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Senate Asian Geopolitics

Discussion in 'Community' started by Lord Vivec, Feb 11, 2014.

  1. Violent Violet Menace

    Violent Violet Menace Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Aug 11, 2004
    Your presence is needed in the USpol thread, where everything is someone else's fault.
     
  2. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 25, 2004
    If that's true, then it's incredibly short-sighted and immoral. Are you telling me that South Korea, Japan, America, and Europe combined can't come up with the money to at least feed North Korea's population and keep them alive? And that leaving those North Koreans under that gulag of a country, and having freaking nukes pointed at us, is somehow preferable to spending the money to take care of refugees?

    Anyway, I doubt that our diplomats and policymakers are insane enough to pass up on such an opportunity if it really existed. I think such an opportunity probably doesn't exist because Kim Jong-Un isn't interested in abdicating his throne. He can't use personal well-being as an excuse because that's something we can guarantee him should he cooperate. Which goes back to my original point...I think Kim is in this not because he's worried about his survival, but because he likes being a god, so much so that he'll risk death to hold on to it.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2018
  3. Adam of Nuchtern

    Adam of Nuchtern Force Ghost star 6

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    Sep 2, 2012
  4. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000
  5. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

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    Aug 16, 2002
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  6. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 3, 2002
  7. Vaderize03

    Vaderize03 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Oct 25, 1999
    For the record, I do NOT credit Trump for this. His behavior may have prompted a “let’s sit down and talk this out before the crazy American does something stupid” moment between Korea’s two leaders, but that’s no way to run foreign policy (especially in regards to a nuclear power).

    Here’s to hoping this leads to real peace.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
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  8. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

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    Aug 16, 2002
    From Kim's uncharacteristic candidness (for a DPRK official) about the state of his country, I wonder if he and/or his advisers have been waiting for an opportunity like this. He successfully consolidated his power and made the world (the U.S. especially) take his country more seriously, so it is now time for constructive dialog that will improve the DPRK in the future, economically and diplomatically. There is also the crippling effects of sanctions and the cool relationship with the PRC to consider in North Korea's recent moves. I certainly would not credit Trump's flailing brinkmanship with bringing Kim to the table, but his acceptance of a meeting with his fellow head of state may have been a real step toward progress.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
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  9. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000
    I mean, I suspect he realized their nuclear tests could lead to a major disaster. Possibly already has led to some. China would not be okay with that. Kim had made his point that he *could* make nukes if he wants to. Now he gets to look magnanimous for giving up something he probably knew he couldn't sustain.

    Hopefully he sticks to it with Chinese pressure.
     
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  10. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 25, 2004
    Do we even know what's been agreed to yet?
     
  11. Chewgumma

    Chewgumma Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 14, 2009
    There was an article in The Guardian the other day about the release of a study that suggested that North Korea's main nuclear test site had partially collapsed, and had become too dangerous to use.

    So it's not too outlandish a theory.

    No matter what the main cause for this sudden push towards reconciliation is though, the fact that the Korean war could officially be over by the end of the year is fantastic news. I truly hope that the peace efforts stick the landing.
     
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  12. Adam of Nuchtern

    Adam of Nuchtern Force Ghost star 6

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  13. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 25, 2004
    This pretty much sums up my thoughts: https://economist.com/news/asia/21741238-moon-jae-and-kim-jong-un-seem-have-got-house-fire

    So yeah, they're saying nice things and all right now, but so far it just looks like empty talk. In order for that peace treaty to happen, somebody is going to have to give up something...and if they don't then we're right back where we started.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
  14. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

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    Aug 16, 2002
    It's completely reasonable for the DPRK to demand that foreign troops leave the peninsula as part of dialing down tensions. Despite the impression U.S. imperialism gives, it is not reasonable to station a large force in a foreign country in peactime. I don't think the people in Washington would be too happy if 20,000+ Russian or Chinese troops were 40 miles from the border in Mexico.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
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  15. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000
    Absolutely. If Korea wants us there, that's one thing. But if they feel safe and want us out to promote a better feeling of real peace and an end to the war, we should see that as a victory and move out.
     
  16. Juliet316

    Juliet316 Chosen One star 10

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    Apr 27, 2005
    Historians are going to have a heck of a time figuring out how we went from the brink of possible nuclear war to possible peace in the Korean peninsula in over four to five months.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
  17. solojones

    solojones Chosen One star 10

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    Sep 27, 2000
    Unless it's true that they had a mini nuclear disaster and realized further tests would mean something like a full on melt down.
     
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  18. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 25, 2004
    Well regardless of whether having U.S. troops in South Korea is a good thing or not, it would be a major development if they were to leave. Since this hasn't happened yet, all we're just left with a photo-op and not a deal...and as such peace probably isn't about to break out on the peninsula.
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2018
  19. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

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    Oct 13, 2003
    The most meaningful result of any possible peace treaty would be what it means for economic ties between the North and South, if diplomatic ties were semi-normalized. If they begin to work together economically, and eventually even phase-in some freedom of movement (the North would never agree to too much for too many all at once, or there'd be a mass exodus, but even something like top and mid-level NK government officials being able to get a visa to the South fairly regularly, and the same for the South into the North), then North Korea could slowly transition along a path similar to the PRC's after Mao and his Cultural Revolution. That's the kind of outcome to hope for with any peace treaty. It would be nice if the sides would stop taking pot-shots at each other every couple years, but other than that, they've been living under an effective peace treaty. What really matters is how it affects the average North Korean.
     
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  20. Alpha-Red

    Alpha-Red Chosen One star 7

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    Apr 25, 2004
    Well China's been telling North Korea for a while now "hey you should follow our example" to no avail. The problem is that the North Korean regime has been abusing its people for so long, it can no longer afford not to.
     
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  21. Lord Vivec

    Lord Vivec Chosen One star 9

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    Apr 17, 2006
    https://frontierpakistani.wordpress...imran-khan-is-nothing-like-your-donald-trump/

    When comedians like Trevor Noah or John Oliver start talking about literally anything outside of North America, it becomes pretty clear just how ignorant and lazy they are. There's this weird attempt by US comedians trying to link the new Pakistani PM Imran Khan and Donald Trump, because now everything on the planet has to be a function of how close something is to Donald Trump and these idiots end up looking stupid. This happened with John Oliver and the Mexican election as well.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2018
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  22. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

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    Aug 16, 2002
    Trump is a faux-populist and every real populist gets lazily lumped in with him.
     
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  23. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

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    Dec 12, 2006
    God, him linking AMLO to Trump based on a populist appeal was embarrassing.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2018
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  24. Diggy

    Diggy Chosen One star 8

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    Feb 27, 2013


    [face_whistling]
     
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  25. Adrian the Cool

    Adrian the Cool Jedi Master star 4

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    Sep 3, 2012
    No.

    /heels
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 3, 2019