How do we feel about recent news regarding North Korea?

Read about it here.

Nuclear test #3 results in sanctions from the UN. North Korea threatens nuclear war, withdrawal from all non-aggresion pacts with the South, and discontinuation of its emergency hotline with Seoul. Discuss!

We need to send Drew over there to calm them down.

I watched a documentary on the human rights situation in North Korea. For all of the power and might of the Western world, it's entirely frustrating that we don't appear to have the political will to liberate millions. The only millions we want to give rights and democracy to are the ones who want to democratically elect an abusive theocracy.

Oh god, this is just the same old shit. Every time they play around with nukes, the UN puts sanctions, they make threats, UN reduces sanctions. Rinse and repeat. Not even worth discussing. I hate how the western media covers this.

@no0b0rama:It's only their third nuclear test. It's not like they've done this a hundred times. When I read the article I couldn't help but think that while the rest of the world stands to lose a lot if they suffer a nuclear attack, if the UN keeps placing sanctions on North Korea they might eventually reach a point where it doesn't matter and they push the big red button just for the hell of it. Kinda scary.

I feel lazy.

That's what you're asking, right?

They are crazy and stupid, but not THAT crazy and stupid. Their people are suffering but they are living it up, so I don't think they have a death wish. Just megalomaniacal posturing, as usual.

NK makes stupid threats every day. It's not like this is their first time making these kind of threats. They know that if they attempt to nuke somebody their days are numbered. They aren't that stupid. They're just bad people who will do anything to retain power.

Plus, when even China agrees that NK is not doing the right thing, you know the North is gonna back off of anything.

North Korea is the equivalent of a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. They're just making noise so they can get what they want, but nobody really takes them seriously.

Cant we just turn NK into a golf course, or a parking lot or something.

I'm pretty sure this is just postering through withdrawing from their non aggression with South Korea is a little worrisome. The problem with this that, outside of santions, the UN really isn't going to do much. They have no recourse to make North Korea be a rational actor. Sanctions only work if their a fairly affluent country which North Korea isn't. This will only make the people more dependent on the government, not less.

Business as usual considering it's North Korea.

That or send them over the edge.

You have to understand thought that those people have been indoctrinated since birth though, even if they were "liberated" they wouldn't understand it.

Accurate depiction of America and North Korea.

I have no strong feelings one way or the other.

I am by no means an expert on this, but I would assume part of the reason the UN doesn't want to really take decisive action against NK is that it would strain relations with China and Russia. I don't think those countries would like it if the UN would reunite SK and NK under a modern democratic banner.

I was a little scared for the south koreans until I learned that even China doesn't back up NK on this one, so I'm not scared.

I stand by my previous position: Fuck North Korea (and Ryan Davis).

I was just about to say the same thing. I suppose that is what social political, diplomatic isolation is like; you don't know how to act.

With that said, the SHIT the United States and western allies pulled after World War 2 on the Korean peninsular was pretty shitty. Can we complain about monsters, when we make them? Can we 'call for democracy' in counties were we ourselves destroyed the rule of law to put in our own puppet governments into power?

If we don't like this headache that is to be expected. Yet, we at least should acknowledge our headache is part of the hangover from a 'binge' on geopolitical power 65 years ago. We made this mess, and some stains you cannot fix. The solution is to just tear out the rug..and start over. The 'rug' being our CIA and other paranoid delusions organizations that tell the American people diplomacy is about fucking with other countries internal politics to get our own way. If Washington, DC becomes a smoking holes our first act should not be to bomb

Pyongyang;

but rather to walk Arlington Cemetery, exhume Roscoe H Hillenkoetter with Walter Bedell Smith, and hang their corpses from the nearest tree.

Don't worry, guys. I hear Dennis Rodman is totally saving the day (not really, but it's still funny)

http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/03/08/dennis-rodman-defies-hard-power-in-north-korea/

Check dat blast radius.

