North Korea Attacks South Korean Island with Artillery Barrage

[Sol Invictus]

If there's any government that is devious and has trouble telling the truth, it's North Korea.

I don't know how much the North Koreans have lied to me in the past, but I do know how much the western media has lied to me in the past, and how they are not to be trusted when it comes down to accurate and honest reporting.

To me this is a clear set-up. The South has already admitted it fired the first shots; so is it that hard to believe that they snuck in a shell aimed at the North under cover of a seemingly harmless and routine tactical drill?

[Liffrea]

Originally Posted by Loki
Now, I am not saying that NK is the innocent party here, I am saying that we should not take everything reported without scrutinizing it. It may well be that the South is innocent, but the very honest fact is that we just don't know at this point - and probably never will.

Yes, but then you look at previous, who usually does provoke incidents?..................North Korea, who most likely sunk a South Korean warship?.........North Korea.

South Korea doesn’t have much to gain by going to war, they are an economic power house, North Korea would be as useful to the South Korean economy as East Germany was to West Germany, a millstone around their necks for several decades. Seoul would be reduced to rubble in a matter of hours. Add to that the advantage of having the US warmachine in your backyard means you can sleep safer at night, remove North Korea and that puts the South's government on the border with China and the probable withdrawl of US protection.

No, South Korea would be stupid to want a war, status quo suits them fine.

I agree, the media shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but I think it is North Korea who shits on South Korea’s lawn more than vice versa.

[Loki]

Yes, but then you look at previous, who usually does provoke incidents?..................North Korea, who most likely sunk a South Korean warship?.........North Korea.

Hmm maybe that should be questioned as well?

South Korea doesn’t have much to gain by going to war, they are an economic power house, North Korea would be as useful to the South Korean economy as East Germany was to West Germany, a millstone around their necks for several decades. Seoul would be reduced to rubble in a matter of hours. Add to that the advantage of having the US warmachine in your backyard means you can sleep safer at night, remove North Korea and that puts the South's government on the border with China and the probable withdrawl of US protection.

No, South Korea would be stupid to want a war, status quo suits them fine.

I agree, the media shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but I think it is North Korea who shits on South Korea’s lawn more than vice versa.

South Korea has a lot to gain by the overthrow of the North Korean regime: regional stability, and perhaps even the dream of a great and strong united Korean nation. A united Korea would be much better placed to compete with Japan and China economically.

[Joe McCarthy]

What isn't generally appreciated is that the ROK's standing army and reserve forces are more than a match for the DPRK's obsolete, Cold War era junk. North Korea won't be marching on Seoul. At most they'll turn Seoul into rubble before being smashed themselves.

[Sol Invictus]

[CelticTemplar]

It's only a matter of time before South Korea stops taking North Korea's crap. I mean the North Koreans have been openly hostile very recently. First they sink one of their ships, now they are shelling their territory, how long do we wait for for an all out invasion by the North?

[Fortis in Arduis]

The sad story here is that there is a nation divided by materialist ideologies.

If DPRK were to reform it's economy with co-operative economics, it could end up being the greater of the two.

Economic reforms have worked for China.

[Óttar]

This is a good Horst Wessel-esque opportunity for the US to knock out the North Korean regime in one night.

[Joe McCarthy]

This is a good Horst Wessel-esque opportunity for the US to knock out the North Korean regime in one night.

My assumption is that if all out war breaks out, ROK forces will be backed by round the clock bombing from the USAF. The question is what will China or Russia do, if anything. This flashpoint has the potential to completely alter world order, especially if Russia and China both decide to issue the US an ultimatum, in which case we'll almost be forced to back down.

The best move would probably be to avoid such a showdown and merely assist the ROK in less obvious ways, though I agree that we definitely owe the DPRK an ass kicking, especially over the Pueblo.

[Fortis in Arduis]

^^ Why not just make a "telephone call"?