Kristol and Hume Call for Targeted Air Strikes on North Korea
As you probably know, a certain number of people are down-the-line pacifists. They believe that war is wrong, no matter what the cause. And as you’ve probably realized, none of them are major newspaper columnists or television pundits focusing on national security issues. Nobody takes the views of someone who’s a pacifist in general seriously on a specific question of war and peace. But if you’re Bill Kristol, and every time an issue comes up your idea is that we should launch a war, then you get to a Washington Post columnist and a constant TV presence. Here he is with Brit Hume calling for “targeted air strikes” against North Korean missiles:
Kristol doesn’t even attempt to say what he thinks this will accomplish. He just kind of tosses it out there for no reason because arguing that the United States should start wars is what he does. And ask yourself how Kristol would react if one of Iran’s leading political pundits went on television and said that maybe “targeting suicide bombings” against American targets would be a good idea.
226 Responses to “Kristol and Hume Call for Targeted Air Strikes on North Korea”
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June 1st, 2009 at 8:44 am
Sure, why not? It’s not like that many people or U.S. troops live in Seoul, any way, and Kristol probably have sources that dispute the danger of North Korean artillery, so, yeah, go for it? After all, there’s no way anything can ever make an awful situation like North Korea worse, and in any case it’s not like Kristol would lose out no matter what warhawk actions he advocated.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:45 am
Actually, targeting the U.S. with relatively (otherwise) inconsequential acts of aggression is very smart. Someone killed 3000 Americans and destroyed two aging skyscrapers and the attack bled the treasury of over a trillion dollars as a result. A very cost effective strike if I dare say so myself. However, were the U.S. to pull a similar stunt the result would be far more muted. Other countries lose thousands of citizens yearly to all manner of misfortune and the net effect on their economy isn’t nearly so damaging. I don’t think Americans will ever get it that they’re subject to successful attacks on domestic soil by foreign aggressors. Each act will bring about similar stupidity and ruinous expenditure of blood and treasure. Two or three more events on par with 9/11 and we’d truly be well & screwed. 300 million people up on a stool, lifting their skirts and screaming like little girls as a mouse scurried about the floor beneath.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:51 am
What’s not to like for Billy Kristol? Another war makes his buddies wealthier. And as long as they don’t pick on anyone that can strike back at them particularly, like China or Russia, it’s all good.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:57 am
Of course. Bad behavior should never be deterred with actual consequences.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:08 am
shooter242 Says:
June 1st, 2009 at 8:57 am
Of course. Bad behavior should never be deterred with actual consequences.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As was so aptly demonstrated by the pardon of Caspar Weinberger and Elliot Abrams.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:13 am
@shooter242
Are you talking about NK or making Matt’s point re Kristol?
June 1st, 2009 at 9:42 am
Did none of these people watch the North Korea war simulation on Nightline several years ago? Just what about the threat to turn Seoul into a “sea of fire” do they not understand?
June 1st, 2009 at 9:43 am
It’s time for a targeted airstrike on Bill Kristol. If shooter242 also happens to be hit by accident, well, shit happens.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:13 am
“And ask yourself how Kristol would react if one of Iran’s leading political pundits went on television and said that maybe “targeting suicide bombings” against American targets would be a good idea.”
He’d be delighted of course!
June 1st, 2009 at 10:19 am
No war left behind. Kristol’s a total idiot.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:26 am
Let me get this straight. We need ballistic missile defense because we don’t think North Korea can be deterred by the prospect of total annihilation, but we should try to deter North Korea by blowing up a couple of missile sites?
June 1st, 2009 at 11:18 am
We are not North Korea’s parents. It is not our job to make them be a good little boy. It does not reflect poorly upon us if they are naughty in public.
We should be looking to promote our interests. There is currently a power struggle going on for the succession to Kim Jong Il’s de facto throne. One tactic used in this power struggle is the making of outrageous statements to try to provoke an American response. It is in our interest to make that as unrewarding a tactic as possible. Real, but low-key precautions to prepare for the small but non-negligible possibility of North Korean aggression is the right course.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:24 am
No, dude, we don’t need to do all this ‘thinkin’ about what the likely consequences of one or another policy option are — we just got to make sure that they know we’re willing to ‘punish’ people.
Making an effective argument for a carefully thought out policy and dealing with its likely consequences is gay and surrendercrat and a new Neville Chamberlain. Duh.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
Transport Kristol and Hume to N. Korea to mark the targets for the airstrikes that they think should happen.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
WEll if china would get up off it’s ass and invade N,Korea then it would be a moot point because already has nukes ,we owe them billions and don’t want a war with them untill it’s time to pay back all the money we’ve been begging from them
os sure it would give us a great propaganda tool to use against the chinese before we go to war with them….you know the stuff like the yellow peril is threatening the worlds freedom excedra
June 1st, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Saying that this is strutting for right of succession does not take into account the insanity of the person ruling North Korea, nor does it take into account the mindset of people like him. One of the biggest failures of Liberal America is underestimating what people from different cultures are willing to do. With only rare exceptions, the greatest deterrent has been our enemies being aware of our potential and willingness to destroy them. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these people have the moral or religious idealism that we do to make them hesitate. They won’t, as 9/11 proved.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Truman should have listened to MacArthor decades ago about
North Korea and we would not have this problem today.
As far as China back then, a couple more A bombs would
have kept them out of the picture.
North Korea is like a spoiled child, You can only try to
reason with them so long, then it is time to pull their
pants down and smack their behind.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:15 pm
EL Sid said First off its always easy for someone to yell Neville Chamberlain and rush to start a war when its nowhere near your home and none of your friends and family will be killed or left homeless by a war in a nation north and south korea combined that could fit inside of california with a little breathing room to spare. Second its using the gay card to put someone down for wanting to use diplomatic avenues make me think that you are plain uninformed and just childish. This is not high school and the football field where you bully someone with a different opinion this is a real life situation with real life people who will loose their lives, their families and dignity if this goes sour for them
June 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Sam: I was adopting a sarcastic tone. Those are not my views. This should have been obvious.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Is there any one who thinks that the lunatic “Dear leader” never calculated the possibility of U.S missile strike when he tested the nuke? common! that’s what he wants. And why would we give him a confirming evidence to use it?
June 1st, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Bill Kristol’s thoughts don’t merit repeating.
In fact, it is detrimental to repeat them. Repetition creates plausibility. Which is why the canard of Iran building an atomic weapon has some currency among the cognoscenti – in spite of zero evidence.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Nukem till they glow then shoot them in the dark.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:43 pm
What’s really sad is that all a U.S. pundit has to do to look prudent is call for “targeted” strikes. That sounds to many Americans like a careful, measured response.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:48 pm
NK’s test missiles should be shot down as they leave their airspace. No data, no program. Plus, if no missiles survive, test or otherwise, then no threat from them exists. If they attempt retaliation with that legendary artillery barrage, well, I don’t imagine there will be one. If even you and I know that artillery threat exists, then our intelligence has a plan to deal with it.
Or, are we ready to let them continue until they just naturally arrive at a point in time when they decide to unleash their proven weaponry into full-scale war to take back the entire peninsula?
June 1st, 2009 at 12:55 pm
what a bunch of fags
what part of of the equation do you not understand?
doing nothing will not impede the n. korean assault on seoul and japan
chamberlain chambermaids
the world will be getting f”"ed up soon thanks to you putzs putting a
bleeding hearted turd in office
get real
June 1st, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Yeah, we liberals actually thought that the people of Iraq would kill each other if the central government were removed! And we didn’t think any of them would greet us as liberators, either! Shows what WE know!
June 1st, 2009 at 1:01 pm
Its odd we are so worried about North korea because we are so exposed to there rocket range.On the other hand we are not at all worried about Iran who has promised to wipe Israel off the map.We have told Israel to not attact Iran and have given Iran a free pass to develope the bomb. Hopefully Israel has the right leadership to see through this and take care of themselfs.NEVER EVER EVER AGAIN
June 1st, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Vet whose been there writes:
This is totally incoherent, and totally backwards. As should be obvious, in this particular case the only people who could be accused of underestimating what North Korea is willing to do are those like Kristol who are calling for limited military action. For whatever reason, they believe that NK would be unwilling to react by unleashing the well known worst-case scenario (assault on Seoul, etc.); otherwise, a call for targeted air strikes would be utterly nonsensical.
