wtf @ North Korea?

[shinobi_tabi]

American troops are much more likely to be found where it serves America's interests best, not necessarily where they should be to "save the world from evil".

Correct. We aren't in Iraq to free their people, we're there to keep America safe from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. It's absurd reasoning and terrible execution, but that's what it is.

Don't let the shift in reasoning after the fact make you forget the point of this mess.

lol.
We arnt in Iraq for any reason other then oil, get it right.

yep, right
that is funny though because my gas prices haven't gone down...have we even taken any oil from iraq yet if at all? nope
we might get huge supplier at discounted rate when the war ends though...

[aurik]

Newsflash, it isn't about oil, it's about stimulating the military-industrial complex.

[Not Kuno]

The day they find oil in North Korea is the day we have to 'shock and awe' them.

[Xavier]

America: Will Liberate for Oil

[Rag]

America: Will Liberate for Oil

I loled for like 10min XD

*****MGS5*****
Will liberate for oil
***PS3-2009***

[Daahan]

lol, just another proof that communism sucks.

Going to say this first: Xaru, I implore you to go join the N. Korean government, because I think that they are your prime candidate for "liberating" America.

While you're in N. Korea, don't forget to always use your cellphone to call your family and friends at home. OH WAIT, only 10% of people have cellphones in N. Korea. It's ok, just use your home phone, OH WAIT, only 50% of people have a home phone.

No problem, just take a walk down the nicely paved street and wipe off some of your tears, OH WAIT, only 30% of their streets are actually paved.

Back to Communism sucking: Our involvement with N. Korea can be essentially traced back to post-WWII times. The Korea question was an issue of the Cold War.

After the U.S. defeated Japan, Korea, which was under Japan's occupation, was basically set free. The Russians saw this as an advantage and tried to swoop down in to the peninsula and instill Communist influence in to the territory. Naturally, America reacted and moved in from the South. (Hello there birth of S. Korea and N. Korea).

The Russians basically aided in establishing a Communist regime in N. Korea, which eventually goes somewhat independent.

N. Korea invades S. Korea (Kim il-Sung is crazy just like his son), war is a stalemate, nothing gets resolved.

Korea turns on China, once an ally once the Mao and Deng regimes dissipate, and Korea hates Japan because during the Japanese occupation Japan tried to erase every aspect of Korean culture and identity.

What's going on today is basically all those emotions swelling and swelling and reaching a boiling point. If Kim Jong Il dies before that boiling point is reached, then I think his regime, and maybe even the Communist regime in N. Korea is going to crumble. Although people fall victime to his propaganda, that country is still an utter crap hole standard of living-wise.

If he doesn't die before then, then who knows. Maybe the nukes are just a defensive stance by them to show people that they are a force to be reckoned win, or maybe Kim Jong Il is clinically insane.

Only time will tell.

[Lylie]

I don't like a lot of reasons why America does things, but America does do things. Our motives might not be in the right place but i do believe the world is a better place with people like saddam no longer in power. You can argue the mind your own business card all you want. But with all of the international issues going on it gets to a point where you have to expand your point of view to 'your own business' being anything that goes on in the world.

It's not like it was hundreds of years ago when problems only occured for adjacent nations due to geography, communication and transportation issues. As technology, communication, warfare tactics/technology have improved throughout the last century so has the need for some method of regulation. And again as i said i dont' agree with the motives for a lot of the things America gets involved with, but that's not to say that somebody doesn't need to get involved.

Not to sound to cliche, but it is the responsibility of those who can make a difference to do so.

The way USA did their war, and the situation of Iraq right now, tells me the world is everything but safer.

[Bleu]

Newsflash, it isn't about oil, it's about stimulating the military-industrial complex.

BINGO! I have to say, it's ruthless but also secretly brilliant.

Where was the United States when the Bush administration came in? The economy was in the shitter. Unemployment was at an all time low. A major problem was that it was such a ruckuss in the news that everyone was penny pinching, and slowing the entire economy down.

The war in Iraq almost completely reversed that trend. People stopped focusing on that and started focusing on world issues (and spending their money.) Military and security efforts were bolstered giving people jobs. And now, that's mostly all a non-issue now.

I just wish we would have taken care of Saddam during the first gulf war after he invaded Kuwait.

[Xavier]

I just wish we would have taken care of Saddam during the first gulf war after he invaded Kuwait.

But then we never would've gotten this hilarious picture.

http://www.gwjokes.com/pictures/gulf-wars-episode-2.jpg

[Daahan]

Wanted to mention that his last name is "Kim" not "Il"

anyway

Just got this week's issue of The Economist and there was a really interesting article about the N. Korea situation.

A synopsis of the article:

As we all know, the UN denounced the nuke testing. Bush refuses to take any option off the table and he implies a readiness to react with military force, but America has a few military options.

