North Korea

[Dante_Caligari]

As many of you are aware, North Korea has recently launched seven test missiles, with possible ICBM capabilities. These missiles, I believe, also have the capabilities to attach nuclear warheads.

As many of you also know, China, Japan, the U.S., South Kora and others have already condemned North Korea for their actions.

What are your thoughts on this matter?

[Lady Victoria Pareesis]

I must say that that' I'm quite freacking out.
When you add Iran, Irak, Israel/Palestine, etc, etc... It seems like the geographical Asia is about to explode.
And mostly because of terrorism and people using religion as a weapon of massive destruction.
Maybe are we going to have another World War, maybe I'm just over reacting,but this is really worrying me.

[Dante_Caligari]

It is not worrying me so much. Personally, I am not afraid of death, and I do not think that I would care too much if World War III erupted. I think that the human race could actually benefit from the population being decimated. Another thing is, I do not believe that the United States should be freaking out over TEST launches of missiles. I believe that every country has the right to that. I am not certain, but I do not think that certain hostility from N. Korea has been confirmed. I think that we are getting jittery over nothing at this point. Now, if those missiles had actually HIT something, THEN, I could see people getting worried and formulating plans.

[Lady Victoria Pareesis]

Originally Posted by Dante_Caligari

It is not worrying me so much. Personally, I am not afraid of death, and I do not think that I would care too much if World War III erupted. I think that the human race could actually benefit from the population being decimated.

I'm not afraid of death, I just don't want to live a war. I don't want my little cousins, which I love more than anything else, to live such an experience.
And if I die, I'd rather not to die in a war about religion. I'll get all frustrated in the After Life and it will spoil my eternity

Of course, lots of people dying is in the order of nature, every century has it's catastrophy (disease, war, nature going beserk...) killing thousands of people (sometime even up to the third of the mondial population) to make some room.
And they are more people on this Earth than it has ever been. It will be perfectly normal is something awful just happened.

Originally Posted by Dante_Caligari

Another thing is, I do not believe that the United States should be freaking out over TEST launches of missiles. I believe that every country has the right to that. I am not certain, but I do not think that certain hostility from N. Korea has been confirmed. I think that we are getting jittery over nothing at this point. Now, if those missiles had actually HIT something, THEN, I could see people getting worried and formulating plans.

I just learned that North Korea does this because it's the arm provider of Iran and Pakistan.
All of this showing up is "just" a kind of commercial.
So far, all the missile have failed and no one is desesperate enough to buy failing missile.
So, we're safe for now...?

[Corpsey]

Originally Posted by Dante_Caligari

I think that the human race could actually benefit from the population being decimated.

How so? Does it depend on who gets killed? I think that if the population gets decimated(or more accurately, massacred) then whoever is left will have a massive power struggle to have the social structure that we currently have. In the process, anarchy will reign and things would get very ugly. I definately doubt that we (the human race) could benifit from the loss in population nuclear war would give us. I guess things would change after a while, but it would be a horrific period in time for the human race to undergo.

As for North Korea launching the missiles, I find that this was just a failed demonstration. It may even be an attempt to gain recoignition for North Korea. But I'm scared shitless about this move being antagonistic towards the rest of the world. Even though New Zealand is at the bottom of the world, there is a large percentage of Korean's living here, and some of my friends are Korean. I would fear that even if Nuclear war was to occur in the world, and New Zealand was spared from the destruction, many of my friends would be persecuted because of where they come from. It's not something I want to dwell on much.

[Child_of_Fury]

Originally Posted by Corpsey

How so? Does it depend on who gets killed? I think that if the population gets decimated(or more accurately, massacred) then whoever is left will have a massive power struggle to have the social structure that we currently have. In the process, anarchy will reign and things would get very ugly. I definately doubt that we (the human race) could benifit from the loss in population nuclear war would give us. I guess things would change after a while, but it would be a horrific period in time for the human race to undergo.

Tell me I've read too many comics, but I believe anarchy holds faces of both destruction AND creation. Anarchy is - as far as I'm concerned - creating a tabula rasa, an empty canvas of rubble where people can build a better world. Anarchy without re-creation is not anarchy. That's just terrorism. And declaring a nuclear war is not anarchy - that's just stupidity and selfishness. I see anarchy as a fairly positive feature.