Good on N Korea. Defend yourself from western bastard aggression. I hope they launch a few of those nukes at the US and troops stationed in East Asia. Quicken the demise of a dying civilization. In 20 years, less than one generation, the west will cease to exist.

AS YOU SOW, SO SHALL YOU REAP.

Fuck EA as well.

Nuclear war would be worth it, just to see EA wiped off the face of the Earth.

I see two things here, either they're kicking up a stink just to try extort money from the United States or they're serious and we really have a major crisis on our hands. I kind of see the first one being the primary goal here, and it's not like the US doesn't give money or deal with shit countries to begin with. All you have to do is look at Saudi Arabia and China. Some of the worst human rights records out there and the US is all chummy chummy with them.

But I wouldn't be opposed to the entire region turning to glass. Dust off those nukes and remind the world once again what happens when you try to fuck with us.

huh... I don't even know what to say to this.

I don't feel great about it.

I just can't take them seriously.

"DO IT YOU WON'T, YOU WON'T, NOOOOOOOO BALLS!!!!" -Obama to North Korea.

It sucks but if there was ever a country we should invade and change its this one... Hate to say that but this shit is getting old.

Note that their nukes and missiles and shit only started working properly after Drew's visit. Coincidence?

@brodehouse said:

A good documentary about the mentality of NK is "The Red Chapel" by Mads Bruger. It's kind of lighthearted, but some of its parts make me think that a huge chunk of North Korea may not understand what "freedom" means anymore.

I'm glad I don't live in Asia I guess. The current situation is so beneficial to China and the US that I don't think that they would let things escalate into war. China will not allow US troops on their borders and the United States can not back down from South Korea as it is their most important strategic outpost in Asia.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the North will fire a few shells into South Korea and at most test their nukes above ground.

I'm afraid someone in the government is going to start taking this seriously.

South Korea responded with.

"I am telling you this as a member of the human race: If North Korea (DPRK) attacks South Korea with nuclear weapons, the Kim Jong Un regime will vanish from the earth by the will of the humanity"

Someone needs to sneak in there and dome that fat baby.

North Korea don't care.

Nothing will happen, as per usual.

I blame Dennis Rodman.

Glad I don't live on the West Coast.

I say let them go and have their fun. Nothing will happen to us. I think they're funny. Maybe they'll make another ad but with Master Chief or Prophet in the background next time!

I don't think they ever have been or ever will be a legitimate threat. If there's anything to be learned from Drew's NK slideshow, it's that they are a country of manufactured idealism; everything they do is for show. All bark and no bite, to put it in other terms.

People suggesting that the US or the UN are somehow presenting a double standard by not liberating North Korea need to understand this. The US isn't going to go it alone in any operation to free North Korea; it needs UN support. And while many in the UN may wish for such action, both Russia and China are permanent members of the UN Security Council. And both of them are far from supporting any such action. Even if the US came to the UN and asked for their support, Russia and China could veto their attempts. Members of the UN know this, and they're not going to pursue a serious effort to liberate North Korea without the support of Russia and China.

The only thing that might possibly get them to side with an offensive by a coalition of UN nations would be if North Korea took significant military action against South Korea, and that is still unlikely to happen, as North Korea is quite aware of this fact.

I need a knock-off shirt with this printed on it immediately.

Apparently China, North Korea's biggest ally, is telling them to chill. That's fantastic news cause, for those that don't remember, China was North Korea's main support in the Korean War and was a big support to Vietnam in the Vietnam War. So China usually supports them communist bros. So if even they are telling North Korea to chill then North Korea truly is out on a limb acting the way they are. Which is good for the US at least (which is where I am so that's good for me). Also China's rich as shit and strong as shit too. And they make a lot of the stuff I like. So if they are on my country's side, sort of anyway, then I'm pretty happy about that.

Source

The government of North Korea is nuts, but I'm sure even they understand that things would not end well for them if they attempted to launch a nuclear weapon.

@pr1mus said:

all i know is that my gut says maybe :|

The sole reason that North Korea exists is because China allows it to.