We need to start ratcheting down the rhetoric concerning North Korea.

Kim will use his nuclear weapons if he feels that either North Korea is about to be invaded or his control of North Korea is about to end.

He is contained. He has no capability of moving into China and the US is preventing any chance of him moving into South Korea. As long as the US can keep South Korea on a short leash, everything will keep on keeping on.

But if we continue poking him like little brother does to a big brother "does this bother you?" "I am not touching you!", like an irritated big brother, eventually Kim will snap.

The best thing the US can do is ignore Kim. Treat him like a kid having a tantrum.

That's the decision the US needs to make. What role should we play concerning Kim?

1. A parent who while disappointed and often irritated, still is the mature one in the room

2. Kim's little brother who is more interested in scoring emotional points by messing with him. "Does my carrier group bother you?"

Personally, I much prefer option 1.

Unfortunately, Trump tends to operate in the option 2 realm.

Could you imagine Kim and Trump in the same room? Yikes!!

So...

Has she been offered a position as a Trump strategic advisor yet?...




<O>

Usually I find I agree with you on many topics but definitely not this. A dictator state developing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons cannot be ignored like a little brother, that's not even a good analogy.

The best thing the US can do is get China off its ass and together get this regime wiped out and free 25 million people from this tyranny and oppression. It's unacceptable to stand by and watch these people suffer.

This has got my news searching into a higher gear. Thank-you.

There is not much that can be done that isn't ratcheting on the issue of missiles, nukes, and chemicals by North Korea.

South Korea and Japan, as targets, sit poorly defended in the ring as two fighters jump about for wants of something. The South Korean economy, much for social and political reasons, has slowed their military development and made it less capable of handling North Korean missiles. And, the next elected president will most likely take a less conservative path by wanting to use diplomacy and to put increased funding into social programs. That being said, their need for American leadership and military defenses have increased.

Japan, only in the last year or so, has made some political changes to move away from defense-only capabilities; much of it brought on by China's pushing outward to the east and southeast for influence and control.

Back in 2013 & 2014, while negotiations and implementations were occurring, it was strongly suspected that Libya hid chemical weapons. (just a note)

Coming back to North Korea, they ARE developing their missiles ranges, mobile launch capabilities from hidden sites, submarine launch abilities, and nuclear warhead development even towards a thermonuclear bomb. And, that capability, along with numbers grows. Easily, they are projected to be the next country to use a nuclear-based weapon.

China has their "elections" process coming up this fall and that plays a role, too. They really don't want a North Korea issue, especially this year. As they relate to North Korea, there are black and grey markets along the Chinese side of the border. They do provide jobs, permit factories to operate at very low North Korean wages and their is minimal crime. China does not want to be a target, either. If North Korea collapses, their is belief that China will just move in 20-30 kilometers and establish a security zone. That does not cost the same as having to rebuild an entire country.

Looking back to the independence of eastern European countries, they were in much, much better shape and should not be held in comparison. North Korea is bad off in many ways and whomever has to redevelop it, needs a lot of help over several generations of time.

Each country in the area has their own wants and needs. Kind of a shame that humans are involved.

"Chief of the Watch, take the boat to 200 feet. It will be safer, I hope" :arrgh!:

I'm thinking this tyrannical dictator would prove almost impossible to control so an agreement between the USA and China on a way forward, militarily or otherwise may be the best option, otherwise the fat boy could well spark a major war.

Yes, but China has reasons not to want to be that involved. Getting them to support sanctions is difficult.

But, the Alliance (USA, Japan, and S. Korea) does need ballistic missile defense upgrades...quickly. Seems a good first step, but I am not sure the South Koreans will even want that after this election. The North Koreans already made a threats about South Korea having THAAD.

Well, giving in to threats can often mean you deserve the consequences.

Past experience shows that it doesnt work that way, it shows that intervention leads to war and even more misery.

DPRK is developing nuclear weapons and assosiated delivery systems as a deterent from 3rd parties intervening in their internal affairs. Thus agressive rhetoric justifies for them their efforts. Ironic, I know, how pressure could push DPRK to accelerate their programs.

Where are the threats coming from?

I read more threats coming from the US against NK than I read coming from NK against the US.

Most of the threats coming from NK seem to be defensive in nature "if you attack us we will defend", as opposed to offensive "If you don't stop building missiles, we will attack you"

We just need to make sure that we are not making the situation more perilous in our zeal.

This is a time for restrain strategy, not emotional reaction.

I oft say beware of old men eager to send young men to war. I need to amend that with "beware of draft dodgers eager to send young men to war too."

Trump talks mighty tough with other people's lives.

Granted its a dangerous game but I suspect we wouldnt be stepping up the rhetoric if we couldn't back it up.

I say call his bluff, lets see his hand. Go ahead fat boy make my day lets see what ya got.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...TM-14_logo.jpg

I understood the threat was from North Korea.

KJU continually speaks of reuniting the Korean "peoples" under his leadership. More and more missiles takes away South Korea's ability to defend against them.

A news report out of Japan says that North Korea will use chem weapons first to create panic and, then, a lot of artillery to squash military targets.

The threat of North Korea artillery, and instability, has promoted the move of the American forces to South of Seoul.

AND, then there is China pushing to the east to control all of the waters, islands, and passageways that its warships need to get to the Pacific. They say 90% of the world's shipping trade go through those waters.

With the Artic ice receding along Russia's north coast, another passage is opening up for shipping to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific. But, that has not fully developed and I imagine the Russians will control that.

Then their is the Black Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Mediterranean issues...(sigh)

Rockstar...The Japanese and the Koreans are the ones stressing.

South Korean official says North Korea have conducted missile test, that have failed , a day after the country's birthday.

Now it will be interesting to see and hear what the response will be from USA, SK and JP.

Markus

looks like fat boy folded. guess we'll take our toys and go home. Unless there's something going on inside DPRK we dont know about. hmmmm.

Call me naive, I don't care, but I have a hard time seeing China just letting DPRK run wanton in their backyard. It does serve some purpose but not at the risk of a real war, and having a buffer state between the big boys does serve, or has served, to prevent direct involvement.

Tell me what China gains by letting the DPRK continue along it's current path?