By way of contrast, concern about what North Korea might be “willing to do” has been a major reason that more reputable policymakers from both the Bush and Obama administrations have avoided military responses thus far.
Rather than reciting canned slogans about how naive liberals don’t appreciate the evil intentions of the dreaded “people from different cultures,” maybe you could come up with an argument that actually has a vague connection to the factual reality of the situation.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:02 pm
When I heard this I immediately remembered a report the Pentagon did a few years back that indicated at least 20 million dead on both sides of the DMZ within the first hour.
Seoul has around 25 million people and is in range of one of the worlds largest artillery and missle encampments just 30 miles away.
William Kristol, Britt Hume, and Marra Liasson all should have their collective heads examined. Unless the US wants all out war with North Korea, targeted missle strikes should be the last thing on any sane individuals mind. We are not dealing with a military on the brink of self destruction (Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia) when we discuss N Korea; Rather, a Military regime which has put most of its GDP into weapons, and preperation for war with the south and the US.
All in all just another day at Faux news. Cranking out fear and hysteria, along with some really, really bad ideas.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:04 pm
steve duncan u are a moron. the reaction to 911 has cost the terrorists 100 times more death and loss then the 3000 we lost in the towers. In fact they have lost a alli in iraq and there major stronghold in afganistan..they where a multilayered organization with alot of influence in afganistan bases and control over large parts of the country.
to now hiding in caves getting there asses shot off everyrtime they stick there head out ..to a almost runing joke of what they once where, losing ground in pakistan and afganistan.soon there will be one idiot left with a hand gun
shouting death to america while ppl walk by and lol at him.
they are done!! now or in the immediate future. that is the legacy of 911 if the morons could have forseen this they would have tried to kiss america’s ass instead lol
June 1st, 2009 at 1:08 pm
It’s amazing how so many Liberals think leaving nutjobs like NK’s leader alone will make the “imaginary” problem go away. Hitler duped millions of people while the U.S. and other nations sat idly by and did nothing while he forcefully gobbled up lesser nations that didn’t have the means to defend themselves against him. someone finally woke-up to the real world situation and realized that Hitler had a calculated plan to take over other nations that initially he couldn’t defeat militarily. It’s terrible that people still thing pacifying your enemy works to anyone’s benefit.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:11 pm
My understanding is that the NKs have dug their artillery in the point where it’s safe (at least for awhile) from anything less than nuclear strikes.
If our “intellegence” has some secret plan that can stop this, I can’t imagine what it would be. We’re talking about short range rockets, with no fancy guidance systems that only have to be accurate enough to hit a city. If you can’t move Seoul and you can’t destroy the launchers, at least not in time, I don’t know what you could do.
So……you think Kim Jong Il is going to start trying to nuke South Korea? If he does that, I guess we nuke him back until the threat of more nukes going south is over, hopefully without everyone on the Korean penisula dying. That would be what’s called the worse case scenario.
You’d hope he’s not crazy enough to do that and NK is apparently oil-starved to the point where it couldn’t really move its army to invade the south in any modern way.
He’s generally behaved like a dictator who mostly wants to remain a dictator. The nukes are there to scare anyone from trying to move against him. If he was just a crazy person who wanted to nuke east Asia to see the glow, I guess he’d have done it by now, no?
June 1st, 2009 at 1:16 pm
You sniveling pacifist are a pathetic JOKE! You kick the aggressor teeth in. That’s how you deal an aggressors. Were the leaders of the free world and we have a duty to defend the word from tyrannical governments. what part don’t you fools understand about how to insure peace. PATHETIC!
June 1st, 2009 at 1:16 pm
The two Korea’s are just like the US and Russia were decades ago. They both are currently deterred by a “mutually assured destruction” if the other acts in a hostile manner. Everyone is talking about the North’s capabilities with no mention of South Korea’s capability. SK has just as many artillery sites around it’s peninsula aimed at NK and has sustainability well beyond that of NK who will rely on it’s intial barrage to determine victory. Either way, loss of life will be tremendous no matter what the outcome.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:18 pm
trent:
June 1st, 2009 at 1:24 pm
I think now is the time to push Korean Unification. We could buy out Kim Jong Il and his family for a few billion dollars and a five-movie hollywood deal. Kim could command his poeple to accept Unification while he sill has the power. I wish we would have thought of buying out Saddam Hussien. We could have paid for a nice villa in the south of france for him, and for elections and economice aid for Iraq. We could have accoplished much more and never sent any American boots to that ground. I wonder how many think this approach is less moral than going to war?
June 1st, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Man, and I thought the lynching thread was sophisticated.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Lovely posts all here! Hey, anybody care what the South Koreans think? Millions dead on their side sounds kinda rough but I’m just a stupid liberal tree-hugging pacifist so what do I know?
June 1st, 2009 at 1:51 pm
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning. It’s the smell of… victory.”
June 1st, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Kristol almost certainly believes that no war would result from the air strikes he advocates, much as Curtis LeMay thought that the Soviets would roll over if we bombed the missile sites in Cuba. The theory is that, if our side seems crazy enough, the other side is sure to blink. That in a game of chicken, if we resolve not to swerve, the other side inevitably will.
What happens if the other side has adopted the exact same strategy is left as an exercise for the reader.
June 1st, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Actually KC MacArthur told Truman we should never get into a war on the Asian landmass period. That was I believe after Korean War before Vietnam and reiterated several times to every president since then and MacArthur was right we should not get into a war on the asian landmass. WE WOULD NOT WIN!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:03 pm
NUKE THE BASTARDS, quit fooling around with them, show Kim Jong
He is just another LITTLE RUNT in this big world.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:03 pm
It’s terrible that people still thing pacifying your enemy works to anyone’s benefit.
Does SFC stand for “stupid fucking cretin”? Because you’re clearly not retired from that job.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I believe we should let the Koreans do what they want.Then tell the Chinese that they have 90 days to dismantle the Korean Nukes or we will let and encourage the Japanese to start their own nuclear program.That would scare the crap out of the Chinese.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
After we bomb North Korea & war brakes out, do you think Kristol can convince his son to fight in this one?
All these neocon chickenhawk military no-shows, (Bennett,Romney,Frist,Medved,Miller,Prager) to name a few, who cheerleaded us into Iraq by telling us that it was a war against barbarism. Yet, none of their kids signed up to fight for civilization. They where willing witness men & women, some
in their thirties, married, & with children do 2 & 3 tours of duty imposed by the stop loss program. So their S&D’s can do what? These ScmBgs are so cavalier with other peoples sons & daughters.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:07 pm
How about we send in stealth bombers laden with food, battery operated phones and on-line devices packaged with detailed instructions and web sites to visit first. “Sprinkle” them throughout the most famished and thinly populated areas. Lots of them. Small pods. Buoyant, bouncy, bowls full of goodies…food and communication gadgets (solar rechargers?)…maybe the size of a snow saucer…inflated chambers like the Mars lander.
A one time major operation carried out with the same seriousness as if we were going to drop the big one on them. No big hurry, but let’s do it while little Napolean, if no one else in his country, still knows he’s a mosquito. How will he retaliate? Against his own, no doubt. Sorry about that He won’t live long enough to stomp it out.
Or we can do the Kristol/Bush/Cheney thing. Why try to win minds when endless killing works so well? After all, Iraq was a done deal the day a srutting, buffoonish deserter landed on an aircradt carrier. The thankful populace has been throwing flowers at our guys ever since.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Hello to every reader out there:
I don’t know exactly what can be done to stop North Korean communist regime about going further ahead with its long-range missiles, but something has to be done and the faster the better.
Air strikes are a good option as well as it keeps away from civilians.
Julio Glez Jr.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Axis of Evil!
Preventive War!
