North Korea

[Rageaholic]

WTF is going on over there?!!!

[Rapscallion]

Not much to debate here.

Rapscallion

[Rageaholic]

Yeah, but it IS pretty terrifying.

[crashhelmet]

Reports out are that North Korea has declared that Tokyo will be their first target

From Yahoo News

[PepperElf]

i'm making mental bets with myself that they'll...

1) back down and make up some story to explain why (while trying to save face)

2) realize they can't save face and start shooting to back up Kim Jong Un's claims

or lastly...
3) keep on stepping things up ... until someone else shoots first. Then they'll claim to be a 'victim'


Although I am thinking of Top Gun too... only modified to fit this situation...

Son, your ego is writing checks your military can't cash.

[Tanasi]

IMO they're cranking up the tension in hopes of getting bought off by either the USA, Japan, South Korea or a combination there of. The buy off would be easing or lifting of the UN sanctions , food, technology and being able to themselves think that they made the rest of the world blink.

PDRK has time and time again proved themselves to be flat out liars. When they "traded" their nuclear program for food and trade they didn't stop work on their bomb and the Clinton Admin let them get away with it and later so did GWB. I'm hoping that China and Putin will tell Dear Leader to stop this crap as no one believes him but if he does jump he'll go it alone. I've been through one asian war and while I wouldn't have to go if this hit the fan I'd rather neither my daughter or son have to go to that area either. Maybe BHO will put a bug in China's ear that life would be quieter if Dear Leader stopped kicking the out-house.

[s_stabeler]

it's simple- Kim-il-Sung was, if nothing else, extremely good at politics. Kim-Jong-il was groomed over years as his successor, and probably learned a LOT- particuarly exactly how far you can go with brinksmanship before you run too higha risk of having your bluff called.

Kim-Jong-un or whatever the newest dictator is called over there had about 2 years training. He doesn't have the ability his predecessors did to peform suc brinksmanship.

Ultimately, I suspect DPRK will go too far, and we'll get Korean Reunification under the ROK.

To be honest, the chances are high that if they DO launch a missile, it will be shot down in short order. there are a LOT of anti-missile systems in the area right now. All looking directly at DPRK.

[Ginger Tea]

One of the headlines late March early April stated "North Korea declairs war on the South" only to later reveal paragraphs in that they are still 'at war' and have been on a decades long cease fire.

Admitedly I didn't know this, TBH I also didn't and in a way still don't care, others might end up going OMG war has been declaired.
But a part of me imagines the Souths government looking up from their papers upon hearing the news and say "tell me something I don't know."

[s_stabeler]

GT, that, AFAIK, is exactly how South Koreans acted. ( incidentally, what NK did was scrap the ceasefire. However, they have tried that before. Apparently it isn't an unusual threat from DPRK)

[Kheldarson]

My dad was stationed at the DMZ for a couple of years (way long ago, I barely remember it). But they've been sniping a bit back and forth for a while now.

Oh and here's some fun that Fark just led me to: http://ntdtv.org/en/news/china/2013-...an-border.html

[daleduke17]

And of course, the USA is going to be jumping in to fuck with North Korea when/if they decide to blow up Tokyo (or elsewhere). Why can't the US just stay the fuck out of an issue that is not theirs. If Kim Jong Un decides to bomb a US territory/base/operation/state, then, yes, give him both barrels. Otherwise, stay out. Let's finish one war before starting another, especially since South Korea has other "Big Brothers" ready to play.

If it comes to it and the US stays out and China needs help, tell them to wipe our debt to them clean and then the US can come play.

[Kheldarson]

We kind of have treaties to step in should Kim Jong decides to mess with his two primary targets. So yeah...staying out's not an option there.

[daleduke17]

We kind of have treaties to step in should Kim Jong decides to mess with his two primary targets. So yeah...staying out's not an option there.

Damn. Then this should be more incentive to get out of the Middle East.

[Whirly_bird]

Admitedly I didn't know this, TBH I also didn't and in a way still don't care, others might end up going OMG war has been declaired."

I'm pretty sure there're thousands of young men and women that do care, and are prepared for whatever might cook off.

[Greenday]

Damn. Then this should be more incentive to get out of the Middle East.

Well, it's not like he's plan to attack Japan by land. The only way he's going to attack Japan is with a nuke.