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North Korea detonates third nuclear device

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Original post by MatureStudent36
True, but many will follow him through a long process of brain washing. Forced or not, there's been no reports in the media of a viable opposition to the Government


1) Would there be much opposition when there are hundreds of concentratin camps and gulags around the country where opponents and their enire families are sent.

2) Would we get many reports of opposition from the media anyway. North Korean media is all state controlled. I don't think there is any foreign press bureaus in the North at all.
I think a lot of people are reading far too much into this. This, to me, it just another symbolic example of North Korean swaggering in the Korean Peninsula. Infact, I'd argue this is more a domestic issue than an international issue. It's as if Kim Jong Un is trying to show face to the military that he is in fact onboard with the militaristic direction his father and general brass have preceded him and is showing both the military and the population military capability - albeit it being still at this point completely limited. This is more to do with the new supreme leader than it is international politics.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Daniel_R
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21421841

They don't seem to care less about current rules, it's worrying..

I wish weapons of mass destruction were banned globally.

What do you think?


They have done three nuclear tests within 10 years. How many nuclear tests did did the USA do from the end of the war over a period of say 20 years? North Korea has a handful, the USA has thousands. North Korea has invaded no other country since 1952 in a major military operation. The USA has performed at least five. So when people start scaremongering about North Korea and it's capabilities I tend to take it all with a pinch of salt because people need to stay grounded.
Reply 23
Avatar for Kiss
Kiss
2
Original post by thunder_chunky
They have done three nuclear tests within 10 years. How many nuclear tests did did the USA do from the end of the war over a period of say 20 years? North Korea has a handful, the USA has thousands. North Korea has invaded no other country since 1952 in a major military operation. The USA has performed at least five. So when people start scaremongering about North Korea and it's capabilities I tend to take it all with a pinch of salt because people need to stay grounded.


So you're one of them!?

WE HAVE A TRAITOR IN OUR MIDST!
Original post by Kiss
So you're one of them!?

WE HAVE A TRAITOR IN OUR MIDST!


I have a timeshare in Pyongyang.


:angel:
Reply 26
Avatar for Daniel_R
Daniel_R
OP
Original post by thunder_chunky
They have done three nuclear tests within 10 years. How many nuclear tests did did the USA do from the end of the war over a period of say 20 years? North Korea has a handful, the USA has thousands. North Korea has invaded no other country since 1952 in a major military operation. The USA has performed at least five. So when people start scaremongering about North Korea and it's capabilities I tend to take it all with a pinch of salt because people need to stay grounded.


I agree that USA is one to talk about nuclear tests and such with there history
Reply 27
Avatar for Kiss
Kiss
2
Original post by Daniel_R
I agree that USA is one to talk about nuclear tests and such with there history


Compared with what the likes of Russia and the US harbour on the WMDs front, North Korea is puny. But the fact remains that they like to show off their might to prove something - a pseudo Napoleon complex which I fear will only be fulfilled with war. But there is a huge hypocrisy in the US and other western nations maintaining nuclear monopoly as mean of global power.
Reply 28
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Nick100
5
Original post by green.tea
The military option isnt really sensible while China would back up the north. You have to consider the united states attitude to Cuba. A peaceful communist country that suffers US aggression because the US has a vendetta against communism. What is north korea supposed to take from that situation.


Except North Korea isn't peaceful; it started the Korean war, has wanted to overrun South Korea for over half a century, and is one of the least free countries to have ever existed. It's the closest thing to airstrip one - except it's too poor to afford telescreens.

"We're going to force you to adopt our values so please disarm in the name of peace so we can."

The united states has absolutely no right to go round dictating how other countries are run. While they do then north korea will continue to arm. If I were south east asian I'd tell the US to **** off out of it and sort it out in the manner of the south korean sunshine policy.


And Kim Jung Un has no right go around dictating how his citizens lives are run. If you were a North Korean (which isn't in South East Asia) you couldn't tell any foreigner anything without fear of being executed as a collaborator or a traitor to the revolution. And South Korea's Chamberlain-esque sunshine policy will only prolong the existence of North Korea's dictatorship.
Original post by Kiss
Compared with what the likes of Russia and the US harbour on the WMDs front, North Korea is puny. But the fact remains that they like to show off their might to prove something - a pseudo Napoleon complex which I fear will only be fulfilled with war. But there is a huge hypocrisy in the US and other western nations maintaining nuclear monopoly as mean of global power.


