[CMichael]

N. Korea has done several provocative acts lately. How should the US respond?

[Lee S. Forsberg]

Move in enough air power to do the job. Hit Sodom hard and fast than ask N. Korea if they would like to be next.

[waynzwld]

I'm with the first two most popular options, just please wait until i get my fiancee and her daughter out of China!

(edited for lousy typing!)

[M1911]

As much as I'd like to nuke Pyonyang, the reality is that we need to use diplomacy at this point. We've already got way too many other countries pissed at us.

[Frohickey]

Hit them with the left barrel the next time the DPRKs provoke something.

Hit them with both barrels if the next time they provoke us is after we have finished with Saddam Insane.

[one-shot-one]

:fire: what lee s said.

[10-Ring]

Wasn't Pres. Clinton patting himself on the back a few years ago because of the treaties they had signed w/ N Korea re: anti-proliferation? Now, N Ko has torn up those treaties? Diplomacy hasn't worked w/ rulers like these.

[Sean Smith]

Unfortunately, "taking out" North Korea will result in Seoul being turned into a bio-chem slag heap by the North Korean People's Army's heavy artillery.

Not something to be taken lightly.

[Frohickey]

Unfortunately, "taking out" North Korea will result in Seoul being turned into a bio-chem slag heap by the North Korean People's Army's heavy artillery.

Not something to be taken lightly.

Agreed, but appeasement or keeping the status quo is not the way to solve this problem either.

I say that there needs to be an embargo or economic sanctions on North Korea. They can't feed themselves already, so that should finish them off, or at least whittle them down to size.

[Russ]

They are starving and want attention. If we handle it right, we can get rid of that little rodent they call a leader and the South can integrate them into their system. This may take a long time but who thought Germany would re-integrate just 15 years ago?

[M1911]

I say that there needs to be an embargo or economic sanctions on North Korea.Which is going to take diplomacy. We'll need to convince South Korea and China to agree to this. And, of course, those who suffer will be the little people. Kim Il Sung and his cronies will still be eating steak and drinking Cognac.

[Mizzoutiger]

Maybe a little off topic, but has anyone noticed how the older generation of South Koreans have now come out of the woodwork in support of America? I think it's pretty nice to see, esp. after those nasty protests by clueless S.K. students. I am beginning to regain faith in the South Korean people.

[Blackhawk]

Respond to the level of the provocation.

NK fighters dog our surveillance aircraft in a hostile manner? Fine. Splash them.

[seeker_two]

We're still in the diplomacy stage w/ NK, so we should still proceed there.

Also remember, China can be a big part of quelling NK's aggression. China wants US busness (esp. MFN status) a lot more than a war on their southern border...

[M1911]

China has to be involved. We don't want to get into a war with NK and have China pissed off with us at the same time. We've already fought the Chinese in NK once and we don't want to do it again.

Neither China nor SK want NK to have nukes. But neither of them want to see NK go down the tubes because neither is ready to handle millions of refugees.

[Lee S. Forsberg]

If NK would like to talk that's fine let's talk, with all their MIG's on the ground. Aircraft deplomacy is another matter!!! Trading goods and services would do everyone involved more good than trading bullets and bombs. However, if NK is bent on seeing how accurate laser guided bombs are first hand it can be arranged.
As for China, who would like to fight China? I don't and I don't wont any of my five sons or my daughters fighting China or anyone else if they don't have to.

[clem]

Don't screw around with these guys. Use a BIG hammer and go in for overkill on these people.

It will never end, so remove the danger, forever.

[Preacherman]

I have a simpler answer. Given the South Koreans' negative attitude towards the US these days, pull US troops out of South Korea altogether, and let them decide their own policy toward the North. We can always indicate, delicately and diplomatically, to North Korea that if they ever launch even one weapon toward the US via ballistic missile or other means, their country will be reduced to radioactive glass approximately 30 minutes later. However, if they want to sort out their relationship with South Korea, leave them to work it out for themselves. After all, the approximately 36,000 US servicemen in Korea wouldn't make much difference in the event of a war - the South has a pretty fair army of its own, in terms of both numbers and equipment. By now they should be able to stand up for themselves. If the North turns out to be like Saddam's Iraq, we can argue persuasively that it's up to the Chinese to sort out their ally, or face a nuclear wasteland (and drifting fallout) on their southern border. I think this would concentrate their minds wonderfully...

[longspurr]

It is a sad commentary on the human race that the actions of 1% will control the other 99% and get them hammered. It's obvious that we have not evolved in the last 2000 years. We let a few assh----- control the country and the ordinary people stick their heads in the sand and let their son's go to war. We have smart bombs but what we need leadership bombs that kill the .0001% of the population that really support the dictators.

