By the way, "affect", not "effect". To affect is to influence, to effect is to cause to happen.
We most certainly can and do affect what is going on there. We have military bases in Japan and South Korea, we have defense treaties with South Korea and our economic and military interest in the region is extremely high - much higher than it is in Europe, at a minimum.
Sticking our head in the sand is the absolute worst response possible. It would be like just abdicating any influence the US has and letting the whole world erupt in war.
We most certainly can and do affect what is going on there. We have military bases in Japan and South Korea, we have defense treaties with South Korea and our economic and military interest in the region is extremely high - much higher than it is in Europe, at a minimum.
Sticking our head in the sand is the absolute worst response possible. It would be like just abdicating any influence the US has and letting the whole world erupt in war.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Oh, by the way...has anyone noticed how close the Korean peninsula is to war?
24/05/2010 02:04:12 PM
- 1096 Views
I was wondering when something would be posted about this
24/05/2010 02:49:54 PM
- 790 Views

But does North Korea really listen to China that much anymore?
24/05/2010 02:55:04 PM
- 733 Views
that might well be a good point
24/05/2010 03:20:32 PM
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The explaination I have heard...
24/05/2010 09:05:40 PM
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Kim made one of his rare trips outside of North Korea about two weeks ago.
26/05/2010 07:49:18 AM
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yah, it doesn't look to be a good situation
24/05/2010 02:50:08 PM
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If there were a war with North Korea the US has the resources to deal with it.
24/05/2010 02:56:39 PM
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mm. well I don't much like that either, to be honest.
24/05/2010 03:00:29 PM
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Still scary and you know that using those would escalate everything.
24/05/2010 03:26:12 PM
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Korea is directly in our sphere of influence
24/05/2010 03:37:18 PM
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I meant "we" in a personal sense, not a national sense.
24/05/2010 05:36:40 PM
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In a personal sense, we could hijack a nuclear silo and shoot an ICBM at Pyongyang.
24/05/2010 05:50:52 PM
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That would totally blow my cover of being a nerdy little grandma.
24/05/2010 09:37:28 PM
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A part of me says just get it over with
24/05/2010 03:21:06 PM
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I agree that if war is inevitable, it is much better to start it at a time of our choosing.
24/05/2010 03:48:36 PM
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I'm trying not to. *NM*
24/05/2010 05:25:06 PM
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I try to block it out with thought's of a puppet singing "I'm So Ronery". *NM*
24/05/2010 10:59:23 PM
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No one wants to resume the Korean War.
24/05/2010 11:27:12 PM
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China does.
25/05/2010 12:29:11 AM
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No, they don't
25/05/2010 12:54:49 AM
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Well, it would be more accurate to say they want a conflict, yes.
25/05/2010 01:15:23 AM
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No, they don't
25/05/2010 01:24:17 AM
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I'm saying the Cold War isn't over, since it was never about capitalism vs. communism to begin.
25/05/2010 01:41:28 AM
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North Korea is not acting suicidal? Are you kidding?
25/05/2010 02:41:29 AM
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The internal political dynamic in North Korea is such that they constantly need a crisis.
25/05/2010 03:03:59 AM
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You are missing the main point.
25/05/2010 03:36:37 AM
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I'm not saying it's nothing new.
25/05/2010 03:57:40 AM
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Your response highlights the ultimate problem: the crisis will have to keep getting bigger.
25/05/2010 07:44:19 PM
- 636 Views
Yes, I've been watching with morbid curiosity and a little sick feeling in my stomach.
25/05/2010 02:47:53 AM
- 735 Views