Iraq -> NK -> Iran
June 1st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I beg your pardon Mr. Iglesias but I believe technically speaking we ARE at war with North Korea. True there hasn’t been much shooting for 56 years but you might give a nod to that inconvenient truth. Secondly what exactly do you propose be done with North Korea? Perhaps offer Kim Jong-Il the entire cast of a broadway show or two in exchange for him giving up his nuclear weapons? Should there not atleast be a threat of airstrikes to further pursuade him? Or do you recommend we simply sit on our hands and let North Korea do whatever it likes, thereby maing a mockery of US foreign policy and basically tearing up the principal of non proliferation. Perhaps you might go to N. Korea yourself to personally plead for Kim to act more multilaterally. American Journalists are quite in demand there lately I hear. Oh and Mr. Iglesias I know its difficult for you to wrap your mind around but Iran and North Korea are far different animals than say the United States.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
The only thing war prevents is peace, you moron.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Let’s kill everyone in the world except Kristol and Hume, and then let these two fight it out with swords. Then the winner has to cannibalize the other and wear his skull as a necklace.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Can we have a post-attack plan before we do this one? In Iraq, we knew we could get to Bagdahd, but had no plan on what to do later. We were told it would cost 90Billion, but has cost 1 Trillion so far. So if we use the Bush Doctrine here of attacking a country because it is a gathering threat, can we know what Kristol believes the result would be and how he would deal with it? If we strategically attack some sites and N. Korea fires it 18,000 pieces or artillery at Seoul, which for you educated people is a about 15 miles from the border and has 10 Million people, how do we protect them? Or do we just let a few hundred thousand die. Then, when that happens, do we invade N. Korea with its 1 million man army that while not greatly equipped is fanatical. How many casualties will we incur? 100,000? Do we have enough men to do the job? If we nuke them, we will have to make sure the wind is not blowing east so the fallout won’t hit China. And what if N. Korea attacks Japan?
But, I am sure Kristol and Hume think we will shoot off a few missiles and N. Korea will do nothing because they fear us and the free world will be safe. We can then do the same to Iran and they will not attack Israel or anything because we will have done a “Mission Accomplished”.
Talk is cheap. War isn’t.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:22 pm
If we spent 3 minutes all across the U.S.at the same time laughing at the bluster and idiocy of NK. wouldn’t that make us feel better and the nk
’s feeling humiliated? They don’t care about threats, they care about whether they are respected. Right? It’s all about Respect? Honor? Humiliate them! denigrate them, undercut their National pride, they’re a house of cards…let’s just huff and puff and blow their house down with laughter!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:33 pm
While I don’t usually pay attention to Trackbacks, I think it would sometimes be nice to know where are the nutjobs and retards are flying in from when they arrive en masse.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I’d say, lock them in an upper floor of the Grand Intercontinental Hotel Seoul with a TV camera and a nice view out the window of the city. THEN have them advocate for “targeted bombing” of N. Korea.
Do not release them from their room until North Korea has turned Seoul into a smoking ruin. And, hey, they won’t have to pay for pilfering the mini bar!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Mr.Lopez,
Please tell me your plan. Here is mine. Continue to isolate N. Korea making it harder to get weapons and nuclear components. Tell N. Korea that we will deem any nuclear attack on the U.S. or it allies, even if by terrorists, as an act of N. Korea and we will flatten it (Unilateral Assured Destruction). Continue to find ways to get the young people of N. Korea into the 21st Century using institutions like Radio free Europe. Not over-react to provocative conduct by N. Korea. Continue to bolster S. Korea to make its economy strong as an example to the people of N. Korea. And, if we are under an IMMINENT threat of attack, we have a right to strike first with all the power we have. But exercizing this right should come with the understanding that thousands and thousands will die and the attack is absolutely the last hope.
You know, we defeated the Soviet Union that had thousands of Nukes on ballistic missles without firing a shot.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Yes. Finally people are making some sense. Let us start WWIII while the Russians are on our side!
If the Russkies do not attack us we survive. The Chineses can not wipe us out by themselves. They can kill only about half the inhabitants of the United States, roughly 165 million Americans, give or take several million.
In contrast, the United States can kill everything that walks or crawls on mainland China. That is 1.3 billion people. All gone. As a bonus, we also eliminate the $2 trillion debt we have with China because there would be no one left to pay.
Yes, the peoples of the Korean peninsula would cease to exist. An unfortunate sacrifice. But that is only 70 million people, and 40% of them are commies.
All this is a small price to pay to teach Kim Jong-il the lesson, “don’t fuck with us.”
June 1st, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Jesus Christ, did Pam Atlas link to this or something?
June 1st, 2009 at 2:42 pm
You have to love the paper tiger rhetoric here. North Korea can be easily cowed by a few missile strikes, with no negative consequences…and we’d better do it soon, because they’re a deadly threat that will stop at nothing to terrorize the entire world.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Funny how the “let’s kick some ass” contingent on this board hasn’t commented at all on the certainty that KJI will respond to tactical strikes, or strikes of any kind, with massive conventional missiles and artillery on Seoul, a metropolis of 20+ million people. A minimum of half a million civilians would die within a few hours, and likely millions in total once it’s over. Because of this response, tactical strikes would immediately turn into total war, one that might suddenly include China and Russia. The US would surely win, but not without tremendous, WWII level cost to human life. Is that worth it? Just to “show some punk who’s boss?”
June 1st, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Sure, as long as his children and his grandchildren are first on the front!!! You have got to love all these media and so called experts calling for strikes and action yet they and their loved ones sit comfortably in the USA!!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Okay, who let the clown car in?
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these people have the moral or religious idealism that we do to make them hesitate.
Yeah, North Korea is notorious for its religious fervor.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Scratch my last comment. I misread what “Vet whose been there” had written. But as it turns out, what he actually wrote is even more ludicrous!
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these people have the moral or religious idealism that we do to make them hesitate. They won’t, as 9/11 proved.
I’d say 9/11 was a classic example of religious idealism.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Those of you (darin guidry, arch angel, etc.) whose philosophy adds up to “BOMB them all” seem to be forgetting the consequences of actions. There is a reason North Korea’s next door neighbor, our ALLY, South Korea doesn’t want us to bomb North Korea, and no it’s not because they’re Liberal or Gay or any other simple minded bumper sticker philosophy. The reason the people who’d be most affected by us bombing North Korea don’t want us to is they are aware and afraid of the consequences of such small minded tactics. Seoul and it’s 25 million citizens burning in an inferno, nuclear fallout, full scale war like we haven’t seen since WW2, etc.
A small side note, Nuclear fallout knows no borders, “Anyone for another fallout burger kids”.
How about if we just “NUKE ‘EM ALL AND LET GOD SORT ‘EM OUT”, or better yet, let’s send a voluntary force of the NRA, Republican Hawks, and other War Mongering commentators, armed with their “for home defense” assault rifles to storm the borders of North Korea. Or are these War Mongering folks just full of crap and afraid of backing up their talk “we have a duty to defend the world from Tyrannical governments”
What we have a duty of is defending the citizens of America and the world from NUT JOBS like KRISTOL and his BOMB them all supporters.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I agree that just throwing out the idea of airstrikes without apparent justification is idiotic, but how is this any better?
Middle East political pundits go on the air and say this all the time. If the threat is credible, we hope our leaders take it seriously. If it’s the Middle East equivalent of Bill Kristol just bloviating, we hope they don’t. This is politics.
Imagine that at the time the Middle Eastern commentator makes the inflammatory statement Washington has just unilaterally and without apparent provocation torn up a treaty with Iran and threatened war. No doubt Kristol will still be offended, but will you? There is commentary and there is bloviating – and yes, there is a difference such that calling for airstrikes is not automatically in the latter category.
June 1st, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Here we go again. Trying to tell a soveriegn country what they can and cannot do. If this is the way they decide to protect themselves, then so be it.
The U.S. has the most nuclear weapons on the planet, how hypocritical to tell another country that they should not.
If Kristol feels it necessary to bomb, let him do it, or let his kids do it, NOT ours.
War mongers all!!!!!
June 1st, 2009 at 2:59 pm
When the economy is as bad as it is and certainly getting worse Obama will need another distraction so at a time of his choosing, probably next fall he will do what billy boy Clinton did and drop a few bombs. Hopefuly he got a Lewinsky for spending $26,000 of tax payer money on the date with
Michelle.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
What you America haters fail to appreciate is that the bombed-out husks of Koreans will greet us as liberators.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Bill Kristol was one of the original neo-cons that came over from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party when they couldn’t sell their 1985 plan for the destruction of all military forces that were threatening Israel. The designers of the plan were Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Richard Perle, etc. (http://911review.org/Sept11Wiki/Perle,Richard.shtml) The Republicans rejected it too until Kristol,et al. hit upon using fundamentalist Christians, like George W Bush, to support the plan. It then became a holy war. Kristol is a hateful warmonger and his allegiance is not to the U.S., but rather to Israel. He will gleefully watch the blood of Americans flow for his true homeland.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Kristol knows EXACTLY where we should strike.
