Emergency in North Korea?
Emergency in North Korea?
What do people think we should do? For the sake of argument, let's say this article is 100% correct and this situation is verified by the West. What steps do we take? Do we go the long slow route, or take immediate action? Would the immediate impact on S.K. be worth the end result? If N.K. does have a few long range missles, is it worth the loss for the U.S. to step in?
Personally, I'm leaning towards action being worth the risk. I don't know how to accurately assess the risks to S.K. though. From what I've read there's the potential for mass slaughter, but how does that differ from what's currently happening?
What do people think we should do? For the sake of argument, let's say this article is 100% correct and this situation is verified by the West. What steps do we take? Do we go the long slow route, or take immediate action? Would the immediate impact on S.K. be worth the end result? If N.K. does have a few long range missles, is it worth the loss for the U.S. to step in?
Personally, I'm leaning towards action being worth the risk. I don't know how to accurately assess the risks to S.K. though. From what I've read there's the potential for mass slaughter, but how does that differ from what's currently happening?
Comments
Remember nearly 10 million people live in Seoul which is only thirty miles or so from the DMZ and North Korean artillery with ranges that could easily fire into the heart of the city.
There has been a crisis in North Korea for a long time and nobody really knows what to do, it has been compared with the holocaust in Germany only its happening now and nobody really pays attention.
The problem is amazingly complex on many levels, I personally am in favour of going in but I can't speak for 10 million Koreans who stand to lose their lives over something that one day might be settled peacefully.
Now I'll read the article.
However, that is not the true holocaust in North Korea right now. The worst thing is the starvation, already approximately three million people have died in the last few years from starvation. The country is currently experiencing a famine that it cannot recover from and the government takes the foreign aid (food) and uses it to feed soldiers.
Although the gulag is evil and barbaric, the starvation of millions presents a more pressing need for the international community to act.
It's a strange game they (the politicians, both sides) play with the lives of millions.
Fellows
I also know that the worst problem is starvation, but that's a separate issue. If we were really only concerned about hunger, we could ship in food by the gallons and save most of the population. Long term that's not necessarily the most helpful action though.
Any action, be it military or humanitarian, should be coordinated with South Korea. We would need at least private approval regardless of any action or inaction we take. But my instincts tell me something needs to be done.
The potential convential response of North Korea is scary, but what percentage of their firepower is real and combat ready? The U.S.S.R.'s military inventory turned out to be much smaller than reported during the cold war, is it possible a similar situation exists in N.K.? Realistically, I can't imagine the country being able to support a military very well.
As some of you know, I'm no hawk, but I wouldn't shy away from a cause like this one.
Those people will just have to die quickly. That's their only hope.
Originally posted by Scott
This is old news. The world doesn't care. Some people think that as long as NK kills it's own people we should MYOB. The rest of the world will do nothing and no one will stand up to NK.
Those people will just have to die quickly. That's their only hope.
I don't care what some people think, I want to know what you, me and the others here think. Is your opinion just that they should die quickly?
How that is to be achieved, well, I've got no idea.
but seroiusly, if this doesn't work or is not tryable then the world needs to do some serious working together on it
China, no angel itself, needs to get with it and understand that what is happening Is really evil
and perhaps they could invade from the rear, or allow an international force to work from another direction
it is a dire situation . . . Kim lives up to Bush's Evil Axis rhetoric for sure . .
I have read other reports including an ex prisoners account . . . it is as bad as the world portrayed in the film and book 1984 . . .
The UN has no balls.
Originally posted by pfflam
The world should give them so much food and goods that they literally overflow with them, so that they can't just hide them away or give them only to certain classes, thereby eventually empowering even the workers to think about more than groveling for food and blaming it on the West as the ever present propaganda proclaims from teh loudspeakers everywhere in NK . . . The Great Leader would eventualy be unable to explain the way that the 'decedent west' can be so productive
but seroiusly, if this doesn't work or is not tryable then the world needs to do some serious working together on it
China, no angel itself, needs to get with it and understand that what is happening Is really evil
and perhaps they could invade from the rear, or allow an international force to work from another direction
it is a dire situation . . . Kim lives up to Bush's Evil Axis rhetoric for sure . .
I have read other reports including an ex prisoners account . . . it is as bad as the world portrayed in the film and book 1984 . . .
That would never work. Just keep the ships at sea, keep the ships from unloading, let the food rot at the dock.
Originally posted by Scott
That would never work.
Why would that never work? You've already ignored one request from me for an explanation, are you just going to continue to troll or will you rise up to the level of a sentient and rational discussion?
Originally posted by bunge
Why would that never work? You've already ignored one request from me for an explanation, are you just going to continue to troll or will you rise up to the level of a sentient and rational discussion?
Just read the reply. I'm not even an evil dictator and I know how to stop a huge shipment of food.
Originally posted by Scott
That would never work. Just keep the ships at sea, keep the ships from unloading, let the food rot at the dock.
I'm starting to think that no one reads my replies and just knee jerks another reply
Originally posted by pfflam
but seroiusly, if this doesn't work or is not tryable then the world needs to do some serious working together on it
China, no angel itself, needs to get with it and understand that what is happening Is really evil
and perhaps they could invade from the rear, or allow an international force to work from another direction
I'm all for working with China, as long as we have a set goal and force them to uphold the ideal. I'm also for a food drive, but that's more of a long term goal.
The article talks about a situation I would consider in dire need of an immediate response. At some point a line is crossed and people need to act. If mass executions, gas chambers and other forms of mass killings are the norm and not an exception then I'm willing to turn a blind eye to the threat of a nuclear missle hitting the west coast.
For me, I never believed that there was a serious mass threat either inside or outside of Iraq. True or not, I just didn't see it. In N.K., I see the potential for both. I can't see any clear excuse for not acting, other than the potential for false information.
Originally posted by bunge
I don't care what some people think, I want to know what you, me and the others here think. Is your opinion just that they should die quickly?
I think their only hope is to die a quick death because the world will never stand up to NK. I also think that the world doesn't care.
Please read the replies that I bother to type out.
Originally posted by Scott
I'm starting to think that no one reads my replies and just knee jerks another reply
Is your opinion just that they should die quickly?
Why wouldn't a surplus of food work?
Troll or not.
Originally posted by Scott
Please read the replies that I bother to type out.
I read your replies and you're being purposefully vague and I called you on it. Big deal.
Vague /= intelligent.
I'd rather you be direct so you can be held to a point.
Originally posted by bunge
Why wouldn't a surplus of food work?
Troll or not.
For the last time Because the would stop the ships at sea. OR the would not allow the ships to unload. OR they would let the food rot on the dock. Which is what I said the first time. Please read what I am posting.
I took a look at the last thread (the one scott started) and its looks like it devolved into the same thing.
Can't you two just ignore each other or something.
If someone has any links to things we can do as opposed to why we cant do this or that and what wont work etc. I dont know if there is anything at all but focusing energies on researching what we can do to help (I dont mean just giving money to world vision or something) is infinitely more useful than bickering.
This can be a very good thread. Let's keep this the focus.
Fellows