What does Kim Jong-in want?

[Beaudreaux]

It seems so counter intuitive that the fellow would risk his position.

It's the only real leverage he had, until now, and old habits are hard to break.

 

[poweRob]

Drove for two hours today. I was thinking about this guy, and can't for the life of me figure out what his end game is. What do you suppose he wants?

Is his regime in danger? Does he need to look powerful to his people? I doubt that, since if they didn't like him and expressed that, I'm sure they'd quietly disappear.

He knows he's a paper tiger, right? What do you suppose his motives are?

He only wants to maintain power. To do that in his country is tricky because people won't stay oppressed as he'd like. He's using 2 points of fear to keep his people in line:

1. Fear of him and his military murdering them and their families
2. Fear of being invaded by a mighty force

That's where we come in. He's just using us as the "great evil satan" so that he can unite with his people over fear and hate of us. The "common enemy" approach keeps people united fairly well. To your question, he wants to maintain power so he needs strong internal military oppression and an external bogeyman to justify having that strong military presence to "protect them".

 

[bubbabgone]

Drove for two hours today. I was thinking about this guy, and can't for the life of me figure out what his end game is. What do you suppose he wants?

Is his regime in danger? Does he need to look powerful to his people? I doubt that, since if they didn't like him and expressed that, I'm sure they'd quietly disappear.

He knows he's a paper tiger, right? What do you suppose his motives are?

He just wants to be loved, is that so wrong?

 

[Moderate Right]

What would cost more?

war or payoff?

In other words, I was right. You are for doing nothing except paying a blackmailer forever and forever. By the way, war is cheaper than paying Lex Luther forever.

 

[haymarket]

In other words, I was right. You are for doing nothing except paying a blackmailer forever and forever. By the way, war is cheaper than paying Lex Luther forever.

Really? How much is a million lives worth these days?

 

[Moderate Right]

He can't use any of his nuclear weapons any more than we can. The only thing he can "extort" is the survival of his regime. We will not go to war to overthrow him so just chill.

He can extort untold trillions and trillions of dollars in ransom forever and forever and it is ludicrous to let him get away with it.

 

[Moderate Right]

Nukes are not cards they are only deterrents that may never be used. As horrible as his regime is a war in Korea is much worse.

That's assuming that he never intends to use them. Big assumption.

 

[iguanaman]

That's assuming that he never intends to use them. Big assumption.

He is making them to save himself so it is not a big assumption that he won't kill himself by using them. All nuclear powers are in that boat.

 

[iguanaman]

He can extort untold trillions and trillions of dollars in ransom forever and forever and it is ludicrous to let him get away with it.

He can't extort a dime. What a ridiculous premise. He could get something for giving them up but I don't think he is interested.

 

[Moderate Right]

Really? How much is a million lives worth these days?

That's just ridiculous to let some thug blackmail the world for trillions of dollars.

 

[Moderate Right]

He is making them to save himself so it is not a big assumption that he won't kill himself by using them. All nuclear powers are in that boat.

And you know this? You have talked with him (assuming he was telling you the truth)? He could save himself by not purposely ratcheting up tensions. Again, the UN voted 15 - 0, including both Russia and China. He can save himself by standing down.

 

[MAGAnificent]

How about taking out the nukes not destroyed? Got a plan?

You are getting ahead of reality. North Korea's nuke program is still crude. They can barely launch one ICBM. They are not yet advanced to the stage where they can launch ICBMs that contain multiple warheads. And they cannot yet maintain modern silos that allow them to launch multiple ICBMs on a moments notice as the US can. It takes them time to prep and fuel them. They cannot do that without our being observed. We watched them prep the test missiles.

 

[Moderate Right]

He can't extort a dime. What a ridiculous premise. He could get something for giving them up but I don't think he is interested.

He's already done it a couple of times. That is and has been his gameplan. He goes with the nukes, we pay him off to discontinue his programs, he takes the money, and when the money runs out he revives his programs and then extorts us again. That's what he wants. He wants "negotiations" which pay him money to stop. Rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.

 

[haymarket]

That's just ridiculous to let some thug blackmail the world for trillions of dollars.

I never advocated that as your course of policy. I simply asked a question: what costs more - going to war or a payoff?

The answer to that must be a factor in our decision. What I would prefer is a firm resolution with China that North Korea must be placed under the strictest of sanctions and policies to drive it out of business. That is what I would prefer.

If we cannot get China to do that, then we have no choice but to live in a world with North Korea while China subsidizes them.

 

[haymarket]

He's already done it a couple of times. That is and has been his gameplan. He goes with the nukes, we pay him off to discontinue his programs, he takes the money, and when the money runs out he revives his programs and then extorts us again. That's what he wants. He wants "negotiations" which pay him money to stop. Rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.

Yes - he does just what you describe. And now he has nukes. So what would you do with this person and his nation and his people?

 

[iguanaman]

He's already done it a couple of times. That is and has been his gameplan. He goes with the nukes, we pay him off to discontinue his programs, he takes the money, and when the money runs out he revives his programs and then extorts us again. That's what he wants. He wants "negotiations" which pay him money to stop. Rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.