After all, he probably has stock in the companies that would do the rebuilding.
This is the American way of war now. Convince the American public they are in imminent danger with no evidence as to how, bomb the bejeus out of the country, send 100’s of billions of freshly minted US dollars in plastic wrapped pallets, and watch it disappear off of the back of C-130 as CIA stoolies load it back up with cheap, high grade heroin destined for the slums of Europe and the American inner cities.
Oh wait, that’s not new at all…
June 1st, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Let me see if I’ve got this right….The ‘pacifists’ would like to leave NK alone, and the hawks would like to nuke them, yes? Let’s take a look at history…(not a bad idea I think!) Let’s look at some of the most demonic meglomanics of the 20th century. What if Hitler had nukes? Don’t like Hitler? How about Josef Stalin? Both nations (Germany and Russia) molded themselves around their leaders like cheap suits. We could have stopped Nazi Germany prior to WWII, but we didn’t (we were ‘isolationists’, remember?)
What good does it do anyone if you’re starving but refuse to go to the cupboard and fix yourself something to eat? Frankly that would be rather insane, correct?
Let’s look at our history (in the US). We built the bomb, and WE USED IT! Do I want yet another war? Hell no! I guess the ultimate question should be this…Are we really willing to wait until NK can hit LA, or Seattle or Washington, DC? NK’s meglomaniac appears commited to commit genocide on a horrific level. I suggest that someone in ’skunk works’ come up with a plan to illiminate their leader in some quiet way…like blowing up his palace (with him in it). Message sent…..
Kent
Portland, Oregon
June 1st, 2009 at 3:10 pm
REF: This Machine Kills Fascists Says: June 1st, 2009 at 2:03 pm
It’s terrible that people still thing pacifying your enemy works to anyone’s benefit.
Does SFC stand for “stupid fucking cretin”? Because you’re clearly not retired from that job.
————————————————————-
Great Post TMKF, spoken like the true ignorant, Left-Wing FOOL that has nothing to say but just must say something!!!
Now why don’t you try to explain where in history pacification worked?
June 1st, 2009 at 3:10 pm
If you idiots were in the real world (and not with one up your rear from the UN), you would realize someone has to do something about their nukes- neither repubes or democraps have done anything thus far. Join the real world- people hat each other and find better ways to kill or threaten- we have to head them off at the pass.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:13 pm
if u wana know what is going on in nkorea…GO WATCH TEAM AMERICA!
June 1st, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Those morons who would call us hypocrites because we have maintained the supreme nuclear arsenal are dangerous. The only thing that has kept freedom alive is what in Ronald Reagan’s words…”We will maintain a military so strong that no one will dare raise a hand against us”
Maintaining a lesser military promotes the chances for war. It is this stance and this type of thinking that had brought on the original Korean war. The North had perceived that the South was too weak to defend itself. This perception and the fools that had allowed the perception to exist, are responsible for the deaths of millions.
All of the morons who would call for a weaker American posture will have blood on their hands.
jay Pister
June 1st, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I definitely agree with Kristol. I’m not saying we wouldn’t get our hair mussed. But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops, depending on the breaks.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:33 pm
It’s funny how all of you dimwits are focusing on the missiles… the real issue here is the nukes. You don’t need a missile to deliver a nuke.
What’s to stop them from loading up a nuke on a frieghter and sailing it into a US port and detonating it. If you think that we could easily counter that you’d be sadly mistaken.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:40 pm
There comes a time in one’s life that a decision must be made to do the right thing, even if it may kill you. Rather than sit on our butts in denial that we are going to be hit again a thousand times worse than 9/11, we had better start neutralizing the nuclear threats before it happens. We have the power and the ability to do this. Those that say, “Violence only leads to more violence.” are uneducated to warfare. Ineffective, unfocused violence leads to more violence. Limp, panicky, half measures lead to more violence. However, complete, fully thought through, professional, well-executed violence never leads to more violence because, you see, afterwards, the other guys are all dead. That’s right, dead. Not “on trial,” not “reeducated,” not “nurtured back into the bosom of love.” Dead. We need to reintroduce fear into the hearts of the tyrants of the world with the knowledge that life, as they know it will cease to exist if they attempt any attack. Isn’t it time we, as a Nation, the Greatest, most powerful Nation on Earth, stop allowing ourselves to be sucker punched and take it to these murderous bastards in any way, shape or form that will get the job done? Isn’t it time we wipe off the face of the earth these Islamic militants and other crazies that have twisted their minds to allow the murder of innocent men, women and children? I, as an American citizen, encourage our government and our military to use any method necessary to defeat once and for all this evil, including the wholesale and widespread use of every weapon in our arsenal.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
SFC,
How about a couple of easy examples where pacifism worked: Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian revolution through passive resistance. And another person you may have heard of, Jesus Christ was a confirmed pacifist. Which makes it all the more ironic that so many “Christians” are the first to line up and yell “Nuke ‘em”. My question to them remains, “Who would Jesus kill?”
June 1st, 2009 at 3:49 pm
[...] http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/06/kristol-and-hume-call-for-targeted-air-strikes-on... [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
NK’s immediate response to air strikes would be invasion of SK with its million man army. Does Kristol not realize that? Or does he not care? It may be that such an invasion could be repelled (the demilitarized zone is heavily mined, and the NK troops would be under constant aerial bombardment; so charging into SK might be like Picket charging across the field at Gettysburgh; but Seoul would be under incredible artillery shelling, large sections would be destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of SK civilians would be killed).
June 1st, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I guess getting all those millions of Koreans and potentially Japanese people killed is really worth blowing up a few missiles. Look what happened the last time we underestimated the resolve of people willing to fight and die….i.e. Vietnam, even Iraq and Afganistan….Its that kind of arrogance that get’s us in crap. The “con” clowns still do not realize that these countries are ready and willing to sacrifice potentially millions to win. We are not nor should we unless it is the direst of circumstances. There is a huge difference between being a pacifist and being prudent in the exercise of foreign policy. Some people here think an all out war with NK some how won’t involve Russia and China getting in the fight against us. How stupid are you?
June 1st, 2009 at 4:01 pm
As long as people like Steve Duncan think that only Americans died on 9/11 and ignore the fatalities of the 50 other nations that occurred that day then we will never understand what the full impact on world civilization and the free economy was when the terrorists took over the planes with the permission of the American airlines who did nothing to beef up security because they didn’t want to reduce their profitability rates.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:10 pm
SEXUAL HEALING!!!! Make love NOT war!!! HUGS NOT DRUGS!!
It is a testament to the power of the media that I am here or even writing this. This guy Kristol is pointless. FOX is “jolt journalism” at work. Hume is a geek who became a Republican in order to make friends.
I say, fuckem.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:13 pm
We have been developing a missile defense system for the U.S. for a long time now. Every time we want to test the missile defense system, we have to spend US $ to launch a target missile and then spend more US $ to shoot it down. In fact we have USN ships with similar capabilities and targeting radars on patrol right now, probably even in the Sea of Japan; for that matter Japan has similar ships in the JMSDF. Perhaps we can “test” our missile defense system at the exact same moment that North Korea launches its next short range missile test. This approach provides at least 3 benefits; 1) we can test against a “live” target, to really test the full capabilities of our system; 2) we demonstrate the we are serious about the NK missile threat; and 3) that we will react STRONGLY to any aggression that threatens U.S. interests (and an attack on South Korea, Japan, or Alaska CLEARLY falls into U.S. interests), and we can do all of this without violating any airspace or territorial boundaries. If we use a little diplomacy Japan could do this “test”, and no one in the international arena would question their rights of self defense.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:14 pm
this is 2009 not the 1960’s its not up to us americans
to be the world police.
we have the u.n for that. let them handle it.
we have enough problems with iraq, iran pakistan, afghistan,
israel…do we really need more problems?
