Article

2005-02-15 China-Japan-Koreas

Robyn Lim: A bully in need of a real fright

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Posted by tipper 2005-02-15 00:00:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 There seems to have been a major outbreak of realism concerning NK, perhaps becuase the Europeans are not involved.

Posted by phil_b 2005-02-15 12:36:27 AM|| 2005-02-15 12:36:27 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 phil_b - sad but true.

Posted by 2b 2005-02-15 3:51:05 AM|| 2005-02-15 3:51:05 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 The more I read and learn about the Aussies and their amazing sense of reality, the more I have come to appreciate their being our ally. I hope Japan continues to stay the course and (hopefully) South Korea will "wake up and smell the coffee" soon too.

Posted by BA 2005-02-15 9:02:37 AM|| 2005-02-15 9:02:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 I am betting that somewhere in South Korea, there is a General (or two) is contemplating the matter. North Korea is ripe for rebellion and the people are literally starving to death. Swift strikes to take Pyongyang, wipe out the Korean Workers Party officials, and capture the nuke facilities. It would take less than 72 hours if done at the right time. FYI Wednesday is Kim Jong Ilâs birthday and all officials are probably required to attend the party.

Posted by Cyber Sarge 2005-02-15 11:54:27 AM|| 2005-02-15 11:54:27 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 CS its concievable that NK could have an 'accident' while gloating over their latest toy.

I would not wish that on the North Korean people (you know, the non-ruling class) but it might wake people up.

Posted by CrazyFool 2005-02-15 12:02:47 PM|| 2005-02-15 12:02:47 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Interesting background for the author:

Robyn Lim, ICAS Fellow, is professor of international politics at Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan. Her book, The Geopolitics of East Asia, will be published by CurzonRoutledge (UK) on 16 May 2003. From 1988 to 1994, Dr Lim worked for the Office of National Assessments (ONA) in Canberra. ONA is Australia's national foreign intelligence assessment agency.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-15 12:28:17 PM|| 2005-02-15 12:28:17 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Swift strikes to take Pyongyang, wipe out the Korean Workers Party officials, and capture the nuke facilities.

Well, there is that little matter of the thousands of dug-in artillary pieces ready to turn Seoul into a smoking ruin. I'll wager they'll have some kind of standing orders to open fire in case of attack. That's what I would do.

Posted by Steve 2005-02-15 2:04:08 PM|| 2005-02-15 2:04:08 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 I like Lileks idea, challenge them to have a nuclear test to prove they have the bomb, then nuke the test site before the test actually happens. Seems your nukes are a bit unstable kimmie.

The other option is to go to China and tell them the Japanese are a month from having nukes and we can't stop them any longer. The only thing that can stop them is sanity in North Korea.

Oh and tell the Chinese that it's likely North and South Korea will reunite into a capitalist stronghold someday and the way things are going the united Korea will have nukes and missiles capable of hitting anywhere in China. Perhaps they might want to do something about that before it happens rather than after when the unified Korea falls into the US nuclear umbrella and such a move against Korea might scare the Japanese into action.

Posted by rjschwarz 2005-02-15 3:18:09 PM|| [http://rjschwarz] 2005-02-15 3:18:09 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Maybe the South should have a giant festival on the Southern Tip of penninsula and try to get everyone from Seoul to attend. When they are gone the South should do the Swift strikes to take Pyongyang, wipe out the Korean Workers Party officials, and capture the nuke facilities as well as a drive to the other side of the DMZ to capture and destroy the artillery there.

Then the rebuilding of Seoul and the North can begin.

Posted by rjschwarz 2005-02-15 3:28:55 PM|| [http://rjschwarz] 2005-02-15 3:28:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 I can't get past the picture.

China has to know that a nuclear NK will result in a nuclear Japan.

It is now time to pull our forces out of Iraq - consolidate rearm and tackle the remaining two plank owners in the axis of evil club. Let others worry about nation building in Iraq - its time for NK and Iran to worry about us.

Posted by JP 2005-02-15 7:30:12 PM|| 2005-02-15 7:30:12 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 JP, NK is China's problem long before it's ours. Who's NK going to intimidate? Only South Korea and maybe Russia. So we should withdraw and give the Japanese the green light to start nuke development if Chicoms have not cleaned out the rats' nest in 30 days.

Iran looks to being worked on. And Israel won't let that one happen.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-02-15 7:43:05 PM|| 2005-02-15 7:43:05 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Mrs. D - Agreed that the threat of a nuclear Japan is definitely a scenario the NKors haven't thoroughly thought out. The US would be the least of their worries. And China's for that matter.

The conventional wisdom is that the Japanese have had a secret nuclear program for years - could have the weapon assembled within a month. This implied threat is the key to our negotiations.

Posted by JP 2005-02-15 9:27:35 PM|| 2005-02-15 9:27:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 Who needs implied threats! Personally, I'd publicly offer to loan a few nukes to Japan for long-term joint training exercises.

Posted by Tom 2005-02-15 9:31:40 PM|| 2005-02-15 9:31:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 It's not for nothing that Koizumi got troops into Iraq. It was the first step to remilitarizing.

Posted by too true 2005-02-15 9:46:58 PM|| 2005-02-15 9:46:58 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 I can't get past that picture either. That has got to be the ugliest man on the planet. The dork on the left ain't no picnic either.

Posted by Doc8404 2005-02-15 10:45:20 PM|| 2005-02-15 10:45:20 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 Doc - LOL - I think the one on the right is Burgess Meredith, as Penguin

Posted by Frank G 2005-02-15 10:47:58 PM|| 2005-02-15 10:47:58 PM|| Front Page Top

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