“back to Bengazzi”

oh, my …! we are feeling frisky today, DSW!

thanks for pointing out that disturbed kid with access to mom’s assault weapons; “nothing to see here, move along.”

It looks like DPRK has all options on the table in response to US/ROK provocations.

yep, Don, unlike the mideast, Africa and especially Iran, there’s some real potential to harm our “allies” or, even worse, “our manufacturing base.”

Korea is the gift that keeps on giving to the MIC. There are 28,500 U.S. troops stationed on more than 100 bases stretching from the DMZ south to the port city of Busan. Some of them will be moving south and consolidating, to get that ” familiar hometown feel” one air-hour away from Shanghai and Beijing. Stars & Stripes:

When the construction and expansion work is done at Camp Humphreys, planners are promising a base that is part college campus, part small town.

According to a video posted last summer on YouTube, most families will be within walking distance of schools and child development centers. The base’s central park area will feature a bicycle and pedestrian corridor.

“The downtown shopping area creates a familiar hometown feel,” according to the video. “Soldiers stationed here can experience all the comforts of home while protecting freedom in Northeast Asia.”

“Protecting freedom in Northeast Asia” — forgetting for the moment the US-sponsored 32 years of military rule in South Korea.

Made in China. Made in Korea.

Can’t we just send in a covert Schawrzenegger/Stallone style team and sabotage their nucleur weapons capacity alal “Guns of Navarone”???

Is the new emperor THAT stupid?????

North Korea threatened South Korea with “final destruction”

Now there’s a provocation!

You know, lately I have been entertaining a notion that the US should actually expand its military budget. This would be because of a possible need to stop other nations from using dangerous future technologies like embryo selection.

http://edge.org/responses/q2013

In a nightmare scenario it might be necessary to fight a war not with North Korea but with China itself over the issue.

C’mon. would this guy and his happy family start a nucleur war????

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.imgur.com/CBTOh.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/kim-jong-un-family-photo_n_1812069.html&h=1052&w=978&sz=156&tbnid=1sset6ChE316oM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=94&zoom=1&usg=__rXt2MCdsiEXzkqEOxuP7E6D6d3k=&docid=KDYOEDO1uSqtuM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1PwjUZP1DKPM2AWMwYHgAw&ved=0CEEQ9QEwAQ&dur=0

Pardon me, but this article says we could raise a whole generation of Scarlett Johanssons and Brad Pitts. Who would have a problem with that other than Jennifer Aniston???:-)

Though I am normally against war and always against “preemptive” war, the fact is that North Korea is now a real threat and they are batshit insane. If China refuses to put a leash on them, somebody is going to have to and “somebody” will almost certainly mean us.

@11

Maybe Natalie Portman since it would violate Attack of the Clones copyrights.

But really…

The BGI Cognitive Genomics Project is currently doing whole-genome sequencing of 1,000 very-high-IQ people around the world, hunting for sets of sets of IQ-predicting alleles. I know because I recently contributed my DNA to the project, not fully understanding the implications. These IQ gene-sets will be found eventually—but will probably be used mostly in China, for China. Potentially, the results would allow all Chinese couples to maximize the intelligence of their offspring by selecting among their own fertilized eggs for the one or two that include the highest likelihood of the highest intelligence. Given the Mendelian genetic lottery, the kids produced by any one couple typically differ by 5 to 15 IQ points. So this method of “preimplantation embryo selection” might allow IQ within every Chinese family to increase by 5 to 15 IQ points per generation. After a couple of generations, it would be game over for Western global competitiveness.

Oh boy, how can you tell when you’ve gone overboard on cynicism???

Why are all of my “there’s another shiny object” alarms going off regarding North Korea???

I should probably check into cynicism rehab or something.

batshit insane

That’s good — it shows you’ve been listening to the MSM.
edit: Brings back memories — In his place, Saddam’s sons Uday Insane Hussein and Qusay Insane Hussein travelled around Iraq dispensing injustice and retribution.

Look how that turned out. Five million displaces, a million dead and 4.5 million orphans.

It stops being a “shiny object” when nukes start going off I think. Add saber rattling and it’s an alarm now.

Earlier in the day, before the N Korean statement. The outgoing South Korean President said this,

“In a farewell speech to the nation six days before leaving office, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday warned Pyongyang its missiles and weapons are taking the North “closer and closer to a dead-end.”

