What to do about North Korea ?

Emp_Fab

What do you do with a batshit crazy dictator threatening to launch nuclear weapons at other countries ?

As you might have noticed, I'm no fan of Trump but Kim Jong-Megalomaniac cannot be allowed to launch nukes. no matter what.

Personally, I would support blowing the shit out of every site in N.Korea that might have ICBMs.

HAL9000

Emp_Fab said:

...I would support blowing the shit out of every site in N.Korea that might have ICBMs.

@ICBM might see things differently ;-)

equalsql

Is he sane enough to realise if does try to kick one off, the his beloved country and capital city especially will be just a smoking hole? It's a lot of bluster by him to try and bully countries to keep buying NK exports to keep his kingdom afloat, but he likes his pies and the good life so I think the nuclear option is just brinkmanship.

However, he has a shit load of conventional weapons aimed at Seoul, as well as chemical ones pointed at all exit ports from South Korea and he may well choose to go down that route. He could take out the SK capital long before US reinforcements could get there and Seoul would become a killing ground, like a 2nd Leningrad. Pyongyang would be attacked by a massive conventional response from SK, but he might figure it's worth the risk.

Sanctions seem to be the only option at the moment and only China has any real power to influence this nutjob.

Funkfingers

The population of North Korea has been living an enforced isolationist lie for decades. If the present leader chooses to engage aggressively with the outside world, the lie will collapse. 

darthed1981

The reality is if the CIA tell Trump a list of targets to hit to set back NKs weapons program a decade he probably will.

Problem is the retaliation expected against South Korea, it escalates into full scale war way too easily.

The best option at this point is a semi friendly takeover by China, with Kim given a ceremonial role in a new regime run from Beijing.

A war will kill tens of thousands and cause massive economic devastation at a very dangerous time.

Emp_Fab

Maybe I've seen too many Mission Impossible films but you'd think that they could assassinate one bloke wouldn't you?

JezWynd

Emp_Fab said:

Maybe I've seen too many Mission Impossible films but you'd think that they could assassinate one bloke wouldn't you?

Disguise might be a problem. To get near him you need to be old, dress in uniform with an unfeasibly large hat and grin maniacally.

Bucket

"How do you solve a problem like Korea?"

Missed thread title opportunity there, Emp. Come on.

Gassage

Horrible little man.

He's the sort of person who has the Strymon big three for show alone.

Evilmags

Ask China what they want to get rid of him. Trade deal with UK and US, cash to cover the intervention. Then let them do it. 

JezWynd

Suddenly, 'sources believe'.. 'may have acquired'.. is all the validation trump needs.

TheMarlin

The USA has bases in South Korea.  

I'm sure they have plenty of arms already pointing in his direction, and they can take missiles out of the air before they hit their targets.  Plus, USA carriers are in firing range.  

Actually, the Koreans don't like the American presence, they are proud people, and hate the thought that 'Big Brother' is protecting them. 

It would be lunacy for Kim Wrong to actually fire at a USA target. The only ace in his corner is China, and he's loosing support there.  

I feel a regime change coming on......

Chalky

One thing is sure, it will get worse before it gets resolved.

Drew_TNBD

The same thing we did with Iraq and Syria.


Er....

Myranda

Drew_TNBD said:

The same thing we did with Iraq and Syria.


Er....

I think they had oil. That means "we" care about them more. 

Freebird

Wasn't their leader Swiss educated using a false name?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/8025015/North-Korea-leadership-My-happy-days-at-school-with-North-Koreas-future-leader.html

Drew_TNBD

Myranda said:

Drew_TNBD said:

The same thing we did with Iraq and Syria.


Er....

I think they had oil. That means "we" care about them more. 

Boil enough peasant bodies in brine, and you can get oil.

chillidoggy

JezWynd said:

Emp_Fab said:

Maybe I've seen too many Mission Impossible films but you'd think that they could assassinate one bloke wouldn't you?

Disguise might be a problem. To get near him you need to be old, dress in uniform with an unfeasibly large hat and grin maniacally.

Where's Emp? He seems to fit the bill.

Myranda

Given the fanatic nature of his close supporters I think you'd need to assassinate a couple of dozen people and as a backup and special forces to launch sites... 

And you risk failure resulting in huge artillery bombardment of south Korea. 

Crazy as Korea's leader might be... Talking might still be the best option 

TTony

Emp_Fab said:

What do you do with a batshit crazy dictator threatening to launch nuclear weapons at other countries ?

You mean, as distinct from a batshit crazy halfwit who bought himself a presidentship threatening to launch nuclear weapons at other countries???


But isn't it all a bit 1984?  

We have to be given a target for our hatred.  ISIS have fallen off the radar, can't really mention Syria now cos Vlad gets touchy, don't talk about anything beginning with "I" because we'd all prefer to forget about that little escapade, so ... (looking around the world for an easier target) ... how about those guys who all dress in uniform and have a funny haircut  - in the style of a 1970s James Bond villain stereotype - in a place that no-one's been to??

Game on!

quarky

TheMarlin said:

The USA has bases in South Korea.  

I'm sure they have plenty of arms already pointing in his direction, and they can take missiles out of the air before they hit their targets.  Plus, USA carriers are in firing range.  

Actually, the Koreans don't like the American presence, they are proud people, and hate the thought that 'Big Brother' is protecting them. 

It would be lunacy for Kim Wrong to actually fire at a USA target. The only ace in his corner is China, and he's loosing support there.  

I feel a regime change coming on......

The problem is the thousands of NK artillery pieces all sitting there within striking distance of Seoul. There would be massive damage to the city within the first 24 hours of any conflict and huge loss of life. If the South evacuate before an attack is launched, the North will know and be able to prepare. In fact, the North could legitimately see any evacuation as an act of aggression. 

And that is ignoring the ICBM threat to other countries in the region including Japan, which may or may not be real or containable.

There is no easy answer here unfortunately, but I can't see the situation getting any better.