[Dilmah G]

If China gets involved (and on N.K's side), they'll most likely help with the one other thing one needs when fighting America, or one of its allies. Marginalizing their allies.

Riffing off an analysis of what a war in Asia would look like, China would strike Japan and Australia, the US's strongest Allies, and perhaps help with S.K in this conflict. IIRC, China supposedly has some mean looking missiles.

But one thing you're missing mate, is the fact that there are a massive amount of missiles that wreak serious hurt pointed at South Korea. If anyone tries anything, Kim Jong-Il-As-**** won't hesitate leveling Seoul, a disastrous outcome. Any opening strike by allied forces would have to be against some of those missile sites.

Korea is hell to fight in, and my guess is that the side with the best CAS and knowledge of the area will prevail. I've never seen China's boys on CAS, but RAF Tornadoes are the real kickass of CAS, so I hear.

[BloodEagle]

But one thing you're missing mate, is the fact that there are a massive amount of missiles that wreak serious hurt pointed at South Korea. If anyone tries anything, Kim Jong-Il-As-**** won't hesitate leveling Seoul, a disastrous outcome. Any opening strike by allied forces would have to be against some of those missile sites.

I should point out that I wasn't really considering collateral damage. Just militaristic considerations. 

*And only a fool gets involved in a land war in Asia.

they do have a tendency to get rather bloody dont they

Well that, and the fact that it's... inconceivable!

[Dilmah G]

Heh, well, fighting a war is a little hard if all your people are dead. 

[karajorma]

Maybe someone should hint to China that the UN might not mind China invading and keeping NK as long as they don't cause any problems with SK afterwards.

Bearing in mind that all NK's guns are pointing in the wrong direction they might be surprisingly successful if they tried it.

[Rodo]

Give them a break, all nations need some war from time to time... I don't get why the world needs to butt in on every one of those (and they do NOTHING btw).
The ones worried about the millions of innocents there should either donate 100$ to MSF or make a trip to the country and start making something there, this is just pure politic campaign for all those involved.

 
Are you just trolling? Or do you honestly believe that that would be a better idea?

I just think that way about this, no.. I'm not trolling, and I never said it was a better idea it's just my POV on the matter.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

*And only a fool gets involved in a land war in Asia.

This sweeping statement automatically classifies the British, the French, the Americans and every non-Asian power in the U.N. in 1953 as fools.

What I find rather annoying is that both the North and South have been at this for decades, and yet they've never been able to patch up, unlike Germany. Granted, you can blame the U.S. and the Soviets for starting this whole issue by occupying Korea from opposite ends near the end of the Second World War, but you would think that, after so many decades of being split apart, the Koreans would actually be competent and smart enough to finish what the West started.

Look at Germany. It was split into four at the end of the Second World War, but they eventually got back together. Why can't Korea do the same?

[mister J]

What I find rather annoying is that both the North and South have been at this for decades, and yet they've never been able to patch up, unlike Germany. Granted, you can blame the U.S. and the Soviets for starting this whole issue by occupying Korea from opposite ends near the end of the Second World War, but you would think that, after so many decades of being split apart, the Koreans would actually be competent and smart enough to finish what the West started.

the North Koreans have this ideology of self reliance and have 50 years of brainwashing that considers the south as capitalist pigs, etc etc that prevents them from forming any real relations.


but all South Korea has to do is MAKE MOAR ZERGLINGS KEKEKEKE (and detect any North Korean Ghosts using overlords, preventing them from launching their Nuclear Missiles.) Base the military strategic interface on Starcraft and South Korea would win in like five minutes. Of course the troops would get like 200 commands per minute. "move move move attack move attack move move" and so on.

[SpardaSon21]

Well, the South is your standard republican style of government.  The North is ruled by a midget megalomaniacal tyrant who holds the country in an iron grip and has brainwashed the citizens into a cult of personality centered around him.  Germany was able to re-unite since the leaders of the GDR were reasonable and knew their time was over.

[The E]

Besides, there was never a war between the two Germanys, and while the east german economy was ways behind the western one, its people were not exactly starving to death either. Also, while there was a ban of western media, it wasn't exactly airtight. And, as previously noted, the whole "cult of personality" thing North Korea has going on just wasn't as pronounced.