Lee alerted his compatriots to hastily prepare for reunification of the Korean peninsula. The president asserted that “even though the North Korean regime is refusing to change, its citizens are quickly changing and nobody can block that.”
http://www.voanews.com/content/south-korean-president-issues-warning-to-north/1606326.html

My guess is Voice of America might have been generous in it’s translation, and dead-end might have been closer to destruction.

What was that about the “Carnac Rule”? You don’t know me and you have ZERO right to judge me.

This one didn’t out so well either.

In his place, Saddam’s sons Uday Insane Hussein and Qusay Insane Hussein travelled around Iraq dispensing injustice and retribution.

Except that’s supposed to be a bannable offense here. Are you sticking with your absurd characterization of me then?

However, I would agree that first we ought to try negotiating with other countries over the embryo selection issue before we launch any military expansions. It’s better to try friendliness than just assume bad faith from the beginning. That’s not a good approach.

You can’t honestly be calling Margaret a racist or a warmonger. That’s mind boggling. I can’t imagine why you’d do that. There’s simply no evidence for your assertion.

Anyway, sorry for the interruption, let’s get back to Benghazi.

If you are actually interested in there not being multiple and larger Benghazis in the future, you want to know what happened in Benghazi so that it doesn’t happen again. If the United States of America isn’t prepared for the small ball of a Benghazi event, the USA certainly wouldn’t be prepared if an actual military engaged in actual conflict…by ignoring Benghazi, we’ll just end up having the death of Ambassadors become a common place event when before it was extremely rare. Benghazi and NK are not two different things, but rather it has to do with how well prepared we are in the ground in foreign countries – and so far the answer is that we aren’t prepared.

That’s exactly what he’s doing and if he gets away with it, I’m going to have to think long and hard about that.

Talk about sabre rattling, it’s not just N. Korea. Some very myopic sabre rattlers right here.

Let’s extrapolate : which is the more hypocritical position:

1) to preempt N. Korea’s bluff because, you know, we’re the big bad world enforcer and preemptive strikes is what we do,or

2)To preemptively attack Iran along with N. Korea because a) we’re the world’s ( or at least Israel’s) enforcer b) you cant attack N. Korea without attacking Iran because, we’ve been told Iran is the largest threat to the world whereas N. Korea is a regional threat. Wouldn’t be logical.

All sabre rattler’s whose name begins with M should consider getting a life. Apparently hasn’t learned anything about the economics and politics of war.

The US has tested over 1000 nukes, yet after the vast majority of those nuke tests we didn’t go and nuke other countries. We had only done a few nuke tests before nuking Japan and of course there hasn’t been any nukes since then even though we made it through the whole Cold War.

China will privately give him a spanking and make him go without dessert if he does any more nuke testing or makes any more threats.

and Margaret’s words mean exactly nothing then? Is she just a dim bulb?

Still, under my plan and yours we would be sooo much better looking.

I dunno. I’m so overboard cynical now my mind is thinking of all kinds of false flag stuff this could be associated with, even something as mundane as a vote over an internet bill.

I mean no one would go to the trouble of setting of nukes to spark an emergency between NK and US that draws in China and makes passing CISPA as important to pass as the Patriot Act was in 2003, right?

I’m pretty sure the answer is no way this is true, yet my mind keeps on flipping over scenario after scenario about why a “conflict” with North Korea might be a nice coinkydink right now.

Like I said, I think I need to check into cycnisicm rehab. I no longer believe anything my government or the media tells me, and there’s no way that’s healthy. Yet, there’s no way that’s all my fault either, less anyone forget the story of the boy that cried wolf.

More ad hominem insults? That’s what you have? You know what? I was around here long before you were and I’m not going to shut up just because you don’t know how to behave. If you lack the wit to understand my words, perhaps you should refrain from commenting, especially if you value your credibility here.

PLease send me a “guest card”.

Benghazi and NK’s threats are apples and oranges in every way. Exactly how do you suggest we prepare for nuclear war? Military exercises and warships threatening NK? That would only provoke them more. We already have enormous destructive capability, and NK knows it. Since that doesn’t deter them from making threats, the only answer is diplomacy. Hey — how about this? …they want bilateral talks with the U.S., so why don’t we agree to them? We can at least negotiate, can’t we???

