Next on the Hit list?

Dr. Shoe · 27th December 2002, 00:11

I see the US is protesting about North Korea's reactivation of their nuclear program.

Bubba136 · 27th December 2002, 16:35

What's your point?

hoverfly · 27th December 2002, 19:33

The way I see it North Korea in doing nothing more than stomping around like a spoiled child. They are not getting enough attention and free hand outs from the west that are keeping the current government in power. Obviously North Korea should fold their hand in this poker game. Let them build their bombs, if they are dumb enough to use them wipe them off the plant.

j-turbo2002 · 27th December 2002, 20:37

This is more of an economic issue for the North Koreans. Even if the North Koreans reactivate that nuclear power plant, produce nuclear material, and build nuclear weapons, they are going to sell whatever they decide to manufacture. In today’s market, there are people who will pay top dollar for anything that has to do with nuclear technology.

According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency:

North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power output have declined in parallel. Despite a good harvest in 2001, the nation faces its eighth year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land; collective farming; weather-related problems, including major drought in 2000; and chronic shortages of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995-96, but the population remains vulnerable to prolonged malnutrition and deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In 2001, the regime placed emphasis on earning hard currency, developing information technology, addressing power shortages, and attracting foreign aid, but in no way at the expense of relinquishing central control over key national assets or undergoing widespread market-oriented reforms.

Dr. Shoe · 27th December 2002, 23:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-turbo2002

This is more of an economic issue for the North Koreans. Even if the North Koreans reactivate that nuclear power plant, produce nuclear material, and build nuclear weapons, they are going to sell whatever they decide to manufacture. In today’s market, there are people who will pay top dollar for anything that has to do with nuclear technology.

Now that is my point. But the question is: Will the US do anything to prevent this from happening? Apparently, there will be far more support for such an action from the world community than a hit on Iraq. Even the Chinese are pressing for action. Moreover, we have been seeing some media coverage about N. Korea's human rights abuses etc. Just like the year or so before Afghanistan.

azraelle · 28th December 2002, 00:05

I think Georgie wants himself a real "good" war at the TAIL end of his first term, rather than at the beginning, as happened with his father (and himself, but this was an act of fate, not planning on his part), to insure enough popularity for election to a second term. Nothing else adequately explains why he is delaying on this issue--draw it out, goad the North Koreans to make a few more moves, then pounce on them??

j-turbo2002 · 28th December 2002, 05:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Shoe

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-turbo2002

This is more of an economic issue for the North Koreans. Even if the North Koreans reactivate that nuclear power plant, produce nuclear material, and build nuclear weapons, they are going to sell whatever they decide to manufacture. In today’s market, there are people who will pay top dollar for anything that has to do with nuclear technology.

Now that is my point.

So why did you not mention what I wrote in your very first post??

Bubba136 · 28th December 2002, 15:37

Dr. Shoe wrote: "there are people who will pay top dollar for anything that has to do with nuclear technology." In addition, there are countries that will continue to trade and sell technology to rogue regimes in spite of UN prohabitions against sales. France and Germany continue to sell banned items to Iraq. To them, it's just good business -- Both governments have been quoted as saying "if we don't sell these things to them, someone else will" -- which makes it acceptable. After all, rules are made to be broken, aren't they?

Dr. Shoe · 28th December 2002, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoverfly

The way I see it North Korea in doing nothing more than stomping around like a spoiled child. They are not getting enough attention and free hand outs from the west that are keeping the current government in power. Obviously North Korea should fold their hand in this poker game. Let them build their bombs, if they are dumb enough to use them wipe them off the plant.

The big problem is in the fact that they may not use them themselves as they don't have a big enough axe to grind to use them unprovoked, but Al Qaida is another story. The problem is, will they use them on a major city like NY, LA or London or will they hit a small town in the midwest just to prove that nobody is safe anywhere?

Chris11 · 28th December 2002, 22:44

Try to put yourself in the shoes of a terrorist. Its hard I know.

You have a tactical nuke in your possession. You have the ability to deploy it anywhere you choose. Your trying to make "a statement". Would you put it in a little town of 20,000 or would you put it on top of a skyscraper in a city of 2,000,000?

Back on 9/11 they could have put those planes anywhere, they choose the WTC because it was the biggest "bang" for the buck.

Then again, I'm not some twisted, would be human, sicko of a terrorist. So what do I really know.

It all would makes sense to me though.

We all need to learn to live together. It is surprisingly easy to do it when you actually give it a honest chance.

Chris