I drastically overstated my position by declaring that the “only” thing keeping him alive was his relationship to the Chinese. These days, he has a pretty big gun, metaphorically speaking, held to the head of South Korea.
The only reason (there I go, using that “only” word again ) that South Korea still exists as a nation is because of UN (primarily US) intervention in late June of 1950.
By December, 1950, North Korea was very much on the ropes; their capitol captured, their remaining territory divided.
The only reason (there I go again ) that North Korea still exists as a nation is because of Chinese (supported by Soviet) intervention beginning in late October and escalating through December.
You are absolutely correct that North Korea’s present conventional military forces would make any direct action against the leader of that nation, no matter how much of a lunatic he is, very, very costly to the South Korean people. I was wrong to discount it.
I still maintain, however, that if it were not for China making it very clear that it values the existence and territorial integrity of North Korea, that “The Hermit Kingdom” would long since have become a historical footnote.
What I really want, ultimately, is for their claims to have unicorns to turn out to be factually correct!
Anyone remember that scene in Iron Sky where they claim responsibility for the Nazi attack? I wish I knew how to make gifs, the response to that claim (laughter, followed by a dismissive “Sit down, North Korea”) seems rather fitting here.
It seems to me that if Team America: World Police wasn’t enough to provoke a war (spoiler: Kim Jong Il was ultimately revealed to be an evil cockroach from outer space) then we’re probably in the clear.
I am hoping that the filmmakers decide that, in the interests of international peace, they will overdub all instances of “North Korea” in the movie’s audio with “North Kerblevia”, and digitally cover all instances of the Kim Jong Un character’s face with images of Nicholas Cage.
I don’t side with North Korea, but I don’t side with Seth Rogan, either. And I rather like him, in general. I just think this movie is possibly being exploitative of the real live human people living and being abused in North Korea. But that’s just personal taste, maybe. Basically, i find it kind of tacky.
Also, just because North Korea does something, does that mean we should stoop to their level? That isn’t a sound argument.
. . . the DPRK ruling military elite and the Kim dynasty LOVE stuff like this.
The regime stays in power by stoking paranoia; This movie is inadvertantly feeding that paranoia.
“SEE? The running dog capitalist hate-mongers are out to KILL your beloved leader, the Brilliant General! Who else can improve your harvests with on-the-spot direction and tireless propagation of Juche and building of socialism toward the inevitable defeat of the puppet regime and unification proving the efficacy of the Great Leader’s founding principles and ‘military first’ policy.”
They’ve probably decided that there’s been an escalation in anti North Korea propaganda films coming out of Hollywood, and they want it to stop. Already mentioned was Team America: World Police - but hey, that’s puppets, and everyone loves puppets.
Then there was the remake of Red Dawn which was about North Koreans invading midwest America only to be fought off by plucky teens. With the Cold War over-ish, and USSR no longer available for the role, they needed a bad guy. In the remake, it was originally supposed to be China, but then got changed so that box office in China could still make bank. North Korea got next to no warning about the change in content.
So, yeah, they might be a bit tender where Hollywood is concerned, and they do so love an excuse for flexing mighty (throat) muscles.
You have to kind of wonder what North Korea’s response would be if US political leaders said something along the lines of “Ok NK, we believe you’re completely serious, and have to protect ourselves. We deeply regret having to enter a war with NK, but it has become clear that we have no other option. As a nuclear nation with a clearly unstable head of state, we believe that a swift and decisive overpowering first strike will be necessary to neutralize the threat that NK represents to the US and to it’s allies in the region. We’re moving carrier groups into the region, our nuclear submarines are on their way, and oh yeah, stealth bombers with nuclear armaments.”
(yes, completely ignoring what China and Russia’s predictable responses would be…)
You have to kind of wonder what North Korea’s response would be if US political leaders said something along the lines of "Ok NK, we believe you’re completely serious … "
The sad thing is as crazypants as he is, our military-industrial complex has been pretty wacky against NK provoking NK for a long time. All this hostility and paranoia for the USA didn’t sprout out of nowhere.
Lurching Towards War: A Post-Mortem on Strategic Patience
more:
DISCLAIMER: I think he’s a horrific person and I have no illusions about the travesties that go on in NK and, yes, I think he’s batshit.
) that South Korea still exists as a nation is because of UN (primarily US) intervention in late June of 1950.