I am telling you ALL this guy is not gonna start a war. He only wants to take his family to Disneyworld.

TRust me.

The thing that gives me pause is that there is nothing to gain in an attack on North Korea. No resources, no oil and Israel is over 6,000 miles away. What exactly does anybody except the MIC have to gain from stirring up a war with North Korea a la Iraq?

After 2014 we won’t have any “ongoing” wars.

We may have to take what we can get. /s

One can never predict how one’s “tough actions” will be read by another country. Case in point.

North Korean test shows US policy failings

There apparently has been too much loose talk of regime change relative to North Korea. It seems to make the regime a little nervous. And apparently moves them away from negotiation. Wonder why.

You’re right, you were around here first. But you see, I don’t care. I’ve got nothing to lose by speaking the truth as I see it. And being “around here” is not the be all and end all by which I measure integrity. You’ll have to take care of your own, which you are plenty able to do I see. Your words were ignorant, IMHO, regardless of how many of your groupies you have to back you up, and maybe it was to those ‘understanding’ folks you intended to speak.

I’ve had more than my share of internet squabbles and decamped many sites. Call it ad hominem, and let me apologize for that rhetoric if it makes you feel better, but you words don’t line up with convinced progressive thinking, or even logic, imo.

We do have to adjust ourselves though to the reality that nuclear war is no longer the greatest threat we face.

“Benghazi and NK’s threats are apples and oranges in every way. Exactly how do you suggest we prepare for nuclear war?”

By first being able to be prepared enough to be able to protect an Ambassador from by your own admission is complete child’s play compared to a nuclear war. If we can’t protect ambassadors from militias, how do you expect us to be prepared when facing much more powerful than a militia?

“Since that doesn’t deter them from making threats, the only answer is diplomacy. Hey — how about this? …they want bilateral talks with the U.S., so why don’t we agree to them? We can at least negotiate, can’t we???”

Where do you see me calling for war? Nothing of what you are saying here is contradicting what I said, unless you’re just trying to be argumentative.

No, you are the one being confrontational. I never said you were calling for war. You still haven’t answered my question of exactly how you suggest we prepare for nuclear war. It has nothing whatsoever to do with Benghazi.

“By first being able to be prepared enough to be able to protect an Ambassador from by your own admission is complete child’s play compared to a nuclear war. If we can’t protect ambassadors from militias, how do you expect us to be prepared when facing much more powerful than a militia?”

You agreed to certain rules when you signed up for an account here. You are very close to being in violation of that agreement in my opinion. I wasn’t saying that my being here first is a “be all and end all”. I’m saying that I’m not going to shut up because you refuse to engage me civilly and if you were as bright as you want us to believe you are, that would have been evident to you. As for your absurd “apology” offer, what do you think I am, someone who genuflects at the temple of the wisdom of DonS or something? Save your empty rhetoric and meaningless “apologies” for somebody who will be impressed by your false intellect or cowed by your intemperate rantings.

er, it’s about that ad hominem thing.

Civility is one thing. Calling a spade a spade another,

Who ever asked you to shut up? That’s part of the case you’re building? Well, have at it; you’re good at it.

I’m pretty much done. Feel free to report me to the ‘authorities’

“Save your empty rhetoric for somebody who will be impressed by your false intellect or cowed by your intemperate rantings.”

says the person who had the audacity to equate boycotting elections to voter suppression. I will say that when you speak of false intellect and intemperate rantings you do know whereof you speak. I will not forget your episode with moi way back when. I try not to address anything you say after that classic episode. I have to break from that in this instance to tell yourself to get over yourself.

The danger is clear.

I try not to address anything you say after that classic episode.

Yet, here you are…

I’ve had more than my share of internet squabbles and decamped many sites.
Oh, brother…..

I don’t find flame wars at all interesting. Enquiring minds want to know what form of insult you intend to my declarative statement or the inference you draw. Really, are we supposed to divine your meaning from that pithy throwaway?

How many times do you think North Korea has threatened to “destroy” the South? So, many that it’s almost impossible to count.

Then there are those nuclear weapons tests: evidence indicates that the first one was a failure and last ones performance fell between 5 and 7 kilotons. Of course country and develop and test a nuclear device the real challenge is delivery. What are they going to do? Throw at you.