June 1st, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Barry O might bomb him……..after all he is not a muslim
June 1st, 2009 at 4:19 pm
It is 2009, and the U.S. has an obligation to protect OUR interests. The U.N. will not look out for any country at all. The folly that is the U.N. created North and South Korea, and the U.N. has no “teeth” nor will to get anything done at all. Our interests do not just include U.S. soil, but our economic trading partners, and trade routes as well.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:31 pm
We should face the fact that nuc’s are easy to build and easy to come by. More and more countries will gain the techonlogy. We can’t stop countries like Iran and N. Korea from making nucs forever. And terrorists will eventually get a nuc. We are likely to be attacked by a nuc (either a dirty bomb or a real bomb) on our own soil some day. America needs to be a real super power. Do the things that are hard. Protect the innocent. Protect freedom. Pre-emptive strike on those nuc bearing countries that advocate destruction of a people or nation.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Why don’t we start by having him volunteer his services to the military and sending this BOLD MAN to the front lines.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Any action suggested by anyone to secure the U.S. might interfere with “date night” for the Obama’s. sic – what a hipocrite the president is…
June 1st, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Njorl and SFC Retired have the best thoughts. Find out who is on the ascent in North Korea and try to work with them. Cooperate with China as necessary, the Chinese don’t want a war or one million war refugees. Admittedly NK is a bizarre place, but beats a nuke exchange and we can always go military. And (SFC) is also correct, the ROK military (South Korea) is first class. They should determine when and who starts a fight assuming it is not thrust upon them.
Finally to those who call the right “chicken hawks”, your guy is in office and is ramping up in Afghanistan. He’s going to try a “surge”, but — unlike Bush’s — Barry doesn’t have a plan. Regardless, THIS is the war your side said we needed. Head on down to the Recruitment Center and sign up – or have YOUR kids do so. Or just shut up and enjoy the freedom better men have bequeathed you.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Captain Noble,
Of course I like to say Hallo.
POE.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:41 pm
North Korea DOES pose a very big threat to a stable region of allies in the northeast Asia. Also not to mention that NK are allies with some of our most threatening enemies . This is not some isolated wasteland like Iraq where oil is the only thing at stake. South Korea and Japan are especially threatened. However, the US is going to have to take a back seat to this issue and let these countries and maybe even Russia and China decide a course of action and not put this region in even more danger.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:42 pm
REF: Independant thinker Says:
June 1st, 2009 at 3:41 pm
SFC,
How about a couple of easy examples where pacifism worked: Mahatma Gandhi led the Indian revolution through passive resistance. And another person you may have heard of, Jesus Christ was a confirmed pacifist. Which makes it all the more ironic that so many “Christians” are the first to line up and yell “Nuke ‘em”. My question to them remains, “Who would Jesus kill?”
——————————————————————
Nice try IT. However, please let us know how Gandhi’s “passive resistance” resembles any of the pacifist’s methods proposed in today’s global environment? Totally irrelevant and not applicable since there’s no ‘revolution’ brewing here. Our pacificist’s goals are to understand the enemy’s grievances with us (not confront them in any way) and take no action whatsoever to protect the innocent lives that are targeted.
Oh, and the Jesus argument . . . He’s dead!!! The end result of pacification (regardless of which form death takes – moral, physical, ethical, etc.,) and the failure of those empowered to take the correct action [Judas].
June 1st, 2009 at 4:44 pm
It’s time for Kristol and Hume to put on uniforms! Put their backsides where their mouths are!
June 1st, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Steve Duncan – go to hell
June 1st, 2009 at 4:54 pm
[...] Yglesias makes another interesting point. [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 4:56 pm
Let China and Russia clean up their own damn mess. They armed this fruit loop anyway, let them take the hit.
June 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm
If a nation wants to play with missiles within their territory (including international water), we should have no issues with them. But any “fly-over” of another country without permision should result in a shoot-down.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Come on Peter McLean,
“He’s going to try a “surge”, but — unlike Bush’s — Barry doesn’t have a plan. Regardless, THIS is the war your side said we needed. Head on down to the Recruitment Center and sign up – or have YOUR kids do so. Or just shut up and enjoy the freedom better men have bequeathed you”
Bush had a plan??? Come again, who had a plan, do you beleive you’re own propaganda or are you smoking the Hippie Lettuce!
“This is the war your side said we needed”
??? Slight review of history, YOUR CHICKEN HAWKS got us into these wars and then decided they we’re too busy liberating Iraq to finish the war on those who attacked us (Islamic militants in Afghanistan & Pakistan) and now you’re saying it’s not your war!!!
“Or just shut up and enjoy the freedom better men have bequeathed you.”
Who needs the Constitution and it’s stinkin’ freedom of speech. We need more CHICKEN HAWKS to liberate the world from the pathetic Liberals.
In fact why don’t we show North Korea that we’re serious by nuking, oh I don’t know how about the bastion of all things that threaten Amerika – CALIFORNIA!!! That would show the world that we’re not making idle threats, we’ll NUKE anyone who scares our CHICKEN HAWKS.
Time to grow up folks, we can’t threaten or fight our way out of this mess. The world that we are “protecting” doesn’t want the kind of protection that involves starting wars and bombing civilians. Our vital interest are not being served by making enemies of our allies.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
think of this picture, a us nuke sb off the coast of n korea three officers on the conning tower one says to the other onelook 6 empty tubes,six mushroom clouds, an the one officer says to the other one now its miller time, the want a nuke i say give them some ,that lil sawed off dwarf in charge of n korea has been doing this,for years,starving his peeps ,an for the isreal,turn them loose on iran our plate is full right now joe
June 1st, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Well, we could air strike NK and then let them dump half a million artillery rounds per hour for the next 48 hours on the 30,000 US troops and 25 million South Koreans in Seoul, then send in US troops…from somewhere…to confront their 120,000 Special Forces – two of which infiltrated SK from a sub some years back, were hunted for 53 days and killed 11 of their pursuers.
All this for a country that is ZERO threat to the United States since they have no missiles that can reach the US AND carry a warhead (although they could deliver a nuke via submarine) and won’t have for decades to come.
OR we could, maybe, you know, give them some food, fuel, a light water reactor in exchange for abandoning their nuclear weapons. In other words, the deal Bill Clinton made nearly twenty years ago, then reneged on, along with Bush.
The only thing Kim cares about is maintaining his hold on power and selecting one of his sons to do the same. It’s cheaper to let him have that hold by supplying North Korea with what it needs and otherwise ignoring the country than trying to force him to get along by bombing the country.
And by the way, China would not like the US invading the North and establishing an occupation on its borders. If you want a repeat of the original Korean war – with a nuclear China – go ahead.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:13 pm
hmmm, the recurring idea I’m seeing is that war is bad, and we should all hold hands and play games and sing songs.
Mind you I’m not against that, I like being able to metaphorically sit back, and scratch my massive testicles, or ovaries (before the PC’s attack me)
However, I wonder how far this “turning the other cheek”, attitude will last.
Someone walks up to you, insults you to your face,
fine, you let it go,
they load up on weapons and head back up to you again,
fine, no big deal
do they REALLY have to whack you a good one until you take the hint that they’re going to cause you harm?
In other words for the slower contestants, is it REALLY necessary for a missile to land on American soil before the government will up and DO something about them?
Are we STILL stuck in pre-WWII mindset? in this day and age where we have information coming out the proverbial colon?
Do you want a picture of their missile, time dated, and a live streamed video of their engineer pushing the launch button…a satellite play by play of the warhead coming down through American airspace and landing in your roof before you’ll think…”hmmm, maybe we should have done something?”
christ
bless all forms of life…unless it runs/flies/drags itself into high speed traffic and think it’ll go around
Xyc
June 1st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
You people should all learn how to spell properly. How can anyone take any of you seriously when you can’t even spell?!