[TopAce]

And brainwashing can never be all-inclusive. North Korean intellectuals can very well see what's going on, even if they aren't allowed to give voice to their complaints. I'm not talking about members of the Communist Party, of course.

[Mars]

For whoever was saying that NK would win a war because of the size of their military:
"The equipment is a mixture of World War II vintage vehicles and small arms, widely proliferated Cold War technology, and more modern Soviet weapons. According to official North Korean media, planned military expenditures for 2009 are 15.8% of GD" Wikipedia

With WWII tanks, the South Koreans and United States basically don't have to worry about armor - a LAW has a good chance of taking one out.

As for China, yes, their remaining neutral, but if the bulk of Western nations descended on North Korea, I rather doubt they would side with NK. China isn't stupid, and although they might POSSIBLY be able to win a war of attrition with the US, that is severely in question. No, China would do the pragmatic thing and either remain strictly neutral, or declare war on NK as well.


That being said, any such war would be a tremendous waste of life, and resources.

[Bobboau]

 North Korean intellectuals who can very well see what's going on" are shipped off to kibble factories, not as laborers.

[Kosh]

If China gets involved (and on N.K's side), they'll most likely help with the one other thing one needs when fighting America, or one of its allies. Marginalizing their allies.

Riffing off an analysis of what a war in Asia would look like, China would strike Japan and Australia, the US's strongest Allies, and perhaps help with S.K in this conflict. IIRC, China supposedly has some mean looking missiles.

But one thing you're missing mate, is the fact that there are a massive amount of missiles that wreak serious hurt pointed at South Korea. If anyone tries anything, Kim Jong-Il-As-**** won't hesitate leveling Seoul, a disastrous outcome. Any opening strike by allied forces would have to be against some of those missile sites.

Korea is hell to fight in, and my guess is that the side with the best CAS and knowledge of the area will prevail. I've never seen China's boys on CAS, but RAF Tornadoes are the real kickass of CAS, so I hear.

But this time around china's situation is completely different. Before it was a peasent state that was completely isolated, both economically and diplomatically. Today it's economy is mostly integrated with the world's and as a result its interests are much more inline with that of the wests, not completely but far far more than it used to be. Going to war with america is, at minimum, economic suicide, which in this day and age is a fairly effective deterent.

Maybe someone should hint to China that the UN might not mind China invading and keeping NK as long as they don't cause any problems with SK afterwards.

Bearing in mind that all NK's guns are pointing in the wrong direction they might be surprisingly successful if they tried it.

It might actually come to that

Look at Germany. It was split into four at the end of the Second World War, but they eventually got back together. Why can't Korea do the same?

Because the economic disparity is massive, many times greater than it was between east and west germany (the german disperaty was 1:3, the korean disparity is 1:19 or so). Looking at how the faultering east german economy managed to bog down the west german economy even to this day, can you imagine the economic chaos that would follow korean unification?

[Sushi]

NK: "We're gonna do it for real this time, give us food and money or else!"

World: "You keep using that [phrase]. I do not think it means what you think it means."


This thread needed moar Princess Bride.

[Mika]

It might actually come to that

Don't believe everything you just read. Go and see North Korean refugees and talk with them to see if that holds. Article paints North Koreans mainly as racistic dwarves, a description I don't swallow. There was one Finnish guy who was a human shield in Iraq just before the most recent US "democratization". He said that the Iraqians always praised Saddam, even when they were in private (well no surprise there). But when US came, Iraqians openly started to express feelings about the regiment, and in worst cases started to despise him because he had been seen as a part of collaborating with the oppressing former regime. They completely changed sides when there was no threat of henchmen coming to knock the doors. I guess that guy gained some wisdom about life, and his statement to media when returning back here reflected that.

If I were a North Korean tourist guide, I would pretty much make sure all the words that I say that could be reproduced in mass media in West would be repeating the official line.

I don't know, I usually don't believe military interventions do any good, but North Korea might be the exception.

[newman]

Personally I find nuking countries you don't like to be just what the doctor ordered if you want world peace.

[headdie]

problem is if you fire a nuke you will be in front of of a tribunal in the Hague before it hits.

[Scotty]

Then make someone else push the button.

[iamzack]

Kimmi needs a hug....

[Klaustrophobia]

from an iron maiden.