US Intelligence thinks Kim Jong Il may have had a stroke

[John Dibble]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5huSr2cto6oXklRH0nXdM8i7PEQ0wD9337RQO0

US intelligence thinks Kim Jong Il may be ill
By PAMELA HESS

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials think North Korea's unpredictable dictator may be gravely ill.

A U.S. intelligence official says there is reason to believe Kim Jong Il is sick after he failed to show up at a North Korean national celebration on Tuesday.

A U.S. intelligence official says it is possible that Kim has suffered a stroke. That official and another U.S. source spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive intelligence gathering.

Kim has not been seen in public for a month and U.S. officials were closely watching Tuesday's military parade for signs to the leader's health.

North Koreans call Kim the "Dear Leader" and he holds absolute power in the Stalinist regime.

-----------------

You know, there's not many people I would wish a stroke on, but I hope this is true.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Please, please let this be true.

[Хahar 🤔]

Oh no. The last thing we need is a competent leader in Pyongyang.

[John Dibble]

Oh no. The last thing we need is a competent leader in Pyongyang.

If he's competent, then maybe there's a chance he'll competently get food for his people.

[Smid]

My greatest concern is that if this results in a power vaccum in North Korea, it may result in acts of aggression by various gernerals in the consequent power struggle (as a demonstration of their "qualifications" of leadership). Kim Jong Il is an evil dicator who oppresses his people and threatens the freedom and safety of South Koreans and I would dearly love to see his regime fall, however I fear any power struggle that may occur upon his death.

[King]

NO!!! Not our Dear Leader!  The great General!


North Korea is so cute.  It's a puppet country that has no idea it's not a real boy.

[Keystone Phil]

You know...it always worried me that he may try to start some problems whenever he is "on his way out."

[Jake]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

[dead0man]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

So we don't want him to die?  Ever?  How do you expect N.Korea to ever get better?

[Smid]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

Exactly.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Cheers, here's to a second/

[Keystone Phil]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, too.

[2952-0-0]

The best course of action would be if China would pay off some disgruntled army officers to stage a coup and create a Chinese-style regime that would create economic reforms and at least stop begging for food and fuel every week.

[Smid]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

This sort of thing is about the only way to stabilise North Korea - some sort of foreign action - either an invasion or a foreign-sponsored coup, resulting in a strong leader who could prevent a power vaccum from forming. The problem with a foreign supported coup would be that it's possible that a few years down the track, the new leader is just as bad and it causes the foreign country to lose international credibility.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

What a stroke of luck for us.

*ducks*

[Smid]

What a stroke of luck for us.

*ducks*

That's gotta be the first thing about which I've agreed with you in the past two weeks. I don't typically like puns, but that's good. I'll pay that.

[AkSaber]

What a stroke of luck for us.

*ducks*

Ba zing!! So true, so true.

[John Dibble]

Ok, here's the update:

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5haPIIH3C5UNkQmcrJNiytbUKQY9Q

SKorea officials say North Korean leader Kim Jong Il recovering from a stroke

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Il appears to be recovering from a stroke but is not believed to be gravely ill.

A presidential spokesman said late Wednesday that South Korea's president and top officials had received an intelligence briefing on Kim's health.

According to the briefing, Kim is "not seen to be in a serious condition."

Speculation has intensified that Kim may have taken ill after he missed a parade Tuesday commemorating the communist state's founding 60 years ago.

That followed weeks of being absent from public view and rumours that foreign doctors had been brought in to treat him.

---------------

So he ain't dying yet unfortunately.

[King]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

So we don't want him to die?  Ever?  How do you expect N.Korea to ever get better?

We want him gone eventually, but right now we were making great progress with him in negotiations.  If he dies with no clear successor, then we've got to start from scratch and would likely have to deal with a lot of conflicting parties from both Kim's family, the military, and maybe even unsilenced revolutionaries within the country.

