North Korea Asks for Peace Treaty

[davmat787]

And there is Western obligation to help foreigners because...?

I did not say that, did I? Read Senseamp's comment I was responding to.

Technically, we do NOT have an obligation to help foreigners, but it can very well be in our countries interests to do just that. And we do help NK, if my memory servers serve correctly the USA is the single largest source of foreign aid to NK.

Trust me, I have never once been accused of being a bleeding heart, but I have zero problem sending the most basic of food staples to those who truly need it.

Do you have a problem in doing this?

 

[davmat787]

Would killing the leader even do anything? Maybe the guy in charge of the military is a meth head too and he decides to start world war 3 just for the lulz.

Good question. In my hypothetical situation, you would need to identify who else needs a dirt nap to free the country. Perhaps certain elements could be co-opted to help stabilize the country in the direct aftermath. Hell, NK's citizenry is so brainwashed they might start committing mass suicides if Dear Leader suddenly died.

Just thinking out loud here, I have no illusions of any of this actually happening.

 

[Howard]

I did not say that, did I? Read Senseamp's comment I was responding to.

Technically, we do NOT have an obligation to help foreigners, but it can very well be in our countries interests to do just that. And we do help NK, if my memory servers serve correctly the USA is the single largest source of foreign aid to NK.

Trust me, I have never once been accused of being a bleeding heart, but I have zero problem sending the most basic of food staples to those who truly need it.

Do you have a problem in doing this?

Doing what? Brokering a peace? So that NK can keep doing what it's doing?

 

[nyker96]

http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-demands-peace-treaty-us-032306308.html

So do you think North Korea can really end the War and get rid of the Demilitarized Zone?

Is it time for another Tear Down This Wall speach?

that's clearly a trick, as soon as the wall goes down and you start tossing champaigns, boom, the nuke come flying and the a million north koreans with their ak47s and T72s advancing on Seoul.

 

[Doppel]

As a777pilot alluded to North Korea is currently facing the worst food shortage it has in many years and apparently even its military are going short on food, generally a "preferred" class (as far as that's possible in this complete cluster f**k of a nation).

North Korea's game, and it works very well, is to treat the world with carrots and sticks and it's possible now they are playing nice to get some more aid. If this doesn't work maybe they'll sink another ship or two until they get what they want or conduct another nuclear test with whatever half-assed nuke their semi-starved scientists have concocted.

North Korea is a really interesting nation, one of the most interesting in the world. I have no idea how much longer they can operate like they do now. Maybe decades longer, who really knows? One would think it ripe for revolution but the people are so desperately oppressed that many truly don't even know better.

 

[chucky2]

You've got to wonder in another 20-30 years, when the people who know better in N.K. have all died off, and all they have are people who have only known what they've been born into and grown up in (sort of like M.E. Muslims), just what kind of shape they will be in.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

North Korea is a really interesting nation, one of the most interesting in the world. I have no idea how much longer they can operate like they do now. Maybe decades longer, who really knows? One would think it ripe for revolution but the people are so desperately oppressed that many truly don't even know better.

If you have Netflix streaming, do a search for documentaries on North Korea. If you haven't seen it, there is a National Geographic special (IIRC) about an eye doctor who goes there on a humanitarian mission to remove cataracts from the eyes of 1000 people. It is really an eye opening documentary (no pun intended).

 

[Jaskalas]

I see no problem in officially declaring what is already 'reality'. That we are, in fact, not invading North Korea. If they seem !@#$ hurt over the 50s, then I say sign some paper and let us deal with the present situation.

 

[davmat787]

If you have Netflix streaming, do a search for documentaries on North Korea. If you haven't seen it, there is a National Geographic special (IIRC) about an eye doctor who goes there on a humanitarian mission to remove cataracts from the eyes of 1000 people. It is really an eye opening documentary (no pun intended).

I've seen it, very interesting indeed. After the patients had the bandages removed, the first thing they did was cry before an image of Dear Leader and thank him endlessly for restoring their eyesight. IIRC, the Doctors received no gratitude from the patients, not that they were doing these surgeries for that of course.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Why not formalize the de facto peace? When they decide to sink a South Korean ship or shell on of their towns again, it will be voided... should not take long.