But permit me then to return to the topic. Should there be WWIII during my lifetime, I see that the people who began it deserve it. I'd feel sorry for all the innocent that would die as a victim of the war - possibly myself included - but in the end, it would only refresh the earth and its human population. Perhaps then anarchy may take place, and the survivors will build a new, better world to live.

(Please forgive my presence, I must admit I'm not fully sober at the moment. If I offended someone, I apologize and I may take back my words after a few hours. )

[Dreaming Vendetta]

Originally Posted by Child_of_Fury

Tell me I've read too many comics, but I believe anarchy holds faces of both destruction AND creation. Anarchy is - as far as I'm concerned - creating a tabula rasa, an empty canvas of rubble where people can build a better world. Anarchy without re-creation is not anarchy. That's just terrorism. And declaring a nuclear war is not anarchy - that's just stupidity and selfishness. I see anarchy as a fairly positive feature.

I've always been interested in that aspect of anarchy, the possibility to create a better tomorrow. After all, history has shown it to be a functional, if perhaps slow, process. Just take the example of the Roman empire. After it fell to barbarians, a course of events was started which led to the Renaissance. Still, I'm not to keen on this whole anarchy process taking place any time soon. After all, I wouldn't exactly want to live through a period like the Dark Ages.

As for North Korea, I think this particular incident is unlikely to bring on WWIII. Don't get my meaning wrong though, I'm definitely against nuclear proliferation. However, if humanity could make it through the Soviet era without a nuclear war, we can certainly make it past this particular crisis. North Korea just doesn't seem to me to be as big a threat as the media is making it out to be.

[Binkie]

Originally Posted by Dante_Caligari

As many of you also know, China ... already condemned North Korea for their actions.

When did this happen? I know everyone else on your list did, but China, being a close ally of the DPRK, elected not to use harsh language in describing the tests.

Originally Posted by Dante_Caligari

Another thing is, I do not believe that the United States should be freaking out over TEST launches of missiles. I believe that every country has the right to that. I am not certain, but I do not think that certain hostility from N. Korea has been confirmed. I think that we are getting jittery over nothing at this point.

They coordinated their symbolic test launches of a long range missile that could hit the US with our national holiday celebration. The only reason they're even testing the Taepodong-2 missile is because it can reach the United States (Alaska), hence the coordination with July 4th celebrations. Every other regional foe is within striking distance of their existing short range arsenal. Why are they even testing long range missiles if they're commited to the disarmament talks? Why test them if you only have nuclear weapons for "defense?" Is pre-emptively destroying Alaska going to stop us from eliminating the northern half of the Korean peninsula?

It makes absolutely no sense if you stand their actions up side by side with their ridiculous rhetoric. To quote the numerous officials who have spoken about about this, yes, plain and simple, it's "provocation" in it's finest. Well it's not just the US they happen to be pissing off at this point. Japan is absolutely fed up with this shit too now.

[Alrek]

Poor Mr. Kim is just trying to get attention. He only gets a 'return' on his investment (i.e. food aid, etc. through negotiations) if he manages to make people afraid of him. He is not dumb enough to not know, though, that if he actually hits something with an ICBM, he is as good as dead.

[Lackluster_Heavens]

Or it could be the man is quite insane and either A: Thinks that he will be able to bow the people he agresses against into submission. Or B: Doesn't give two shits about what happens after. Or I could be quite crazy and just make up some bull-shit, either way... But in all honesty, the thought of even a small scale nuclear war terrifies me, I mean, i'm all for a population crash, but nuclear war seems like a horrible way to get that, not only will you kill the people you want, but also the land, the animals and poisen the air and water for generations to come.

[CptSternn]

North Korea has nothing to worry about. It's perfectly fine in its current course of policy. Think about this - Kim has been in office longer than bush, clinton, or the first bush. He will be there long after bush leaves. Why? China. China has the largest economy in the world. Their population dwarfs america. They support N. Korea. Also remember if it weren't for China the US would have stopped N. Korea during the Korean War. But the US didn't - they had their asses handed to them and were pushed back below the parallel, by China.

China is fine with N. Korea the way it is, so america can sit back and bitch all they want, in reality, they can't touch N. Korea without taking on it's big communist cousin China - a fight the US would lose.