June 1st, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Seriously. Bill Kristol is a major tool with not even a basic idea of foreign policy concerns. He says what he says just to focus attention on himself. Of course bombing N. Korea or starting a war with them is exactly what the N. Koreans want us to do. Then we’d spend billions of dollars “rebuilding” the country. Of course with the current economic situation, and the liklihood we’d screw it up, like we have with every war we’ve fought since WWII, they may actually win. I hope Kristol likes kimchee.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
” the real issue here is the nukes. ”
Yep. The nukes they haven’t got. The last time NK set off an underground test, they were all over the airwaves trumpeting how wonderful their shiny new nuke was. And the experts figured it was a hoax. Not a nuke at all — just a big conventional explosive. You don’t remember this? I remember it quite clearly, and I find it strange that the media aren’t reporting that fact now. Now they’re calling this new test “a nuke that fizzled”. Oh yeah? Or, perhaps, just like the first one, it’s a fake. Again. KJI needs domestic cred, and he needs to rattle the sabers, but come on folks, that saber is just shiny painted wood.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Comment threads like this really bring home just how effective our liberal media is at shaping public opinion. Just look at the way those stupid, gullible, can barely write a coherent sentence Americans have fallen in line behind what the drive by media tells them.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Mr. Kristol is a war mongering blithering idiot!
He helped guide Bush and his terrorist gang into Iraq. We should believe anything he says? Another example of mouth over matter!
June 1st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Redfan…..I think that in a rational world it would be nice for Russia and China to, “clean up their own mess”. But here’s the rub. I’ve dealt with the Chinese before, and if there’s one thing you can count on when dealing with the Chinese…it’s this. You csn ALWAYS count on China doing what’s in CHINA’S best interest. Now NK isn’t stupid enough to do any ’saber rattleing’ towards China. As for Russia, they’re too broke to make a strike. Besides, China and Russia haven’t been friendly since the 60’s. So that’s the way it is. Let’s face it, it IS in China’s best interest if the US dollar became monopoly money. It would leave us weaker than ever.
I would like to suggest that is NOT the NK people that are the enemy…the real enemies are the NK leadership. I mean doesn’t anyone really believe that average poor son of a bitch in NK wouldn’t like the lifestyle of what is enjoyed just south of their border?
As in my earlier post (I rarely do this…), take out the leadership and you get rid of the problem. No nuclear war, no Chinese or Russian involvement. Problem fixed!
Kent
Portland, Oregon
June 1st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I squirt noodles between my teeth at North Korea! Their bamboo missile might go off course and land in China or Japan. Surprise! Hello there! Pre-launch advice? A coalition of the sane and responsible should destroy the missile on its launch pad. Much better than retaliation.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
At what level of capability does it become appropriate to stop mad men? How far can NK be allowed to develop a nuclear program?
1) We do not allow another nation to overcome our ability to respond successfully.
2) We destabilize locally dominant nations to maintain regional instability. (This is also used to keep libs and conservs focused on each other rather than on the treasonous congress and their criminal behaviors).
3) We apply “tit for tat” as a diplomatic tool.
When the time is right, we will respond to NK militarily. Not yet, however. Not enough is known about their abilities or the Russian/Chinese response.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:30 pm
about time someone stood up to take over for the morons we just lost. arrrrrggghhh!
June 1st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
answerman, I think you’re some kind of deviated prevert.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Does anyone really watch the “false” FAUX news anymore? The news network is a joke and only want more wars to (try) to increase its rating. Pretty pathetic news corp. Don’t give Kim Il “free publicity”!! Fox news must really be racist korean-haters! All south korea has to do is move their people 50 miles out of the missile zone and their response will be limited.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:35 pm
REF: JESUS H. says: June 1st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Comment threads like this really bring home just how effective our liberal media is at shaping public opinion. Just look at the way those stupid, gullible, can barely write a coherent sentence Americans have fallen in line behind what the drive by media tells them.
———————————————————————-
Absolutely Correct Jesus H. However, that comment needs further clarification. It’s the Liberal, Intolerant, Left-Wing propoganda media that’s distorting the truth and providing incorrect public opinion (polls) that the Obama Administration use to determine whether he is ‘for’ or ‘against’ an issue. Find out who does the final edit and approval of Obama’s speeches and you will discover who is really the President running things right now. HINT: It isn’t Barry!!!
June 1st, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Brother Califcuse:
I have smelled Napalm in the morning I have witnessed Napalm strikes and the horrible death Napalm causes. You sir don’t have a clue about what you are talking about.
Those advocating war should think long and hard about it. Just what I would like to do is spend billions fighting the North Koreans. You war mongers need to up your tax rate to pay for these wars. Maybe even join and be on the front lines and see what war is all about. Far more effective to buy the leadership out
June 1st, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Richard, you said it yourself. If Kim only cares about maintaining a power-stance then why would he accept a hand-out from the US which would make him look weak and feeble. Then on top of that, give up the very foothold he has within his society. I agree, Kristol can hang on to that missile while it’s being fired, but let’s breech some reality here and come up a a realistic plan. Not some hippie-trade-fest:
“Here’s some apples, now can I have your nukes please.”
June 1st, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Now why don’t you try to explain where in history pacification worked?
Hiroshima. Nagasaki. Pacified.
The good old days, eh, SFC? When we had the world by the nuts.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Bill Kristol was one of the original neo-cons that came over from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party when they couldn’t sell their 1985 plan for the destruction of all military forces that were threatening Israel. The designers of the plan were Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Richard Perle, etc. (http://911review.org/Sept11Wiki/Perle,Richard.shtml) The Republicans rejected it too until Kristol,et al. hit upon using fundamentalist Christians, like George W Bush, to support the plan. It then became a holy war. Kristol is a hateful warmonger and his allegiance is not to the U.S., but rather to Israel. He will gleefully watch the blood of Americans flow for his true homeland
June 1st, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Of course Billy the K has never been to war, has he?
He’s never slept in a cot in a barracks.
He’s never been reamed out by a sergeant.
He’s never eaten MREs.
What does this klown know about anything?
June 1st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
As much as I hate Mr. Kim Jong Mentally Ill, and think he’s a psycho attacking North Korea would give him and his regime tremendous propaganda value.
Think of this dictator as the person in the room starving for attention, he/she will get piss drunk and knock over stuff, make noises, etc. In all likelihood, N. Korea will not suddenly attack. Unlike the first Korean War, China and Russia would not want to be involved in fighting The United States, South Koreans, and Possibly the Japanese again. The major powers stand to lose way too much by going proxy on this and facing each other, leaving North Korea to face an overhwhelming show of force.
Someone said the U.S. is not North Korea’s parent, that is true. But, China is N. Korea’s parent. The Chinese provide a bulk of the food and fuel to the North Koreans, and they wouldn’t gain anything really by getting in on this war.
Defense analysts have stated that while N. Korea has a large conventional military, they lack sufficient oil to mobilize most of it. If Kim does decide to strike with missiles, then retaliation is warranted, and Naval and Air forces will rain hell on the peninsula within days.
By the way, I can’t believe that grown adults on this forum still use the “two wrongs make a right” or ” if he did it, why isn’t it okay now” argument. Casper Weinberger’s pardon is irrelevant to these policy decisions. These are the same idiots who claim Bush did some wrong action, so if Obama does it, then it’s excusable for example. Judge the situation on its merits.
Say your parent got a DUI, does that make it okay for you to get one too? NO. Read up on your critical reasoning 101, idiots.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I think we should drop Billy Kristol on North Korea!
With a parachute of course. It would be the first
time he was ever placed in harms way. Its not like he would ever voluntarily serve his country. Elitists don’t do that.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:50 pm
ok look at japan they both had there asses handed to them, an look there our lil buds mmmmmmmmm some times brute force an ignorace does work, i meant germany to fingers were typing to fast opssssssssss
June 1st, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Bill Kristol is just extolling his Christian values. Best responses? Numbers 105 and 114!
June 1st, 2009 at 5:56 pm
an another thing i joined the army in 79 an i,used to guard nukes,now i have a lijit reason to voice my opinion i served unlike those that never did there time ask n korea what type of nuke they wantsub lanched ,air dropped,missle delivered,icbm give them one
joe
June 1st, 2009 at 6:00 pm
[...] idea, Fox’s Brit Hume, replied, “I would.” Watch it: Yglesias notes that “Kristol doesn’t even attempt to say what he thinks this will accomplish.” “He just kind of tosses it out there for [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 6:01 pm
another thing the missle there putting up now threatens alaska an cali. mmmmmmmmm a lot of you liberals live in calif mmmmmm i forgot block an attack on alaska an let them take that den of jerks out
June 1st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Read my post (#122), why is it so difficult to have a rational discussion? I don’t agree with Bill Kristol, in fact I don’t agree with a lot of people on policies. Guess what, I don’t advocate “throwing them in North Korea” or dropping a bomb on those individuals.
