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 Rate the threat
N.K. now has nuclear weaponry, and has proven in the past that it will sell to, shall we say, unsavory buyers. Iran is the obvious case, but I expect NK would talk to many groups (insert violent group here, and this goes beyond "radical elements" to any group that feels it has a just cause to annihilate an oppressive regime or group.) That said, they probably have limited means to produce great quantities the the little nukes.
The U.S., on the other hand, has far more world influence and power. While I give them the benefit of that doubt that they do try to control nuclear weaponry, they also like to sell other weaponry and mess with internal politics wherever it serves their purposes. While Kim plays the delusional card very well, the world knows it cannot trust him; countries have to go along with GW and the neoconservatives to some extent to do business, but know that there is a new president coming in a couple years.
Is the NK nuke test a precursor of bad things to come, or is it all a wash?
Who do you fear more?
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kingofpawns
23-Oct-06, 21:41
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Kim Jong Il
is the biggest threat to world security.
GWB is just extremely incompetent. In that sense, he is a threat to global
security. His policies have decreased global security by increasing the
number of terrorists in the world, primarily in Iraq. But, also the lesson
NK and Iran learned from Bush's invasion of Iraq is that you better really
have WMD or Bush will invade you.
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echo3
24-Oct-06, 01:03
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An unsatisfactorily narrow question.....
.... akisame. It must be, as KOP and I agree. That can only mean one thing; either we are discussing beer or the question was way too easy
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leo_london
24-Oct-06, 01:42
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Ummm..I dont think it is quite so clear cut. You can broaden the question, who is the greatest threat to world stability, the future of our planet etc. The biggest and most powerful nations will win that vote..probably China in the very near future as things currently stand ? Even the narrow question is open to debate, the most powerful nation must always be the the greatest source for both good and evil..it comes with the territory. Just look back at the great empires of the past, some are judged kindly by history in terms of the legacy they left but all were capable of inhuman acts. Its great that we have the USA ( from our point of view ) we share the same aspirations, cultures etc. Just imagine if there was a different world super-power/policeman, then you begin to understand how people in other parts of the world view the USA and her allies. I just hope things dont change in my lifetime.
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soulcrates
24-Oct-06, 01:49
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Is Kim Jong Il more of an orange,
or amber hue, for threat level.
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echo3
24-Oct-06, 03:31
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Promote the UK.....
... and allow us to take back our empire.
[Cue Rule Britannia] Britain! Great Britain! Mighty, just and true!! (This is not the time to spoil this special moment with inconvenient facts).
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I'm almost entirely
descended from Great Britain. So yes! Bring back the majesty! I can probably get back in!
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leo_london
24-Oct-06, 04:21
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We are not amused...I'm off to Balmoral for a little highland "comfort" from John Brown...I just love to watch him toss his caber.
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echo3
24-Oct-06, 06:53
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Leo.....
.... Give us a hand we can rebuild Richmond Palace! It might spoil Dickie Attenborough's view but what the hell!!!
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as KOP and I agree...
Ah, but what damage has NK actually done? Sold some weaponry, made some threats. Do you think it likely that NK would use its new weapons? Not unless pushed a lot further, IMO. NK is pretty insular so far as relations go. Sell weapons, sure. But nuclear fuel has been available for years if you know where to look, and NK is not the only source. So is NK really offering any threat that hasn't already panned out, or is unlikely to? Everyone knows NK's government can't keep its word with a bright red padlock, so mostly the world can feign ignoring them and keep glancing back for new occurences... I suppose a related question might be whether NK's real major threat(s) relates to nukes at all.
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threats
well...name the last country that north korea invaded. now, name the last twenty that the usa invaded...
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threats
hmmmm...how many nukes does kim jong il have? how many does the us have?
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threats
quick! name the only country to have ever used a nuke against real people...a hint...it was not north korea.
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threats
name the country whose president is trying to bypass the geneva convention to allow the use of torture against enemy combatants.
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soulcrates
24-Oct-06, 21:28
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Perhaps with some help from Horatio Nelson
we could ensure British mastery of the sea and thwart Napoleon's land war?
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soulcrates
24-Oct-06, 21:30
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I mean, . . . . Threats
Albino hermaphrodite midgets.
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soulcrates
24-Oct-06, 21:31
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Wait, they're not threatening. Let me try again.
The Amish, the quakers, the cloisters! All of the above? How about genocidal maniacs that kill under the premise of "freedom"?
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echo3
25-Oct-06, 04:17
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Be the bully
In the playground you have the biggest baseball bat ever made. You've shown you're not afraid to use it. It can be cut and thrust in the playground after all and you like to try and keep the advantage for yourself.
Soem of the other kids have bats but they don't give you much trouble. Now a kid you really don't trust says he's buying a bat.
Do you:-
a) Let him get his bat and hope he doesn't try and use it on you (or any of your mates)
b) Ask him really nicely not to buy the bat
c) Stop him getting the bat period
I'm voting 'C'.
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echo
that is a great metaphor...if we are 9 years old! adults (at least mature ones) generally try to find an equitable solution that avoids anyone being the bully.
perhaps as adults, none of us walks around the office carrying a baseball bat and threatening to beat the hell out of anyone who does not do what we want them to do.
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leo_london
25-Oct-06, 07:07
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Yes, but the biggest kid in the school has a fair sized bat and he is quite friendly with this newcomer..and there are two kids with bats who detest each other and have already had a stand-off. Plus the poor little kid in the corner who you are pretty sure has a bat, he is surrounded by kids without bats who want to wipe him out...its a tough school.
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leo
ah...the pragmatist vs. the idealist. lets figure out a way that everyone puts down the bloody bat! but, certainly the kid with the biggest bat has no moral authority to tell everyone else to put down their bats. he might be able to force the issue, being the biggest and baddest...but resentment will force the weaker ones to go home and get daddy's gun - a schoolyard shooting is in the offing (kinda like the 9/11 attacks - when you bully people, and do not take the moral high ground, you are simply asking to get shot in the back).
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echo3
25-Oct-06, 08:36
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jeff's.....
..... "let's all be nice to each other" attitude sounds like a flower-power pot-smoking LSD tripping hippie 60's teacher type ethos to me.
We're all brothers and I'm sure we can trust NK, Iran etc al to be responsible with Nukes even if they do have links with terrorist groups and/or are oppressive regimes where the people [even those with a high IQ ] get no say in the country's affairs????????
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<<<jeff's "let's all be nice to each other" attitude sounds like a flower-power pot-smoking LSD tripping hippie 60's teacher type ethos to me....>>>
sounds good to me, i'm going to jeff's house for some fun... i'll bring some freaky tunes...
to answer the original question, who's more dangerous... well that's simple to me... usa... because they are the biggest bully with the biggest bats... if nk had the same level of power, maybe they would be more dangerous then... for now, he can sit on his radioactive firework and get cancer of the bum for all i care... i'm more worried about the damage bush is doing...
what we need in that schoolyard is a male teacher who doesn't need a bat to maintain discipline... i'm sure a detention and a letter to the parents will soon stop that silliness...
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party
at my house...
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soulcrates
25-Oct-06, 13:52
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BYOB!!
Bring your own board, for chess of course!
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you wanna play chess at a party...? f that... where's the vodka...?
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party?
gonna be a bit boring what with all you geeky male chess players! where are kem and lilly when we need them? maybe they have some friends... : )
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