Recklessly stupid 'engagement' with the enemy...

[Nightshade]

If someone has said repeatedly that they are looking to displace you, weaken your defense and possibly kill your family- would you invite them over for dinner and show them where your daughter sleeps, show them your alarm system, HOW IT WORKS and where you keep your shotgun hidden?

The United States has done exactly this with China...

Listen if you have the stomach to hear what stupidity has guided our foreign policy and security the last number of years: http://traffic.libsyn.com/batchelorshow ... 03_27a.mp3

[flip]

First off, just when has China said any of those things? Without watching the video and off the top of my head, I would say such an action would actually be disarming to someone who wasn't sure of your intentions. A gesture of friendship. In the past, China has had more to fear from us than we have from them. It wouldn't change anything in an outright conflict anyways which would be very large scale.

[Nightshade]

1. It's not a video...

2. It might do you well to listen to the clip I linked to before replying to this thread.

[callmeslick]

hell, China needs us every bit as much as we need them. Right now, both of us should be(and I suspect, are) focused on the juvenile loon who seems to be running North Korea. One would have thought the sight of Dennis Rodman would have frightened him enough, but clearly not. Seriously, I actually worry, for the first time in decades, that there is a fool out there(beyond lone-wolf terrorist/extremist factions)willing to engage in nuclear war.

[Tunnelcat]

Hell, China steals what they want anyway. Just ask Cisco, or any other company in the U.S. We've got Clear Wire Wireless in our area and it's using equipment designs stolen from Cisco and made by a Chinese company. Now they can snoop on our private internet traffic as well.

[woodchip]

I think China understands perfectly well that if Stumpy unloads a nuke we will retaliate. At that point radiation fallout will be a concern to China as well.

[callmeslick]

Stumpy....

[Tunnelcat]

I think China understands perfectly well that if Stumpy unloads a nuke we will retaliate. At that point radiation fallout will be a concern to China as well.

You mean "Piggy" don't you?

[Nightshade]

So did anyone actually listen to the podcast I linked?

[woodchip]

No

[Nightshade]

You're losing out then. It's a very good program.

[vision]

One evening, Zen master Shichiri Kojun was reciting sutras when a thief entered his house with a sharp sword, demanding "money or life". Without any fear, Shichiri said, "Don't disturb me! Help yourself with the money, it's in that drawer". And he resumed his recitation. The thief was startled by this unexpected reaction, but he proceeded with his business anyway. While he was helping himself with the money, the master stopped and called, "Don't take all of it. Leave some for me to pay my taxes tomorrow". The thief left some money behind and prepared to leave. Just before he left, the master suddenly shouted at him, "You took my money and you didn't even thank me?! That's not polite!". This time, the thief was really shocked at such fearlessness. He thanked the master and ran away. The thief later told his friends that he had never been so frightened in his life. A few days later, the thief was caught and confessed, among many others, his thieft at Shichiri's house. When the master was called as a witness, he said, "No, this man did not steal anything from me. I gave him the money. He even thanked me for it." The thief was so touched that he decided to repent. Upon his release from prison, he became a disciple of the master and many years later, he attained Enlightenment.

[Nightshade]

The princelings of China care not for enlightenment. They only seek to gain and retain power and money. The nationalists seek to reclaim what they see as their place in the world as an empire and to settle scores with Japan.

It may bring war simply by the inertia of their heedless career brought on by these selfish and destructive impulses.

[callmeslick]

The princelings of China care not for enlightenment. They only seek to gain and retain power and money.

and, in such, they differ from your average US investment banker, how, exactly?

The nationalists seek to reclaim what they see as their place in the world as an empire and to settle scores with Japan.

and, in such, they differ from your average US neo-con, how, exactly?

It may bring war simply by the inertia of their heedless career brought on by these selfish and destructive impulses.

if the US experience is informative, you are likely correct.

[Nightshade]

The princelings of China care not for enlightenment. They only seek to gain and retain power and money.

and, in such, they differ from your average US investment banker, how, exactly?

The nationalists seek to reclaim what they see as their place in the world as an empire and to settle scores with Japan.

and, in such, they differ from your average US neo-con, how, exactly?

It may bring war simply by the inertia of their heedless career brought on by these selfish and destructive impulses.

if the US experience is informative, you are likely correct.

Believe me- there is much more to fear. US 'neocons' and investment bankers aren't ready to use nuclear weapons in a first strike on another nuclear power. These people are.

[flip]

Well, since we outsourced most manufacturing and the funk that comes with it to the Chinese , I'd be more worried about their mass exodus than I would a nuclear threat.

[callmeslick]

the likelihood of the Chinese launching a nuke strike and thus launching a massive amount of destruction onto their major source of income, at a time when their population is just starting to enjoy a 21st century affluent lifestyle is negligible.

[woodchip]

the likelihood of the Chinese launching a nuke strike and thus launching a massive amount of destruction onto their major source of income, at a time when their population is just starting to enjoy a 21st century affluent lifestyle is negligible.

Alas slick, that may be too rational. It seems China has a defense pact with NK, just like we do with SK. Now if Stumpy thinks this is just fun and games, miscalculates and induces a attack from the south and America, then China is obligated to join the fray. Nothing at that point will take into account the Chinese affluent lifestyle any more than our lifestyle would be taken into account by our govt.:

"The Chinese military activities near North Korea were detected in Jilin Province, and intelligence reports from the area on March 19 indicated that PLA forces were ordered to go to “Level One” alert status, the highest level of readiness."

"China’s military maintains a long-standing defense treaty with the North that obligates China to defend North Korea in the event it is attacked. The last time Chinese forces backed Pyongyang was during the Korean War when tens of thousands of Chinese “volunteers” drove south into the peninsula"

[callmeslick]

no nukes needed, perhaps:

[Will Robinson]

My guess is Chinese troops on the border are there to stop refugees coming north when the feces hits the fan as much as to show alleged support for the little tyrants regime.

[callmeslick]

@Will, yep, agreed....that has been an issue before. I am quite certain that no US/China conflict will result from a stupid move on NK's part.

[Spidey]

Slick, are you trying to say all that brass is actually plated steel…

[callmeslick]

it was a funny pic.....love how they have medals down the pantlegs. Amazing how many medals those old boys can accumulate, given there hasn't been active combat for over 50 years.

[callmeslick]

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/b ... kends.html

[Krom]

Heh, amusing.

That article does highlight that Kim Jong Un is both hilarious, and a bit alarming at the same time. It'd be a lot more funny if he wasn't actually commanding nuclear weapons.