North Korea’s motivation for all these provocative acts is to force the United States to negotiate with them one nation state to another. Thereby in the North’s mind isolating and eliminating the South as an American Allie. The North also believes that diplomatic recognition by the United States would solve all their economic problems.

I think she’s just in awe over your ego.

“. . .the entire country is under threat and the U.S, still technically at war with North Korea, would have to take a major role in responding to any aggression. . .”

————

I’m not covinced of that.

NK attacked SK a couple of times a couple of years ago, and it lead to nothing from either SK or the US. I think NK went to school on that. The two incidents were the NK attack on a SK boat, which sank, and the NK shelling of a SK island. It may have been a press-to-test exercise.

There isn’t a plausible reason for the US to be involved between the two Koreas unless US forces, themselves, are attacked. Which would be the only reason we have been stationed in SK for so long. Maybe we should pull the plug, which would force the belligerents to seriously set aside the bluster and decide what they want their future to be, on their own.

The comparison to Benghazi is gratuitous and irrelevant. This thread is about NK’s threat to destroy SK, ostensibly using nuclear weapons — a logical presumption given their recent testing.

The U.S. military is mightily armed and prepared for nuclear retaliation against any foe, although it’s highly questionable whether that would be of any value in protecting SK.

South Korea is heavily armed to respond to conventional threats, and the U.S. has a fleet of warships nearby if assistance is needed. Again, it’s questionable whether that would be of any value.

I suggested the U.S. should agree to NK’s request for bilateral talks. We should be willing to resolve our differences without resorting to violence. Preventing war is the only solution IMO. That’s all I have to say.

Whose we? You and the hand in your pocket?
Infer away. Makes no never mind to me, to be honest.

No nuclear weapon can be used against an American ally. Or rather if it is then the attacker will be destroyed by a nuclear counter strike. So this sort of talk by North Korea has no meaning and is all bluster. I don’t know why people do not think these things through? Only unless the current great leader wants to die, a possibility I suppose, there is zero chance of such a strike. Especially since there is a strong likelyhood that any weapon they launch, if they have a deliverable one, is likely to fail.

This line of reasoning applies to Iran as well which has no weapon and probably won’t develop one and at this point is even less able than North Korea of delivering one. The mindlessness of the fear of Iran having nuclear weapons is silly and possible only if one forgets, which most do evidently, 50 years of nuclear strategic study. That study applied mostly to the USSR which had a large stockpile of very deliverable nukes and the end result of any thinking was always the same, Mutually Assured Destruction. Which is not quite the same in the case of North Korea or Iran since they cannot be assured their weapons would be delivered and work at all so the assured part applies only to them. They launch, they are dead.

“What exactly does anybody except the MIC have to gain from stirring up a war with North Korea a la Iraq?”

Exactly, which might be the reason NK’s threats sound like lines plagiarized from Mad Magazine and the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show:
such are the sources of lines fed them (along with Baluga) by representatives of the MIC, understanding that irony-challenged Fox viewers will believe these are authentic representations of evil requiring greater military expenditures.

The U.S. has to protect S. Korea, Japan and Taiwan from their enemies, otherwise they will build up their militaries more, especially Japan. They might all get nuclear weapons if we don’t have that commitment, which would make things even more dangerous.

Re: #57

Yours is a plausible argument; however, it also means a continuation of the last six decades of convenient dependency upon the US, while the world has changed.

My point suggests a firm nudge from the US, that is, a US military disengagement, to force progress and accountability by Koreans and their immediate neighbors and without the US being expected to prop them up forever. I think they’ll come around if they have to.

There had been so much undeclared peace in Korea that North Korea tolerated South Korean factory manufacturing on one of its islands, far North of the borderline, for decades.

Until two years ago, that is, when President Obama irresponsibly sent US warships to play War “Games” in its waters surrounding those North Korean islands.

North Korea said it didn’t want the US in its waters for War Games, and stipulated that it would fight back if any US weapon strikes landed in its waters. With US warships surrounding North Korean islands and US bombs landing in North Korean waters, North Korea struck back: It launched a missile strike at the South Koreans on that island, killing at least one.

President Obama intentionally and irresponsibly re-started killing in the Korean War long after most of us thought it was over.

This is one of the most important stories showing our President’s heinous cruelty and possible lack of sanity.