june gloom on 23/11/2010 at 22:38
It doesn't help that North Korea is a fucked up place to live in, with hints of dissent boiling just under the surface. Food is so scarce that the government's actually spread propaganda saying the mass starvation that occurs every spring is a civic duty, and they had to lower the height requirement for the military because so many people had stunted growth from malnutrition. The only thing that keeps the whole country from collapsing into riots is people are too scared.
242 on 23/11/2010 at 23:16
Quote Posted by dethtoll
The only thing that keeps the whole country from collapsing into riots is people are too scared.
They are scared yes, but the real reason why the riots don't flare up is that the absolute majority REALLY believe the outside world and their country and their lives are as they have been taught by propaganda since infancy.
Brian The Dog on 23/11/2010 at 23:32
Quote Posted by 242
I know about that, but I'm sure the Great knows he wouldn't stand any chances if developed nations really decided to free his slaves. He's not stupid, he's educated, and pretty much knows real relation of forces and limits of his economics. It's really a colossus on straw legs.
True, but he could flatten Seoul in a few hours if he wanted to, he's got several hundred heavy artillery units in range of it, a city with a few million people. That's the main reason no-one's invaded. That and China, anyway.
CCCToad on 24/11/2010 at 03:56
Above poster beat me to it.
The real reason that nobody messes with North Korea is that China has an unofficial diplomatic policy of "you fuck with North Korea, you fuck with us", and nobody dares to mess with China. If it wasn't for them, they most likely wouldn't even have nuclear weapons and their economy would have collapsed a long time ago.
Koki on 24/11/2010 at 08:06
Quote Posted by Brian The Dog
True, but he could flatten Seoul in a few hours if he wanted to, he's got several hundred heavy artillery units in range of it, a city with a few million people. That's the main reason no-one's invaded.
And that is the main reason why they
should. Getting a hard first strike to knock as much of that artillery out as possible is essential. Since they're positioned next to the border, land forces could be there in a matter of hours.
But I guess it's better to sit and do nothing while norks build more nukes and put them on their newly built Taepodong-2 missiles. For peace.
And China? They don't care. Their statement regarding the shelling was about same as UK's.
Muzman on 24/11/2010 at 08:50
The whole border is so heavily defended there's no way you could build up a big enough force to punch through it without giving the game away. The only way they'd stand a chance is if you had some huge naval force raining death on the whole place for a week before hand, and someone's going to notice that mobilising as well.
I suppose it's fair enough to be scared of batshit countries with lots of guns and nukes, but some recent looks at the place make it seem far less threatening than it is made out. It's so crazy and poor. I think Russia and China in their worst days would look at NK and shake their heads at how off the deep end it is.
It seems bad to leave this incident out there like that but leaving them to stew really seems like the best and safest plan in the long run.
(although it does seem at times like the country as a civil infrastructure will give up the ghost long before some of those determined patriotic party members)
Briareos H on 24/11/2010 at 08:57
Quote Posted by CCCToad
The real reason that nobody messes with North Korea is that China has an unofficial diplomatic policy of "you fuck with North Korea, you fuck with us", and nobody dares to mess with China. If it wasn't for them, they most likely wouldn't even have nuclear weapons and their economy would have collapsed a long time ago.
That's barely the case anymore. China officially supports N.K. but they'll never get involved in case it gets too hot (reasons are absolutely obvious).
N.K. are alone, decrepit and falling apart (except for some of their weapons, obv.)
I agree with 242 when he says that "the real reason why the riots don't flare up is that the absolute majority REALLY believe the outside world and their country and their lives are as they have been taught by propaganda since infancy". Whatever happens if the rest of the world doesn't "pussy out", it will probably get dirty and end either in the total annihilation of North Korean armed forces or in a swift assassination of the various leaders (the better option, obviously).
Koki on 24/11/2010 at 10:04
Quote Posted by Briareos H
Whatever happens if the rest of the world doesn't "pussy out", it will probably get dirty and end either in the total annihilation of North Korean armed forces or in a swift assassination of the various leaders (the better option, obviously).
Or majority of the armed forces will surrender when promised three meals per day.
Briareos H on 24/11/2010 at 10:25
Hopefully.
Kolya on 24/11/2010 at 12:36
Can they receive South Korean radio and TV in North Korea?
From my experience, informing the population of how the rest of the world lives much more prosperous and sees their country as a backward prison, is the most effective AND peaceful way to subvert a regime like that. Even if they don't agree with the politics, everyone wants to have a good life and listen to rock'n'roll music.
