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No way in heck will we invade North Korea in the forseeable future. Why? Because our military simply doesn't have the capacity to do so.
A large percentage of our active personnel will be stuck in Iraq for at least the next two years, as are a number of reserve elements. We also have security commitments to many nations around the world, and station troops accordingly.
To even begin thinking of invasion, we would have to abandon Iraq and Afghanistan, pull soliders from the hundred odd countries they are stationed in, call up nearly all reserve elements, and possibly institute a draft. We would be unlikely to have help from allies in any action, as most are still angered by our invasion of Iraq.
This does not even take into account a possible nuclear retaliation from Korea to any attack, nor the fact that, even if Jong Il does not have nuclear weapons, any move to war would include the slaughter of hundreds of thousands in Seoul (N. Korean artillery units are set up right across the border, in range of the capitol).
Even with our air supremacy, a successful attack would entail tens of thousands of US combat deaths - a prospect that would be impossible to sell politically.
In other words, this is a no go, unless they move first.
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The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.
-- Albert Schweitzer
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