Make up your mind. You said letting him have his nukes would make him able to extort us. We got fooled before because we thought he would give them up. Now that we know that to be a lie he has no way of fooling us again. So there will be no more "extortion". He can have his useless nukes and if he wants aid he can go fish.

 

[jimbo]

What would cost more?

war or payoff?

In the long term, payoff, and after the payoff Kimmie will still have nukes and still be a threat.

 

[MAGAnificent]

You are so right we far out class him and that is why we should not fear him. He will never attack us militarily and we need to simmer down about us attacking him. There is no excuse for the millions of lives that would be lost and it would be all our fault. The "sticks and stones" rule applies here. Do we really need to relearn the rules of the playground? Russia and China have many more ICBM's targeted at us today than Kim will ever have. Are we going to attack them?

Relearn the rules of the playground? Are you for real? This is not just about whether the USA and North Korea will go to war or not, it is about whether or not a tin pot dictator who is missing most of his marbles will be allowed to at some point possess a massive nuclear ICBM arsenel. It is also about the nuclear proliferation that would follow. I have no idea how old you are, however I am old enough to remember the left in the USA and Europe protest marching for decades over nuclear proliferation. No all of the sudden it is not an issue for the left? As for Trump talking tough to the insane fat boy in North Korea, it's about time that a US president started doing that as it is the only language Kim Jong Un understands. We have been playing the soft talk diplomacy and bribe game with the NK regime for decades. How's that been working? Bill Clinton guaranteed us that the deal he made with the North Koreans with the help of former president Jimmuh Carter would keep North Korea from ever getting nukes. Ofcourse the insane fat boy in North Korea is full of bluster right now, however how advanced will the KK nuke problem have to get before those of you on the left take it seriously?

 

[iguanaman]

And you know this? You have talked with him (assuming he was telling you the truth)? He could save himself by not purposely ratcheting up tensions. Again, the UN voted 15 - 0, including both Russia and China. He can save himself by standing down.

Again, the "stick and stones" rule applies. Words never justify war, actions do.

 

[iguanaman]

Relearn the rules of the playground? Are you for real? This is not just about whether the USA and North Korea will go to war or not, it is about whether or not a tin pot dictator who is missing most of his marbles will be allowed to at some point possess a massive nuclear ICBM arsenel. It is also about the nuclear proliferation that would follow. I have no idea how old you are, however I am old enough to remember the left in the USA and Europe protest marching for decades over nuclear proliferation. No all of the sudden it is not an issue for the left? As for Trump talking tough to the insane fat boy in North Korea, it's about time that a US president started doing that as it is the only language Kim Jong Un understands. We have been playing the soft talk diplomacy and bribe game with the NK regime for decades. How's that been working? Bill Clinton guaranteed us that the deal he made with the North Koreans with the help of former president Jimmuh Carter would keep North Korea from ever getting nukes. Ofcourse the insane fat boy in North Korea is full of bluster right now, however how advanced will the KK nuke problem have to get before those of you on the left take it seriously?

No one likes nuclear proliferation but like Pakistan and India when we have no way to stop it without killing millions we must stand down. N. Korea has always lied about their nuclear ambitions and at least now we know they will never give them up in any treaty. We tried our best and failed because THEY lied. You blame Clinton for trying? It will be up to China to stop them from acquiring a "massive nuclear arsenal" and I don't doubt that they will not want that either. You need to chill out. You can bet Trump will. This is all nothing but wagging the dog.

 

[haymarket]

In the long term, payoff, and after the payoff Kimmie will still have nukes and still be a threat.

yes - that is true.

So?

 

[jimbo]

yes - that is true.

So?

You asked, I answered.

 

[jimbo]

No one likes nuclear proliferation but like Pakistan and India when we have no way to stop it without killing millions we must stand down. N. Korea has always lied about their nuclear ambitions and at least now we know they will never give them up in any treaty. We tried our best and failed because THEY lied. You blame Clinton for trying? It will be up to China to stop them from acquiring a "massive nuclear arsenal" and I don't doubt that they will not want that either. You need to chill out. You can bet Trump will. This is all nothing but wagging the dog.

Why must we stand down? The purpose of those nukes is to kill millions, and not by us. Our only position at this time is a position of authority. The big brother on the playground who keeps the bully under control. If not us, who?

 

[Unitedwestand13]

Why must we stand down? The purpose of those nukes is to kill millions, and not by us. Our only position at this time is a position of authority. The big brother on the playground who keeps the bully under control. If not us, who?

But what if north koreas nukes are not for offensive purposes but are actually a deterrent?

 

[iguanaman]

Why must we stand down? The purpose of those nukes is to kill millions, and not by us. Our only position at this time is a position of authority. The big brother on the playground who keeps the bully under control. If not us, who?

Getting rid of N. Korea's nukes will kill millions and destroy the 10th largest economy in the world. That would make us the bully and a mass murdering one at that. Oh and by what "authority" would we justify such carnage? Remember the playground rule "Stick and stones.............