The north korea problem

[jp1]

This author seems to have a well reasoned solution to dealing with north korea.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...jong-un-215411

The short version:
-Kim Jong Un is obsessed with getting nukes not because he wants to use them against us, but because he wants to continue to exist and not to become the next Saddam Hussein.
-Work to get more information to the north korean people about life outside their country to foment an eventual resistance.
-Convince the north korean elites that we will support them when they realize the time has come to abandon the regime so that they won't follow Kim into a deadly war that will have no winners.
-Plan for a "tear down this wall" point where the DMZ gets ended and the country reunified, and all that that will entail.

If we had a reasonably politically experienced president from either party I'd feel reasonably confident that things would play out this way in some fashion. I hope there are enough experienced people still hanging on in our government to steer things in some form in the direction of this author's suggestions. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.

[BikingLady]

I am very worried about this situation.

[gimmethesimplelife]

I am also very worried about this problem. My take is that both Kim Jong Un is not playing with a full deck and neither (though I personally believe to a lesser degree) is Donald Trump. I don't know if either truly understands the potential consequences of their rhetoric. I also don't understand how close (or far away) we may be from nuclear war due to this situation and the personalities involved. It's very scary to me, it really is. I wish I had constructive feedback but I'm just dazed over this and bluffing my way through the motions of life as best I can.

Nuclear was is not something that can be changed or have the risks of lessened by activism in my zip code and on this one I feel truly powerless and I don't like and also resent the feeling. What's good however in a strange way is I feel kinship with people much higher up in social strata - nuclear war would kill us all - it's not going to care about zip codes or social class. It's a bit refreshing to be dealing with something horrible that could potentially happen that is not discriminatory by social class - but that doesn't change the fact that the worst that could happen is unthinkable. Will cooler heads and logic prevail? I don't want to be paranoid or alarmist but I just don't know. Rob

[gimmethesimplelife]

I am very worried about this situation.

Biker Lady, you and me both. Rob

[BikingLady]

Ok shame on me, but I have been hitting all news sites often ,really often just to read the headlines to see if....
I have been reading prepper boards once again, because what if...
I try to remind myself that I think there takes more than one person here in the USA to push the button, probably wrong...
Over there who really knows

[Sad Eyed Lady]

I was a child during the Cuban Missiles Crisis and the cold war with Russia. I was frightened every time a plane went over thinking we would be bombed, and the first time I heard a sonic boom - well I just knew that was it. Children hear the news their parents watch and aren't able to understand everything, so it makes it so scary. Now listening to this, I still don't understand fully or know what to make of it and it is still scary. As someone else pointed out here, hopefully cooler heads and logic will prevail.

[Williamsmith]

It does make one appreciate Ronald Reagan even more. This is one of those rare cases when you don't know whether to laugh or cry.

The last time it happened to me I was clearing my sidewalk with my brandy spanking new monster snow thrower and ran over the cable used to leash the dog. It tore the auger completely out of the housing.......so instantly I had the dilemma......I layed down on the garage floor and rolled back and forth laughing. Then I cried.

I like the cartoon that depicts Krazy Kim and The Orange Protagonist of Peril both in trench coats with ballistic missiles protruding out like penises. They are each looking at each other comparing who has the biggest one. In the background in a yellow mushroom cloud.

Oh for the simple days of "Duck and cover!"

[Tammy]

I hear plenty without even trying to hear it. Really, what can I do about it anyway? I just live my life and recognize what I can't control. As in the serenity prayer.

[ToomuchStuff]

It does make one appreciate Ronald Reagan even more. This is one of those rare cases when you don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Just shake your head.

[razz]

Moral of the story - never make a joke about serious matters especially if someone is taping the words said. Some things accidentally recorded by open, very sensitive, mikes have caused embarrassment more recently as well, I am told.