This would make sense if it was seriously out of humor, and some of you included some rational comments in your posts. Unfortunately, it seems like some of you seriously don’t give a sh*t, just threathen somebody who disagrees with you instead of providing a reasonable argument.
This is one reason why so many people refuse to join political parties or pick a side ahead of time, because of all the idiots spewing dumb shit on both sides.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
is there no one agrees with me
June 1st, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Interesting rethoric from y’all. NK is shooting missels and doing nuc blasts and a bunch of y’all still want to blame the US. Screw NK. If they are discussing the big dance then we should dance with them. Notify them, NK, russia, and China we are going to obliterate NK if one more missle goes off. They launch, Pyongyang becmes glowing as do all their missle sites and military bases. If the rethoric continues finish off the country. We owe them nothing we do not threaten them. They cannot make threats to their neighbors with impunity. for the libs, you have a bulkly picking on your kids what are you going to do? Beg forgiveness and give him money for ever, move out of the area after begging forgiveness or are you going to punch his dads and the kids lights out and tell him to leave you alone or it gets worse. We have been begging forgiveness from that loon for so long we have forgotten how to deal with tin horn dictators. There is only one way. you cannot talk to a punk bully you can only waste them
June 1st, 2009 at 6:07 pm
When all you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail.
The two of them are crazy and frankly, immoral. I will give them credit though for coming out and saying that we should start another war. Most neocons would point to a vague set of threats and let you deduce that what they were calling for was war.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
If you want to solve this problem, let the Chinese know that we’re going to advise the Japanese and the South Koreans that they should develop their respective nuclear weapons programs…Gates was doing as much in his Asian trip last week.
That will get the attention of the Chinese very, very quickly to use some of their leverage in this situation.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
So Kristol didn’t serve in the military and therefore he shouldn’t be speaking about any of this? Um, god bless the people in the military. I have friends in the Army and Air Force.
Let me say though, not everybody can “join up” and serve. I was denied entry because I couldn’t get past the medicals. Our last couple of presidents didn’t serve in combat ( with the exception of Bush 1). This isn’t a prerequisite to speak freely about an issue, our society was not set up like Sparta to place Military virtues first. So people who didn’t serve, ought to be able to speak as well, just think for a few minutes before you speak. That would be nice.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Best responses? Numbers 105 and 114!
Heyyyy…what about #46, Ted? The only original alternative on the list. You heard it here first…or 46th or something.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:17 pm
RR,
Indeed, and frankly those that serve don’t always have the best answers. Take McArthur for example. He probably would be advocating the Kristol position as well. As much as McArthur was a hero, he was also a nut…and needlessly complicated our war with Korea.
Our military guys, for the most part, are fantastic. But like every other human being, they’re not perfect either.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:34 pm
Anybody want to bet Bill Kristol has never been in a fight? Those are always the ones with the biggest mouths. My little sister could bitch slap him silly!
June 1st, 2009 at 6:37 pm
[...] June 1 tags: bill kristol, brit hume, Fox News, warmongering by AEL Shocker: Bill Kristol supports “targeted air strikes” on North Korea. And Brit Hume [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 6:39 pm
zzigzzag, I believe you are a degenerate atheist commie.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:42 pm
So many people with extreme ideas on each side. It would be comical if the matter wasn’t of a serious nature. NK should be dealt with. It’s time to up the anti if they are putting their chips on the table. To do nothing is idiotic. To launch tactical missiles would be equally ridiculous. On a side note, under proper leadership it’s ok to act unilaterally. The politicians love to stroke each other on a national and international level for the ultimate goal of their re-election. Take that out of the equation. If we are smart and do something effective without loss of life what country is going to start a conflict with us over it. Sure people like the French and others will complain but not loudly enough to have in impact. Take the missiles out after they leave NK air space. Next, utilize intelligence to find their achilles heal and actually move forward with something instead of sitting around the table for more stalled talks. NK has a soft spot somewhere. They should know that we know what it is. We are Americans after all and based on the early premise of our founding fathers we should lead. Lead with the world in mind. Lead effectively. Not bully, not preach, but lead. The world knows what is and what is not acceptable so lead already but to do nothing is about as ridiculous as the fact that they have gotten to the point where they are now testing long range missiles. Their track record speaks for itself. History always teaches.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Did y’all come via the memeorandum link? just curious
June 1st, 2009 at 7:07 pm
ya know you peace nicks would stand by an watch some one rape your mother an try an talk the bad guy out of it while the bad guy in the mists of deep stroken her i damn near feel sorry for ya heheh
June 1st, 2009 at 7:12 pm
OK, North Korea “tried to put a satilite into space” which many believe was a test of a ballistic missile. Now they have tested a nuclear bomb and threatened South Korea and the US. And they have another long range “test” missile setting up on a pad. So when the “test” missile lands in Hawaii, Guam, or Alaska with a nuclear warhead, Pearl Harbor all over again. And that is something the US can not afford.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Don’t these guys ever lose any creditability – so wrong but no shame
June 1st, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Che Guevara knew that sometimes war IS the answer.
A lot of liberal Americans think Che was the man, and that war is never, ever, EVER the answer.
Do any of you really think that anyone in DPRK power structure is at all worried about a letter of reprimand from the UN?
June 1st, 2009 at 7:35 pm
only Alexander the Great nobody else
June 1st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
actually there are a lot of civilians and both US and KOREAN soldier who live in SEOUL. i dont think its the brightest idea to just start wars with other people although i think something should be done to north korea for testing all last week. there’s also lots of innocent little children of soldier member’s who stay in seoul
June 1st, 2009 at 7:45 pm
ya know what there are thousands of americans planted in france because the didnt hold the line if ya need a hunting fifle buy a french military one they may be scratched from being dropped but there good they were never used aka never shot in anger now thats funny
June 1st, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Seriously folks,
The idea of hitting North Korea with Nukes is less then stupid. Should we radiate the earth and skies so we can make a country stop testing missles and developing nukes. Should other countries attack us for doing the same thing?
South Korea, China, Japan and the rest of the world don’t want us poisoning the planet with Nukes. Would you put rat poison in your kids room in case a rat someday enters?
And all you wing nuts who want “clean non nuke missles raining down on North Korea”, might of missed the 1950’s and the Korean war. OH Yes, the 1950’s when we were the undisputed might of the planet, North Korea didn’t roll over then and they won’t now. When North Korea actually attacks us or our allies, not our egos and fears, then we will respond with limited force.
Chicken Hawks, fear not, North Korea is not about to launch a sneak attack on us. Is spreading Fear and War-Mongering the new Right wing McCarthy tactic?
Yes, there are bad leaders and people on earth, should we destroy the entire planet to “save” ourselves?
June 1st, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Hey, I have a novel idea. Why don’t we send all of the warmongers to Korea to carry-out their planned assault. If successful then they can be the rulers of this country…oh, of the world. If not successful then a least we would have gotten rid of these idiots for once and for all. Because you have to be a ignorant moron to not think that, if we do any fighting in China’s backyard then they are going to sit by passively and not engage.
This isn’t the 50’s Ms. Kristol, you are now messing with a superpower, china, that loaned the money to you for your current wars. So, go ahead and start a war. And, I can guarantee you, it won’t benefit this country. And for all of you who are strong advocates for the U.S. to flaunt it’s muscle on the Korean peninsula, why don’t you grab your gun, I’m sure you have plenty, and go start a fight with the NKs.
Less we forget, we don’t have the money to fight Iraq/afghanistan. So, where will we get the money to fight an assured WWIII?
June 1st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
first I accept the washington post job.
second all i can say about n-korea is
1. do they have wmd’s
2. is n-korea more or less stable than iraq.
