North Korea Mega Thread

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Its far too late to be planning a preventive war. As much as we hate it, the status quo seems like the best option. Let North Korea wall themselves off with nukes if it saves Seoul IMO.

Realistically, this seems like the most likely option imo. The US has lived with a hostile power having the capability to launch a nuclear weapon on the US mainland before, and North Korea is never going to launch a missile against any other country because they know that their regime won't survive the war. I don't see why some here are so ready for the US to start a war... 

Why Trump wants to is pretty obvious:

[Yank2133]

Its far too late to be planning a preventive war. As much as we hate it, the status quo seems like the best option. Let North Korea wall themselves off with nukes if it saves Seoul IMO.

Realistically, this seems like the most likely option imo. The US has lived with a hostile power having the capability to launch a nuclear weapon on the US mainland before, and North Korea is never going to launch a missile against any other country because they know that their regime won't survive the war. I don't see why some here are so ready for the US to start a war...  

Why Trump wants to is pretty obvious:

Nah.

He has no clue what he is doing and always falls back to his first instinct which is to attack.

There is no grand strategy at play here.

[TML]

Given that the last three US administrations have all taken rather hard-line approaches toward North Korea, I've been wondering: if another candidate (Hillary, Sanders, Cruz, Kasich, Rubio, Carson, or Jeb) had won in 2016, would that person have taken an approach any different from Trump's current approach, and would the outcome have been any different?

[KingSweden]

Given that the last three US administrations have all taken rather hard-line approaches toward North Korea, I've been wondering: if another candidate (Hillary, Sanders, Cruz, Kasich, Rubio, Carson, or Jeb) had won in 2016, would that person have taken an approach any different from Trump's current approach, and would the outcome have been any different?

Sanders *maybe*, but the others? No

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Given that the last three US administrations have all taken rather hard-line approaches toward North Korea, I've been wondering: if another candidate (Hillary, Sanders, Cruz, Kasich, Rubio, Carson, or Jeb) had won in 2016, would that person have taken an approach any different from Trump's current approach, and would the outcome have been any different?

Sanders *maybe*, but the others? No

I agree with his.  Hillary could be a tough talker, I bet.

[Silent Hunter]

Concerning, but ultimately neither side is crazy enough to actually do this. I hope.

[Senator-elect Spark]

[TheSaint250]

If North Korea attacks us, I don't see why fire and fury isn't appropriate.  We should avoid war at all costs, but if it comes down to it, as in North Korea attacks us, Trump is right.

People who are complaining about retaliatory strikes are wrong.

Everyone knows this.

The issue is Trump's threat. He played into NK's hands with this kind of talk that he won't follow through.

He is to dangerous and stupid to be president. Get him the **** out of there.

We bombed Syria when no Americans were attacked. We will most certainly bomb North Korea if they, God forbid, attack us

[TheSaint250]

Its far too late to be planning a preventive war. As much as we hate it, the status quo seems like the best option. Let North Korea wall themselves off with nukes if it saves Seoul IMO.

Realistically, this seems like the most likely option imo. The US has lived with a hostile power having the capability to launch a nuclear weapon on the US mainland before, and North Korea is never going to launch a missile against any other country because they know that their regime won't survive the war. I don't see why some here are so ready for the US to start a war... 

Why Trump wants to is pretty obvious:

It's pretty sad that you think a President promising to protect Americans if Americans are attacked is for approval ratings. That's just what a president does.

[pikachu]

If North Korea attacks us, I don't see why fire and fury isn't appropriate.  We should avoid war at all costs, but if it comes down to it, as in North Korea attacks us, Trump is right.

People who are complaining about retaliatory strikes are wrong.

Has anyone said that we shouldn't retaliate if they attack us or our allies? I just don't see why North Korea would do that, it'd be suicidal.

I also don't think launching a war's going to increase Trump's approval ratings. If you look at the bump Bush got from launching Iraq in 2003, the bump was only 10% and dissipated in less than a year. A significantly more brutal war in East Asia which would likely require to shoulder a massive amount of the burden of the postwar recovery likely won't even get to that.

[TheSaint250]

If North Korea attacks us, I don't see why fire and fury isn't appropriate.  We should avoid war at all costs, but if it comes down to it, as in North Korea attacks us, Trump is right.

People who are complaining about retaliatory strikes are wrong.

Has anyone said that we shouldn't retaliate if they attack us or our allies?

Some are complaining about the fire and fury thing

[Yank2133]

If North Korea attacks us, I don't see why fire and fury isn't appropriate.  We should avoid war at all costs, but if it comes down to it, as in North Korea attacks us, Trump is right.

People who are complaining about retaliatory strikes are wrong.

Everyone knows this.

The issue is Trump's threat. He played into NK's hands with this kind of talk that he won't follow through.

He is to dangerous and stupid to be president. Get him the **** out of there.

We bombed Syria when no Americans were attacked. We will most certainly bomb North Korea if they, God forbid, attack us

NK will never bomb us, but they will continue to threaten us. And Trump promised retaliation if they continued to do so.

Again, he is playing right into NK hand's and the perception of the US being all bark and no action.

  

[pikachu]

If North Korea attacks us, I don't see why fire and fury isn't appropriate.  We should avoid war at all costs, but if it comes down to it, as in North Korea attacks us, Trump is right.

People who are complaining about retaliatory strikes are wrong.

Has anyone said that we shouldn't retaliate if they attack us or our allies?

Some are complaining about the fire and fury thing

The fire and fury statement said threats, not an actual attack, so I think it's fair to be worried about it.

[The Mikado]

So...who's excited for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in February?

[TheSaint250]

Ok well in that case forgive me for misreading

[#TheShadowyAbyss]

Does anyone actually believe North Korea would attack us?

[GeorgiaModerate]

Does anyone actually believe North Korea would attack us?

A rational power wouldn't attack.  Kim is irrational enough to inject some doubt.

[Yank2133]

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lol.

Again, good luck walking back that rhetoric, Mr. President.

[Santander]

Does anyone actually believe North Korea would attack us?

A rational power wouldn't attack.  Kim is irrational enough to inject some doubt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madman_theory

[TheSaint250]

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lol.

Again, good luck walking back that rhetoric, Mr. President.

Yes let's blame the president of seven months for some madman planning something they had talked about for years.

[BudgieForce]

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lol.

Again, good luck walking back that rhetoric, Mr. President.

Excuse me?

[Yank2133]

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lol.

Again, good luck walking back that rhetoric, Mr. President.

Yes let's blame the president of seven months for some madman planning something they had talked about for years.

Yes, I blame him.

He played right into their hands with his reckless rhetoric.

[Beet]

Here is the actual statement (specifically, considering an "enveloping fire" in the areas around Guam to send a "warning signal")-

https://twitter.com/passantino/status/895043437367410688/photo/1

[Hindsight was 2020]

Oh Christ I'm going to be sick

[Pyro]

Trump is a madman.