It is in the world's best interests for him to stay alive long enough to disarm the country from having any nuclear capability.

[Keystone Phil]

Please, please let this be true.

This would actually be terrible. Imagine Hitler dying and the succession struggle that would've prompted. Add nukes.

So we don't want him to die?  Ever?  How do you expect N.Korea to ever get better?

We're not saying that. It's just worth noting that him possibly on his death bed (whenever that is) can be quite scary.

[dead0man]

We want him gone eventually, but right now we were making great progress with him in negotiations.  If he dies with no clear successor, then we've got to start from scratch and would likely have to deal with a lot of conflicting parties from both Kim's family, the military, and maybe even unsilenced revolutionaries within the country.

It is in the world's best interests for him to stay alive long enough to disarm the country from having any nuclear capability.

Maybe I'm confusing the N.Koreans with the Pali's, but don't we make "great progress" with them once or twice a decade before taking 3 steps backward because of some perceived offense?  Then they fire a missile into the sea.  Then a few years later we make "great progress" again, usually at the same time there is "great starvation" in the motherland.

[Хahar 🤔]

My greatest concern is that if this results in a power vaccum in North Korea, it may result in acts of aggression by various gernerals in the consequent power struggle (as a demonstration of their "qualifications" of leadership). Kim Jong Il is an evil dicator who oppresses his people and threatens the freedom and safety of South Koreans and I would dearly love to see his regime fall, however I fear any power struggle that may occur upon his death.

Nope. North Korea is firmly dynastic in the East Asian manner; the son of the favorite mistress succeeds to the throne. There will be no power struggles.

[GMantis]

We want him gone eventually, but right now we were making great progress with him in negotiations.  If he dies with no clear successor, then we've got to start from scratch and would likely have to deal with a lot of conflicting parties from both Kim's family, the military, and maybe even unsilenced revolutionaries within the country.

It is in the world's best interests for him to stay alive long enough to disarm the country from having any nuclear capability.

Maybe I'm confusing the N.Koreans with the Pali's, but don't we make "great progress" with them once or twice a decade before taking 3 steps backward because of some perceived offense?  Then they fire a missile into the sea.  Then a few years later we make "great progress" again, usually at the same time there is "great starvation" in the motherland.

The famines are real. But I forgot, you don't believe in such things.

[dead0man]

We want him gone eventually, but right now we were making great progress with him in negotiations.  If he dies with no clear successor, then we've got to start from scratch and would likely have to deal with a lot of conflicting parties from both Kim's family, the military, and maybe even unsilenced revolutionaries within the country.

It is in the world's best interests for him to stay alive long enough to disarm the country from having any nuclear capability.

Maybe I'm confusing the N.Koreans with the Pali's, but don't we make "great progress" with them once or twice a decade before taking 3 steps backward because of some perceived offense?  Then they fire a missile into the sea.  Then a few years later we make "great progress" again, usually at the same time there is "great starvation" in the motherland.

The famines are real. But I forgot, you don't believe in such things.

Why would I not believe in famines?  Do you understand what a "strawman" is?

[GMantis]

We want him gone eventually, but right now we were making great progress with him in negotiations.  If he dies with no clear successor, then we've got to start from scratch and would likely have to deal with a lot of conflicting parties from both Kim's family, the military, and maybe even unsilenced revolutionaries within the country.

It is in the world's best interests for him to stay alive long enough to disarm the country from having any nuclear capability.

Maybe I'm confusing the N.Koreans with the Pali's, but don't we make "great progress" with them once or twice a decade before taking 3 steps backward because of some perceived offense?  Then they fire a missile into the sea.  Then a few years later we make "great progress" again, usually at the same time there is "great starvation" in the motherland.

The famines are real. But I forgot, you don't believe in such things.

Why would I not believe in famines?  Do you understand what a "strawman" is?

Why are you placing great starvation in quotes. Yes, it's mostly their fault, but does it mean that the death of a million or more people should be ignored?