N Korea: New nuclear test part of U.S. clash

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/23/world/asia/north-korea-nuclear-test/index.html?c=homepage-t In responding to North Korea’s threat the US will have to render Russia and China’s missiles obsolete as well. I’m sure they’re thrilled to pieces about that. Other pressures can give the US and China cover to stage a joint attack. An offsetting buildup may be credible and saleable as hostility rather than cooperation. Apart from the effect on their own nuclear deterrent, China and Russia need to think if the US protects itself and Japan and south Korea, who else around has deep pockets? The North Koreans are desperate and they’ll blackmail someone if they can. It’s not Afghanistan. The leadership has only been marginally better than Pol Pot for 60 years. The lack of existing viable opposition may be a problem. But ultimately shutting down North Korea as a threat is necessary. The middle east has been a distraction because of oil and Isreal. The real economics of conquest no longer have anything to do with natural resources. No amount of resources can compensate for seriously hostile locals. Conquest for resources, apart from moral, ethical and legal issues, is usually a bad business decision. With places like North Korea failure to attack is a bad business decision. As for diplomatic consequences, taking out a country requires some planning and preparation. You can’t just pick up and take them out the next day when they nuke us. If we don’t take them out with a planned attack, when the first ICBM is on it’s way we have to carpet bomb them with nukes so it ends there. We wouldn’t wait to see if they have another one to put on the pad. That’s going to be even more unpopular. And it may cost us a city if they can shoot straight. It’s a really simple decision for anybody but a politician.

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