Zeld2.0

Right Jimmy (wait a sec, for a while back, all of you were saying they didn't have it huh).

The thing is, we don't know if they have them - we know they're pursuing them.

But at the same time, it depends on Kim Jong Il - if he acts like a nutshell of course there goes CA. But he is someone who can be reasoned with (tho not easily) and it would be the benefit of our own country (economically) if countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China don't get laid to waste in this time.

Imagine the U.S. economy w/o Japan or China - if they all cut off trade we'd practically be their hostages now :-P

smooth

That's what worries me--I don't think Bush likes us very much either .

...maybe incentive to vote Arnold (or some repubican) into office, after all!

JamesS

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.

__________________
The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.
-- Albert Schweitzer

auswegian

What possible incentive does North Korea have to nuke California? They have plenty of incentive to _threaten_ to nuke California, sure. If I was in North Korea, I'd definately want to acquire the Bomb. If I was Kim Jong-Il, I'd be acting similar to how he is now. He isn't going to nuke anybody, even if he had the Bomb, because it simply wouldn't be in his interest, nor North Korea's.

Contrary to popular belief, he isn't a psychopath. But it is a good tactic to act like one, occasionally.

And besides, ol' Kim is NK's biggest movie buff. Why would he want to nuke Hollywood?

__________________
"Look, I'm pretty relaxed for a guy who just lost money on a rave. And who's currently speeding down the highway drunk off my tits. And I'm being chased by someone in a blue Corolla. Woohoo! I just ran a red light!"

debaser

To the naysayers:

The US has the capability, right now, to destroy the combat power of North Korea within a few weeks. One to two months is not an unrealistic estimate for the conquest of the country given our capabilities.

The endgame is a different matter completely, nobody can forsee that.

__________________