Postby drawscore » Sat Apr 06, 2013 12:17 am
Games, I just simply do not believe that Obama has the stones to retaliate, even with just conventional weapons. I hope I don't ever have to find out. I think he is weak, and that he has shown the military, who protect him, little more than disdain and contempt.
The last time the UN showed any strength, was in 1950, when they authorized force to repel the invasion of South Korea by the north. And then, the only reason that happened, is because the Soviet Union walked out on the discussion, and was not present to veto the resolution. The last UN Secretaries General that had any balls, were the first two, Trygve Lie (Norway) and Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden).
Now, even if NK did nuke the south, or Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, or the west coast, it could probably be taken down without a retaliatory nuke strike. (Although nuclear retaliation would certainly get the world's attention.) In the global community, it might be regarded as using a sledge hammer to kill a fly, and the "usual suspects" (Russia and its affiliates/satellites; China, Cuba, Venezuela, the Muslim middle east, France, etc.) would align against us. Of course, no matter what we do, they would line up against us.
I think you're right in your assessment that Kim Jong Un's first priority is to maintain power. To do so, he must have the support of the military, so he engages in a bit of "saber rattling" to pacify the generals and admirals, and gives them the OK to attack the US. Hopefully, wiser heads will prevail. As dedicated to communism as NK's senior military officers might be, I'm sure they know that Pyongyang would look like a wasteland after a wave of US stealth bombers dropped their full loads of conventional bombs, and US stealth fighter jets took out most of NK's air force. I don't think they'd want to take that chance.
Drawscore