Even if Kim didn't have nuclear weapons, he can still hold Seoul, the captial of S. Korea, hostage because he has conventional rockets and artillery that can level much of the city. Also, even if the US were to bomb N. Korea's reactors, they do not know where they are keeping its fissle materials and any other bombs that have been made.

Therefore, much of the world is relying on China to put some pressure on Kim's regime. China essentially has the power to starve N. Korea and deprive them of power.

However, Kim has already shown that he could care less about whether or not his people are starving. He knows that China could cut off his food and energy and still not force him to give up his bombs.

Here is something that EXTREMELY intersting: In retrospect, China has the potential and ability to cause Kim's regime to collapse if they wanted to, but it is NOT economically feasible for them to pursue this course of action.

If China did cause the collapse of Kim's regime, then the immediate consequence would be the influx of millions of desperate refugees in to China and S. Korea; something that China doesn't have the resources for and doesn't want to deal with.

--

So although Kim's regime may be weak and incompetent, fortune has definetly shifted in their favor. America is limited by its presence in the Middle East and by the threat of having Seoul destroyed. China is looking after its own economic interests and, in effect, is allwoing N. Korea more breathing space. Japan has virtually little military power after the dissipation of their military in WWII. Russia's reluctance to sanction have also given Kim a window of opportunity.

Seems like this is a do or die situation right about now

[Brien]

I just wish we would have taken care of Saddam during the first gulf war after he invaded Kuwait.

But then we never would've gotten this hilarious picture.

http://www.gwjokes.com/pictures/gulf-wars-episode-2.jpg

rofl...and good god is Saddam that fat

[Bleu]

rofl...and good god is Saddam that fat

No kidding

[Charla]

In case anyone still cares, Xaru is in England. And lol @ fatass Saddam

[Fuuko]

Where was the United States when the Bush administration came in? The economy was in the shitter. Unemployment was at an all time low.

huh? Not sure how low Unemployment is a bad thing.

[Tekki]

If China did cause the collapse of Kim's regime, then the immediate consequence would be the influx of millions of desperate refugees in to China and S. Korea; something that China doesn't have the resources for and doesn't want to deal with.

I think this is a very important point. Even if it was a country other then China that took the initiative to collapse Kim's regime, the status of the people and country would simply fall to the ground due to an already super weak foundation currently controlled by their government.

Also to the point "America's interest" and oil:

Am I to assume that America is the only country that uses oil?

Let’s face it, oil is the lifeblood of most technologies, industries, economies hell it’s the lifeblood of this global world. I think it’s more then just "American interests" at play when it comes to hot spots like the Middle East. At the very least, past all the arguments of reasons for involvement, you could agree that it’s in the world's interest to not have nut jobs like Hussein camping on top of choke points in oil rich regions. Even if you hate the fact that oil is the driving force for war (Myself included) you can’t deny that it’s more then just one nation's interest to make war over those hot spots.

PS:: Way earlier in this thread someone mentioned that Japan hasn’t had an army to speak of since WW2. Well sanctions/restrictions have enabled them to create a large enough military force to establish a defense for their country but not a large enough one capable of invasion. Over the decades they have done just that, created and bought (from a lot of our old military weapons/vehicles/technology) a defensive military force strong enough to hold their own and recently or soon those restrictions will be lifted.

[6souls]

surprised this hasn't been posted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ls/32544_1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ls/35176_1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/6souls/002.jpg

[Ishido]

The funny (well, not so much funny as ironic...) thing is, it is our fault Japan does not have a standing army right now and only has a "defense force."

[Aerin]

surprised this hasn't been posted.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ls/32544_1.jpg
I farted teehee
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ls/35176_1.jpg
Guard #1: Fuck where'd he go?
Guard #2: Uh oh we better spread out
Guard #3: Fool he's right there!
Guard #2: Fucker that's Danny DeVito
Guard #3: CRAP!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/6souls/002.jpg
SHIT! THEY FOUND MEH

[Tekki]

The funny (well, not so much funny as ironic...) thing is, it is our fault Japan does not have a standing army right now and only has a "defense force."

You just got done defeating a militaristic nation that picked a fight with you and tried to take over half the world. Would you let them rebuild a large invasion force again? O_o

Like I mentioned as well, their santions are or have been lifted recently. Plus after WW2 be became close friends. So we have their back if anything were to happen

[Daahan]

The funny (well, not so much funny as ironic...) thing is, it is our fault Japan does not have a standing army right now and only has a "defense force."

You just got done defeating a militaristic nation that picked a fight with you and tried to take over half the world. Would you let them rebuild a large invasion force again? O_o

Like I mentioned as well, their santions are or have been lifted recently. Plus after WW2 be became close friends economically. So we have their back if anything were to happen

I felt that the bolded part was quite neccessary to add.