[Blackeagle]

Bill, the thing that has bothered me with N. Korea is how they had a good deal going, yet sh!t canned it themselves. They had the US and (not sure) perhaps other nations funding oil shipments to N. Korea. So why in He[[ go with a nuke program that they had to know would create problems? To me this it's self speaks to a goal that requires those weapons. Forced reunification with the South?? The nukes being their hoped for sheild aginst US support for S. Korea?

I agree with you that N.Korea will be the most likly hot spot Bill. And I'm afraid that the use of force you forsee is also correct.

But if proliferation is to be stopped, then the N. Koreans situation is going to have to be resolved. The economy in N.Korea is so far in the tank it's beyond easy redemption. And the stress this is causing that rather parinod goverment is the driving force in what they are doing. They need the better resourses of the South Koreans to revive and maintain, for a while longer, they're own weakening grip on control. They have spent and continue to spend such massive amounts of the nations money on arms they have large numbers of people starving and dieing from a lack of shelter and heat. The country is bankrupt and those in power need the resourses of the South Koreans to maintain their power.

What I'm saying is the have created a downward spiral they can't find a way out of. The nukes are only the most extreame example of the truly massive military they have for the size of the nation. N.Korea has the most powerful military in the world today for the size of the population and GNP. I don't think they see a alturnative to taking the South, but see the US standing in the way.

How to stop the spiral? It is going to have to go one of three ways.

1) Convince them to reduce spending on the armed forces and help their own people, that would be best. Even if it requires some help from the outside to do it. This could take the form of grain, oil ect. until they can restart their badly damaged economy. This is the basic approach that was in place, but should be offered again. But with the stipulation that this time they must dismantle the nuke program, and reduce military spending overall. Without this being done they could welll think they can get limitless handouts at the point of a gun.

2) A extremly tight economic response, in a attempt to force the N. koreans to reverse themselves and the nuke program.

3) Forced destruction of the nuke program. Due to the risk of their using their nukes aginst the South Koreans or even Japan this could not be done as we are doing with Iraq. No slow start if forced to fight a country holding nukes. Massive strikes from subs off the coast as well as air strikes from stealth fighters and bombers. As the subs could be very close to the targets and have plenty of sea room this would work. And keep the carriers out of reach until these strikes are carried out. Not because the carriers arn't a powerfull force. But because once they are seen to be closing in on the coast the N. Koreans would open up with all they have. Both aginst the US and S. Korea, possibly even Japan. Once we are sure of disableing their nuclear potential we can then decide how much farther to go with it.


Not a pretty picture. Now I'd like to hear you, and others, think the N. Korean problem should be handled. And I really do hope someone see better working options that I've overlooked.