The problem seems to be that no-one believes the reasons for their tests, hypocrisy or not. I mean a peaceful rocket launch arguably was just to test the waters for one day having a nuclear warhead that can be delivered by missile. From what I have heard anyway if even China are criticising them for their nuclear test then there is something to worry about since they are closer than North Korea-USA say.

If military action is not an option why not just refuse to trade, etc with them? Invading another country takes a lot of money and opens you up to criticism or even attack, but not trading with them surely in an option? They can't be that big a market for the US goods etc and I don't think they sell to much the other way.
Reply 30
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Drewski
19
Original post by thunder_chunky
I have a timeshare in Pyongyang.


Well it would be shared, wouldn't it.
Reply 31
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Original post by Mourinho<3
The problem seems to be that no-one believes the reasons for their tests, hypocrisy or not. I mean a peaceful rocket launch arguably was just to test the waters for one day having a nuclear warhead that can be delivered by missile. From what I have heard anyway if even China are criticising them for their nuclear test then there is something to worry about since they are closer than North Korea-USA say.

If military action is not an option why not just refuse to trade, etc with them? Invading another country takes a lot of money and opens you up to criticism or even attack, but not trading with them surely in an option? They can't be that big a market for the US goods etc and I don't think they sell to much the other way.


Because the only people we're really harming with that is the people, not the leadership. Why make the general populace suffer and starve and have more reasons to dislike "the west" when the leadership will stay rich?
Original post by Drewski
Because the only people we're really harming with that is the people, not the leadership. Why make the general populace suffer and starve and have more reasons to dislike "the west" when the leadership will stay rich?


Maybe if the people realised it was THEIR LEADERS who were putting them in such a spot of bother they wouldn't be as loyal. You can't keep financially supporting a country that prioritises nuclear weapons despite the poverty some live in, nor one that has the political prison camps with the torture and slavery in them.

Don't contribute to funding their weapons program. You can either go to war to stop it or just not trade. Something has to be done-why not take the cheaper and safer option?
Original post by Drewski
Well it would be shared, wouldn't it.


Zing
Reply 34
Avatar for Drewski
Drewski
19
Original post by Mourinho<3
Maybe if the people realised it was THEIR LEADERS who were putting them in such a spot of bother they wouldn't be as loyal. You can't keep financially supporting a country that prioritises nuclear weapons despite the poverty some live in, nor one that has the political prison camps with the torture and slavery in them.

Don't contribute to funding their weapons program. You can either go to war to stop it or just not trade. Something has to be done-why not take the cheaper and safer option?


But they're not going to. Their only source of information is state-controlled, they'll never hear a balanced piece.

And, in fairness, we don't financially support them, we ship grain and food stuffs, but that's pretty much it.
How can people know for sure the north koreans are doing what they are doing.... Maybe they are just bluffing in order to scare other coutries in order to get aid to feed its dying people.
Also a country like north korea cannot be invaded like iraq... For one north korea has no oil also the north korean army is no joke.
Original post by Drewski
But they're not going to. Their only source of information is state-controlled, they'll never hear a balanced piece.

And, in fairness, we don't financially support them, we ship grain and food stuffs, but that's pretty much it.


I just think that instead of countries expressing dissaproval it would be wiser to just cut ties. You can't intervene with force-that only makes the invaders look like the bad guys for the casulties on both sides, let alone the cost and risk to themselves as well. Refuse to trade and they will have to cut spending on weapons. At the very least they will get the message that their actions are unacceptable. Yes, you may have a grievance that their population will suffer, but with the number suffering slavery and torture in their political prison camps (Soviet gulags really) and the poverty many find themselves in it is mad to give ANYTHING to those politicans. Especially now they are threatening other nations with their "peaceful" rocket launches now followed up by a nuclear detonation convieniently shortly after. Get a "peaceful" rocket to re-enter the atmosphere with a nuclear warhead and there you have it really, a nuclear weapon of great range. Maybe its just me but I think a hard line has to be taken, and words of dissaproval don't seem to mean much to them.
Reply 38
Avatar for Aj12
Aj12
18
Original post by IShouldBeRevising_
How can people know for sure the north koreans are doing what they are doing.... Maybe they are just bluffing in order to scare other coutries in order to get aid to feed its dying people.


When you do an underground nuclear test it causes a certain kind of earthquake tremor. Pretty much everyone with the right equipment can pick up on it so that's how we know.
Original post by Aj12
When you do an underground nuclear test it causes a certain kind of earthquake tremor. Pretty much everyone with the right equipment can pick up on it so that's how we know.


Oh

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