North Korea Backs Down

[Thumpalumpacus]

But we were also funding some really not-so-good guys, too. I think Tazz was speaking of us as a nation rather than our individuals fighting there.

[Anomalocaris]

ISIS arouse because of us,  and Russia fought ISIS much more vigorously and effectively than we did.

Ok, but that doesn't mean that our men and women who are out there fighting ISIS aren't "the good guys" against them.

Our men and women there maybe not have been the bad guys, but the America for which they fought certainly is not by any means the good guy in the entire ISIS episold.

[Rev. Rye]

From what I know of North Korean history, it's a recurring cycle: North Korea rattles their sabres and either does so hard enough or actually hits something, that whichever country they antagonize will prepare for war, and as soon as they do, they go to China for help, and China smooths everything over, mostly by this point because they fear that as soon as Pyongyang falls, so will Beijing. Crisis averted, lather, rinse, repeat. You guys on the other thread actually had me thinking this time would be any different.

[vorlon13]

Did Trump really have prosties pee on him or was that an unsubstantiated rumor? Fetishes intrigue me.

tell me more . . . . .  .

[Alex K]

Of course they backed down, they always do. It's not like this is the first time these clowns threatened the world with nuclear annihilation. It's just been the first time with a US president unstable enough so that everyone was holding their breath whether he would do something stupid. All previous presidents in the modern era were sane enough to be trusted to have level headed judgement and advisors. With this one it's a crapshoot.

[Autumnlicious]

I am relieved.

The era of Trump has taught me that sometimes the shit really does hit the fan, even when there's nary shit or fan in sight.

I would use this as an opportunity to advance anti-ICBM technology.

[The Valkyrie]

I wonder if it had anything to do with China saying they would stay out so long as the US didn't fire first?

[Anomalocaris]

I am relieved.

The era of Trump has taught me that sometimes the shit really does hit the fan, even when there's nary shit or fan in sight.

I would use this as an opportunity to advance anti-ICBM technology.

Perspective anti-ICBM technology seems more likely to increase the number of warheads that will get through rather than decreasing it, by encourage china and Russia to enlarge their arsenal by an amount equal to what it takes to get through, plus same safety margin. They can afford fairly large safety margins because it is far cheaper to build more ICBMs and equip them with penetration aids to defeat of missile defense than it takes to deploy the defense in the first place.

[Rahul]

I wonder if it had anything to do with China saying they would stay out so long as the US didn't fire first?

That's exactly it. China has clearly stated that if we hit North Korea first, China will defend them.  If North Korea hits us first, China will stay neutral and let us slaughter them.

But this also puts us in a very tight situation.  Allowing North Korea to develop reliable intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles is definitely not something we want to see.  China really needs to go in there and slap bitch Kimmy out of the picture and install a more obedient puppet.

Otherwise, we need to pour tens of billions of dollars into really good missile defense against intercontinental missiles.  Which will freak Russia out.   So then we have to deal with them.

Trump can barely remember to take his pants down before he takes a piss.  We need someone as president that isn't exhibiting full blown Alzheimers.

Fast.

[Anomalocaris]

I wonder if it had anything to do with China saying they would stay out so long as the US didn't fire first?

That's exactly it. China has clearly stated that if we hit North Korea first, China will defend them.  If North Korea hits us first, China will stay neutral and let us slaughter them.

But this also puts us in a very tight situation.  Allowing North Korea to develop reliable intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles is definitely not something we want to see.  China really needs to go in there and slap bitch Kimmy out of the picture and install a more obedient puppet.

Otherwise we need to pours tens of billions of dollars into really good missile defense against intercontinental missiles.  Which will freak Russia out.   So then we have to deal with them.

Trump can barely remember to take his pants down before he takes a piss.  We need someone as president that isn't exhibiting full blown Alzheimers.

Fast.

What the hell can china do to defend North Korea aginast a sudden air strike by stealth aircraft, unless they pre-positioned a lot of assets in North Korea first?