

[Conway]

I agree with you on the fact that the issue should have been dealt with earlier. For once I actually agree that Trump's hard stance on North Korea should be commended but for me it is the way he's going about it with threats via social media rather than dealing with the issue directly with talks with NK like a president should.

What the hell is he going to say to NK? Would you kindly give use those missiles that you spent years developing? Like thats going to happen. There really isn't a negotiable way about solving this problem.

[Toffee]

I agree with you on the fact that the issue should have been dealt with earlier. For once I actually agree that Trump's hard stance on North Korea should be commended but for me it is the way he's going about it with threats via social media rather than dealing with the issue directly with talks with NK like a president should.

What the hell is he going to say to NK? Would you kindly give use those missiles that you spent years developing? Like thats going to happen. There really isn't a negotiable way about solving this problem.

Obviously not. But what is the alternative? All out war with Korea and the Chinese? Yeah that'll be great. When I said talk I didn't say ask nicely. He needs to have the aggressive negotiation tactic he seems to possess on twitter and take it to the North Koreans. The UN has shows that it can seriously damage the Korean economy so we have to tighten the fist and show them that we won't back down, as diplomats rather than over active twitter browsers.

[Edwin]

The UN's sanctions have proved to be useless; Kim has never cared about the prices of goods for his people and he won't start now.

[Toffee]

Then what do you want to do? Invade and lose thousands of soldiers fighting the Chinese?

[Edwin]

If things remain as they are now, the US does nothing. If North Korea strikes first, it loses the support of China, and then we can invade.

[Riddlez]

we can invade.

Yes because China will totally allow the U.S. to do so. I think not. China will be the one doing the invading.

NK - U.S. is at a stalemate now. Invading wont work (too costly), talking won't do anything (they already have the fucking missiles. The only thing that might work is drying up NK completely. If they can't fuel the rockets, they won't fly. But that has proven to be a useless endeavour in the past so it's gonna fail anyway.

And no, a conflict is not likely. But what if a NK missile test fails, and accidentally hits Japan?

Mistakes happen and have been cause for war before.

[Edwin]

I admit an invasion is unlikely, but when NK loses the backing of east Asia then knocking out Kim, by some means or another, becomes an option.

Again, "drying up NK" to the point of collapse isn't an option for the west. North Korea's main import/export partners are Russia and China, with the latter being a powerhouse of export. In addition, NK produces what little food and trade goods it has on its own, with no aid from the west. There's nothing the west can do that doesn't involve the military.

[StevenChilton]

There's nothing you can do unless you want a major war that could quite easily escalate into WWIII. Best option is to preserve the status-quo, perhaps with Japan getting a nuclear deterrence of its own. Well, I guess there *is* one thing you can do...hack into NK's nuclear programme when they're conducting their next test (they've done it before, dunno how easy it is to do it for a second time and cover it up), get a (non-nuclear armed) missile to hit a small Japanese target and then you can probably invade without the Chinese getting involved since Pyongyang is the aggressor.

Risky move of course, though nobody would believe the North Koreans if they say it was hacked. You could say it was either a malfunction or a deliberate attempt to test the US alliance. Doubt the Chinese would be willing to back up NK at that point.

[StevenChilton]

I should probably add that the Chinese would probably cross the border first to beat the Americans to it under that scenario-I guess the US could invade from the other direction. You'd end up with an enlarged South Korea on the one hand, plus an expensive military occupation for Beijing on the other. That'd be a win.

[Conway]

I find it very unlikely that China would risk a war with the U.S. The U.S has a far larger and more advanced military than China, and the U.S has a far more deadly and larger nuclear arsenal than China. The U.S also has far more compotent allies than China. You're telling me China is going to risk inhalation for this tiny rump state that it doesn't even really like?