Will Trump/Kim order a nuke strike?

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

:/

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Kim knows very well that if he orders a nuke strike he's finished. He cares too much about being in power to make such a move. And the U.S., Trump no Trump, is not using nukes unless in response to being nuked first.

[Middle-aged Europe]

This precedent may become relevant again during the Trump presidency:

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https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/science/donald-trump-nuclear-codes.html

So, I hope Mattis, McMaster, and Tillerson keep things under control on this end.

[Koharu]

I can't vote because I honestly don't know. Trump's opinion on the matter probably changes daily, possibly even hourly. As has been said, I don't think Kim will instigate. He's a dictator, but he seems to be more stable than our "dear leader" here in the US.

It's strange; because I lived in a rural area and grew up in the early 90s, many of our textbooks still overflowed with the fear of annihilation, as they had been written during the cold war proper. I remember being able to relate to the Golden Girls episode that had young kids worried about nuclear war. The late 90s were such a relief--Russia wasn't the enemy, and might even be a friend?--and now we're back to fear of annihilation.

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Short answer: no.

Long answer: Hell no.

[SWE]

I can confidently say Kim Jong Un is competent enough to know not to.

[Person Man]

I give it about a 5-15% percent chance by the end of Trump's first term that we will have a large conventional or nuclear war. Thiel said there was a 50% chance things will end in disaster and this covers about a quarter of that contigency. The other parts would be another Iraq-like quagmire, an economic bust, or that there is a handmaid's tale like stuff.

[BlueSwan]

It's certainly a dangerous situation.

One guy is an immature manchild, a completely self-obsessed megalomaniac with a stinch of paranoia, who poses an immediate danger to world peace and the other guy is Kim Jong Un. That spells disaster.

Still, actually going ahead with a nuclear strike...if one of them is going to do it, it is going to be Trump. Hopefully someone will stop him before it gets to that.

[AN63093]

No.

I've already gone on at length about this in the mega thread and some of the other NK threads; so I won't repeat myself here, except to say that the likelihood of either country using a nuclear weapon is pretty low.

There is a greater chance NK uses one than the US, however.  The most likely scenario would be NK using one of their more crude weapons in retaliation of US (or SK) strikes.  There are a variety of ways they could use them, but it most likely wouldn't be delivered via missile.

[Xing]

Probably not, but I can't lie, I find this whole situation very troubling.

[Bojack Horseman]

Kim knows very well that if he orders a nuke strike he's finished. He cares too much about being in power to make such a move. And the U.S., Trump no Trump, is not using nukes unless in response to being nuked first.

I honestly doubt that statement. Kim Jong Un and Trump for that matter is so mentally ill that conventional logic and reasoning do not apply when dealing with him. That's why he's making these threats and running these tests to start with.

[Hermit For Peace]

I believe Kim is the little boy who cried wolf too many times. Who is going to believe him. And unless that country's govt is totally delusional, why strike a country much more vast than yours who has the power to annihilate you off the face of the planet?

And what a shame that we're even having this conversation. Thank you Trump voters. Hope you're enjoying the show.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I remember when people were worried Iran would go nuke-happy. Now as it was then, the answer is "not going to happen". People who are suicidally self-destructive usually wreck themselves before they can attain that kind of power (a little easier for one to slip through in a hereditary deal, but still).

[7,052,770]

I hope all the Republicans who mocked that excellent Hillary commercial will at least admit they were wrong

[Alabama_Indy10]

I can't vote because I honestly don't know. Trump's opinion on the matter probably changes daily, possibly even hourly. As has been said, I don't think Kim will instigate. He's a dictator, but he seems to be more stable than our "dear leader" here in the US.

It's strange; because I lived in a rural area and grew up in the early 90s, many of our textbooks still overflowed with the fear of annihilation, as they had been written during the cold war proper. I remember being able to relate to the Golden Girls episode that had young kids worried about nuclear war. The late 90s were such a relief--Russia wasn't the enemy, and might even be a friend?--and now we're back to fear of annihilation.

That is disgusting and laughable.

[Obama-Biden Democrat]

I can't see China being pleased with vast swathes of radiation flowing into their country.

[GGover]

Kim knows what he wants, he know what he has to do to get what he wants,  and I think he's a lot more stable than he seems. The only way I see Kim ordering a nuke strike is if Trump threatens him to the point that he thinks his regime is in danger of being overthrown.

About Trump... let's just say I hope Pence takes control as soon as possible.

[Koharu]

Kim knows what he wants, he know what he has to do to get what he wants,  and I think he's a lot more stable than he seems. The only way I see Kim ordering a nuke strike is if Trump threatens him to the point that he thinks his regime is in danger of being overthrown.

Precisely. He seems to be very smart, honestly. Manipulative and deceitful, yes. But he's good at pushing but not pushing too hard too fast, etc. He loves his power, and he's smarter about keeping it than Trump is. Hence my earlier comment.