After the patients had the bandages removed, the first thing they did was cry before an image of Dear Leader and thank him endlessly for restoring their eyesight.

North Korea's state religion is Eternal / Dear Leader worship. They have the most fundamentalist / religious population of all, yet claim atheism.

 

[Doppel]

If you have Netflix streaming, do a search for documentaries on North Korea. If you haven't seen it, there is a National Geographic special (IIRC) about an eye doctor who goes there on a humanitarian mission to remove cataracts from the eyes of 1000 people. It is really an eye opening documentary (no pun intended).

Cancelled scamflix when they increased 60%, but leaving that to another thread I did watch that documentary on it when I had it

I think it's safe to assume that NK's desire to keep the populous shut off from non state-communications will be harder. Cellphones and the like will be more prevalent. Or, as the rest of the world leave's NK behind and it refuses to educate its populous (even more than current) on technologies required to exist in the future the pressures on it will be even more intense and it will collapse and have to enter the 21st century.

 

[Jhhnn]

I've seen it, very interesting indeed. After the patients had the bandages removed, the first thing they did was cry before an image of Dear Leader and thank him endlessly for restoring their eyesight. IIRC, the Doctors received no gratitude from the patients, not that they were doing these surgeries for that of course.

I'm not sure that's anything more than engaging in expected (demanded!) behavior on the part of the patients. It's impossible to tell if they actually believe it or not...

The Chinese, for example, have a huge problem with N Koreans entering China illegally, so they're not all completely brainwashed.

 

[davmat787]

I'm not sure that's anything more than engaging in expected (demanded!) behavior on the part of the patients. It's impossible to tell if they actually believe it or not....

No doubt. In fact, as I recall more of the documentary, the host (Lisa Ling?) said pretty much this, that the patient would be expected to do no less than what I described.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I've seen it, very interesting indeed. After the patients had the bandages removed, the first thing they did was cry before an image of Dear Leader and thank him endlessly for restoring their eyesight. IIRC, the Doctors received no gratitude from the patients, not that they were doing these surgeries for that of course.

Yes, the part I remember the most about that scene was that it seemed like each successive patient tried his/her best to outdo the previous patient in his/her praise of Dear Leader. I remember one senile old coot that got up there and praised Dear Leader and told him (err, I mean, the photo of him ) that he was ready to go shoot Americans for him whenever he need him to do it.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I'm not sure that's anything more than engaging in expected (demanded!) behavior on the part of the patients. It's impossible to tell if they actually believe it or not...

You know, I always assumed that was the case -- that the people were smarter than the leadership and that their praise for Dear Leader was an act to ensure survival. But damn, these people seemed so incredibly sincere and adamant in their praise that if they ARE acting, they could move to Hollywood any time and clean up at the Oscars.

The Chinese, for example, have a huge problem with N Koreans entering China illegally, so they're not all completely brainwashed.

True. The people in cities like Pyongyang are allowed to live there because they're regarded as the "elite" of North Korean society (ie, good communists and loyalists to Dear Leader) and are afforded the few luxuries allowed, so they probably are brainwashed. Those in rural areas, however, see and live reality and know how dire the situation is so therefore, they probably have little real faith in Dear Leader.

 

[Nintendesert]

Why not formalize the de facto peace? When they decide to sink a South Korean ship or shell on of their towns again, it will be voided... should not take long.




North Korea's state religion is Eternal / Dear Leader worship. They have the most fundamentalist / religious population of all, yet claim atheism.

Void a peace treaty how? By declaring war again?

 

[yllus]

Justification for an enormous military is very important for North Korea's leaders, as it is the implement needed to keep control over the state. They have no intention of seeking real peace.

 

[polarmystery]

And there is Western obligation to help foreigners because...?

Have you no sense of humane solidarity? Disgusting...

 

[Howard]

Have you no sense of humane solidarity? Disgusting...

I scoff at your feeble attempts to belittle my humanity.