It makes me think humanity is 98% sheep and 1% bastards. I'm leaving 1% wiggle room for some on this board...

Rant off

[Monkeyleg]

Preacherman: "I have a simpler answer. Given the South Koreans' negative attitude towards the US these days, pull US troops out of South Korea altogether, and let them decide their own policy toward the North. "

In reading between the lines today on the admistration's long-term ideas, I think that may have been one of them.

I'll be dipped in hot oil before I'll let my nieces and nephews die for people who don't respect us.

[Lennyjoe]

At the present time I think Diplomacy is the way to go.

The folks up north are cold, hungry and isolated. All because of their leader. The Korean Times news paper that I get here has alot of interesting articles on their brothers up North.

The South Korean majority want us here and are afraid of the repricussions should we leave. Most of the people that want us out are the younger generation that have not lived long enough to see what the war did to this area.

I dont think the North wants anything to do with a war against us again. They are the ones pushing for a nonagressive pact a few months ago. Only time will tell.

Down to 85 and a wake up before I get back to the motherland.:D

[M1911]

Folks, we have to be very careful with NK. We can't just go in with a heavy hammer. Remember history. General MacArthur tried that and the result was hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops pouring across the Yalu River. Tens of thousands of US troops died in our retreat from the Yalu. We finally stalemated the Chinese at the 38th Parallel. We really don't want to get into another war with China.

Yes, we could defeat the North Korean Army. But Seoul would be in ruins, there would be a huge number of civilian casualties, the South Korean economy would be in a shambles, and we'd risk a devastating war with China.

[pax]

If we don't dare do anything to keep NK in line because we don't want to fight China over it, then NK is really China's problem.

We could simply tell China in no uncertain terms: "If NK launches anything against the United States of America, we will regard it as an act of war not just by the North Koreans, but also by the Chinese." Then sit back and let China deal with 'em.

There was a British article in another thread which suggested the US could handle NK by telling China we will give nukes to Japan if NK steps out of line. That's probably less bloody than my idea... unless, of course, the Japanese actually ended up using the nukes.

pax

Stimson, what was gunpowder? Trivial. What was electricity? Meaningless. This atomic bomb is the Second Coming in Wrath. -- Winston Churchill

[Frohickey]

We don't need to give the Japanese any nuclear weapons. The Japanese have the expertise, materials, and infrastructure to make any nuclear weapon they want to. I would bet that they don't even have to test the 'first' ones they make. They could be armed with nuclear weapons inside of a month if they wanted to.

The only thing stopping the Japanese from arming is their Constitution that came about when they lost to the US during WW2.

[SteelyDan]

A surprising (to me) story in the Washington Post indicated the U.S. was coming to accept the fact that NK will be a nuclear power:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A42584-2003Mar4.html

[kannonfyre]

In the movie "Thirteen days", an advisor to President John F Kennedy said,"The communist machine only understands one language - FORCE."

With that in mind, I firmly believe that the US should NEVER back down to kim jong ill (i use small caps cos he doesn't deserve it). Pres Clinton gave into the stalinists and look what we have now.....they've just disregarded everything and become even more aggressive.

IMHO, what the US should do is NOT negotiate directly with pyongyang, NOT give then ANY aid, and INSTEAD send more defensive military forces to S Korea to let the dictator know that further sabre rattling will not get him anywhere.

As he's DEMANDED a treaty of non-aggression with the US, he clearly afraid of the Eagle's Talons. A defensive buid up of US forces will rattle his cage and give him sleepless nights. In combination with economic sanctions, this will either cripple N Korea and show him to be an ineffective leader (thereby leading to a coup) or he'll miscalculate and attack the south.

In the latter case, the US (being the non-aggressor) can claim the moral high ground and proceed to give that repugnant dictator the *** whupping that he deserves.

APPLEASEMENT of N Korea is not the answer, it will only serve to make kji bolder.

[waterdog]

We are not in a military favorable position to be making threats or take any kind of action.

Diplomacy for now, hell give them some food.

But when this BS with Iraq is over, triple the man power and beef up all other assets.

I really believe the Chicoms are responsible for NKs behaviour.

waterdog

[Gewehr98]

http://www.airbornelaser.com/special/abl/description/images/cutaway.jpg

[Quartus]

a war on their southern border...

That's TWO of you who have put Korea on China's southern border.

Have you looked at a MAP? (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/north_east_asia/china/china.htm)


VIETNAM is on China's southern border!


And, like it or not, America is too weak, both militarily and culturally, for a war with China.


Hope you enjoyed those cheap Chinese goods.