North Korea test fires long range rocket.

[Osterbaum]

What would North Korea actually gain from attacking the United States?

[Kepor]

North Korea isn't out to attack the United States. This rocket seems more of a national security thing, like Iran's suspicious enrichment program.

When the world's most powerful country calls you an axis of evil, you want an ace up your sleeve.

edit: Also, how the budget breaks down is

Military Personnel..............118,920
Operation & Maintenance...165,344
Procurement....................101,679
RDT&E..............................75,117
Revolving & Mgmt Funds........2,454
DoD Bill.......................463,514

In millions of dollars. The link is here, if anyone wants it.

[Osterbaum]

Originally Posted by Kepor

North Korea isn't out to attack the United States. This rocket seems more of a national security thing, like Iran's suspicious enrichment program.

This is the point I was trying to make. Every time North Korea is brought up in the forums, I just get this feeling from peoples posts like everyone is expecting war to suddenly break out.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I intrepret a lot of the posts I read.

[Kepor]

Thing is, North Korea's rocket program brings up the security dilemma. Namely, that any attempt to secure your borders can also threaten your neighbors and ultimately end up making you less secure.

So while there probably isn't any current intention of attack, increasing tensions is not a good sign.

[Hatake Kakashi]

The problem that North Korea (and more specifically, Kim Jong Il) continues to bring back to the surface is merely that it knows it can be rewarded for committing acts -regarded by the international community as a whole, and by the local regions- of disobedience, disregard, and generally poor diplomacy. We had a standing avoidance of contact with NK for quite a while, due to our abhorrence to negotiating with what could be seen as a hostile entity. So what did Kim Jong Il do about it?

He waved an explosive around and disturbed the general peace until he was able to grab Mr. Bush by the ear and walk him right back to the point where we would be supplying aid to his country. And he continues to do so with any other leader whose attentions he covets, and will continue to do so. He's learned, as a spoiled child would, that throwing a tantrum, albeit a "nuclear" or "long-range" one, gets him the attention (and thus, the funding and aid) that his somewhat narcissistic ego has come to depend upon. And we've somehow got to find a way to break him of that nasty little habit.

Whether or not he's actually able to threaten the US itself doesn't seem to be the issue at hand. He seems to be much more interested in threatening our interests and allies near his location, as it generally gives him what he wants without the extra effort of having to get to us directly. I don't really see any end to it soon, as he's shown a tendency to disregard treaties and diplomacy when he has to tighten his belt a little. The sad truth is, we're not likely to hear the last of him until he's removed.... permanently.

Even then, there's a distinct possibility of yet another like-minded individual waiting to take his place.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by Hatake Kakashi

don't really see any end to it soon, as he's shown a tendency to disregard treaties and diplomacy when he has to tighten his belt a little. x

How is this different from every other major power in the world, particularly the US.

Originally Posted by Osterbaum

This is the point I was trying to make. Every time North Korea is brought up in the forums, I just get this feeling from peoples posts like everyone is expecting war to suddenly break out.

Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I intrepret a lot of the posts I read.

I totally don't know what forum you were reading. We were ridiculing the idea and were saying pretty much the only way war is going to break out is if someone discovers oil under North Korea and the US decides its another time to bring "democracy" somewhere.

[Osterbaum]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

I totally don't know what forum you were reading. We were ridiculing the idea and were saying pretty much the only way war is going to break out is if someone discovers oil under North Korea and the US decides its another time to bring "democracy" somewhere.

Then I was propably wrong. But it was bugging me, so I thought I'd adress it.

[Kepor]

Originally Posted by Smarty McBarrelpants

We were ridiculing the idea and were saying pretty much the only way war is going to break out is if someone discovers oil under North Korea and the US decides its another time to bring "democracy" somewhere.

Not quite true. If North Korea decides to invade South Korea, the US (and others, I hope) would step in. Extremely unlikely. But talks between the two countries took a sour turn recently, and the missile test probably won't reassure South Korea.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Originally Posted by Kepor

Not quite true. If North Korea decides to invade South Korea, the US (and others, I hope) would step in. Extremely unlikely. But talks between the two countries took a sour turn recently, and the missile test probably won't reassure South Korea.

Can you really see North Korea attempting to invade South Korea? It's pretty unlikely.
And the US would mostly be going in to save thier South Korean assets in the long haul so it a similar situation to finding oil.

[Jagos]

They might try to invade because they covet S. Korea's success. But knowing that South Korea is under US protection stops NK from deciding to do something stupid.