3. why was the invasion into iraq acceptable when they thought they had wmd’s. acceptable to everyone at the time, yes democrates and republicans alike. but a country who we know has wmd’s and who we know is bat shit crazy, everyone just wants to employ the old wait and see what happens approach. god help us all
June 1st, 2009 at 8:03 pm
How is it that seven years in Afghanistan and five in Iraq is not enough information to make a reasonable person question the effectiveness of “targeted strikes”? There’s a chance that North Korea (unlike the other two) actually has an air force and air defense system.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
It is just a little man trying to show some power. If we just ignore him, truly ignore him by getting CNN out of there, then he would have no-one to wave his penis at. He is not going to bomb us.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
I have often wondered why South Korea didn’t just move their capital to the other end of the country. Brazil moved theirs to Brasilia. Even though a city would still remain at the old location near the border it wouldn’t have the same status,or quite the same attraction, to the North as the capital city.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:12 pm
“We are not North Korea’s parents. It is not our job to make them be a good little boy. It does not reflect poorly upon us if they are naughty in public.”
That may be, but would you tolerate you neighbor’s little boy running around terrorizing your neighborhood with an AK-47 and handgrenades? Or would you do something about it?
June 1st, 2009 at 8:12 pm
For comment # 151
A picture is worth a thousand stupid words like yours, Trent. The Kurdish peasents may help you wise up on wmd’s in Irag long prior to our going too war with Iraq.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Is this a petunia? The choice is not between an extreme and hypothetical response of a deranged megalomaniac, and some proximate painless appeasement (Boy, are we steamed! – we really mean it this time!). It is between the worst thing that this same deranged dictator (yep, the same one that will reportedly kill millions of NK and SK citizens if a couple of his missile silos are jacked) will do with atomic bombs and rockets and absolutely NO credible consequences, and the policy that, after careful consideration, has been applied 100,000 times by 10,000 tribes over 100,000 years – get it over with – no Carthage 4 sequel. Appeasement slaughters human – for absolutely no purpose. The ultimate tragedy and waste of life.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:49 pm
nk has between 15,000 and 20,000(CIA vs.MI6)underground tunnel based launch pads,arms and munition plants,steel mills. Called the greatest intelligence blunders of the last 100years by the LA Times, is the failure of our leaders to recognize that NK has,since 1954, been planning for the US invasion,they are ready chickenhaws to kill and repel even a nuke strike and 10 years of ground fighting causing an estimated 200,000 US and allied deaths just to prevail. Since Bushco bankrupted the US and handed title to China,who is paying for the Iraq war fraud.Face it bigmouth rednecks, your little dictator Bush sold your asses down the river.Our greatest sabateur has been Israel for years and you fools are being set up as well as paying for it. The idiocy of calling the media liberal just shows that you swallowed hook line and sinker. The CIA has even bragged thru its mouthpieces that all significant media(newspaper,TV,radio)has been under its control for 50 years. In fact the entire secret computer command system of the US,PROMIS,is in the control of Israeli companies(ie:state). Maybe the time is right for the blowhards and their morbidly obese wives and children to die,as it becomes evident that you are too stupid and brainwashed to live,still clinging to the idiocy of the 9-11 myth used to flush the last of your so-called Constitutional rights down the toilet as the food is being taken from your children’s mouths. I guarantee it wasn’t Bush’s raghead friend and business partner OSAMA,that sodomized your standard of living,it was 40+ years of fatheaded dumbing down of education under the propaganda puppet Reagan and his financiers and the clever programming of brainwashed blowhards to bring us to this beautiful end of America, because you didn’t deserve freedom anyway, being part of the largest terror nation in human history. Go kill a million to arrest one man logic will only balance out when you are part of the dead.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Has anyone here heard of ’spellcheck’? LOL
June 1st, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Democrats are spineless weasels. Frank, Schumer,Clinton, etc. Will Obama have the nads to be able to strike first at someone who will launch his nukes first at us if given the chance. We will see.
When Russia says we are on high alert and monitoring the Korean situation, you know your dealing with a certified nutso.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:05 pm
[...] notes that “Kristol doesn’t even attempt to say what he thinks this will accomplish.” “He just kind of tosses it out there for no reason [...]
June 1st, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Well, let’s do the same to Israel! Afterall, they are a threat to a number of countries. Why just NK! Wasn’t Kristol involved with our going to Iraq with a bunch of his neos. If he ever put on a military uniform, you’d see a yellow streak down his back!! A complete “Arse.”
June 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
John and Jane Q Publics.
I have read the many comments pros and con, I have one
question that I was once asked.
Would you rather have the enemies on US soil or US Soldiers on their soil?
9-11 was an example of what enemies can do on US soil.
Striking North Korea, not a good idea, I mean it is really not a good idea.
Our servicemembers have been called upon to stay at the enemies door to keep them away from US Doors both at home and abroad for that I say Thank You. punchbowl
June 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
John and Jane Q Publics.
I have read the many comments pros and con, I have one
question that I was once asked.
Would you rather have the enemies on US soil or US Soldiers on their soil?
9-11 was an example of what enemies can do on US soil.
Striking North Korea, not a good idea, I mean it is really not a good idea.
Our servicemembers have been called upon to stay at the enemies door to keep them away from US Doors both at home and abroad for that I say Thank You. punchbowl
June 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Joe Daigle is an idiot “if we do any fighting in China’s backyard then they are going to sit by passively and not engage. ” ( Post 150)
China would be extremely concerned about a conflict in their backyard, but they do not have an interest in fighting U.S. Forces either. First Korean war, we did not have normal relations and significant trade with China, they would not risk that for the sake of North Korea, a decrepit state. This isn’t just my opinion.
Asian policy analysts following the Korean tensions, have pretty much said China AND Russia won’t be involved like the first Korean war.
I’m not advocating a war, just saying know your stuff before you type. IDIOT
June 1st, 2009 at 9:19 pm
BTK = NK
June 1st, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Sure. Lets keep talking. Its working so well…. or not…
The only hopes for a peaceful solution are that the Chinese finally decide to do something (like turn off the oil taps), or the North Koreans get tired of being hungry.
We shouldn’t take a strategic strike off the table, but it probably isn’t necessary. Sooner or later one of the little hitlers in the North Korean government will get out of control and start the war back up on their own. The bad part of all this is that our friends in South Korea stand a good chance of being hurt in any likely resolution of the situation.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Kristol and Hume both have extensive military experience so they know what they are talking about.
Hmm……never mind!
June 1st, 2009 at 9:30 pm
The one we are really dealing with here is a 28 year old son of a dictator who is a nutcase calling the shots! The aged leader of NK cant even tie his own shoes after his last problem…
June 1st, 2009 at 9:37 pm
OH yes! I was a liberal at one time too. Then something amazing happened. I GREW UP!!
June 1st, 2009 at 9:38 pm
trent wrote:
steve duncan u are a moron. the reaction to 911 has cost the terrorists 100 times more death and loss then the 3000 we lost in the towers. In fact they have lost a alli in iraq and there major stronghold in afganistan..they where a multilayered organization with alot of influence in afganistan bases and control over large parts of the country.
Umm, trent, hate to tell you this, but Al Qaeda never had an ally in Iraq. They wanted Saddam dead too! I think it’s been well established that this was one of the made up “facts” to get us into the war in Iraq. Also, 100 x 3000 = 300,000. Umm…where did you get your numbers? That seems like a lot of dead terrorists, don’t ya think? Hmmm…Maybe just a little bit of exaggerating on your part there?
June 1st, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Wow.. read about half way through and gave up.. such divergent opinions.
Now you want to get your point across? Leave a little reading space between lines.. makes it much easier to read babes.
And being so angry really doesn’t lead to people reading your comments. Now I find the NK problem to be just that.. a problem that must be solved.
What outcome do we desire? If it is to eliminate NK, them nuke them.. If it to end the threat from NK, then a possible surgical strike might work very well… Like him and his entire family?? I have found in my travels that people sort of fall apart without proper leadership..
Have a Nice Day,
Irene
June 1st, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I understand North Korea has already withdrawn from the 1952 or was it 1953 truce?, my point is that, technically that would be tantamount to a declaration of the resumption of the “Korean War”? so what needs be done?
June 1st, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Well written Irene!
I don’t think our current government will do much until a nuke lands in our backyard.
Did anyone ever wonder where the north gets its missles and or the parts to build them? HMMMM!
June 1st, 2009 at 9:51 pm
The people that criticize Bill Kristol and those who favour a tough line against North Korea no doubt would have been the same crowd that attacked Winston Churchill for speaking out against Germany. The current strain of Obamaton’s don’t seem to ever feel the need to take strong action against anything but our Freedom or their opponents but, let me be clear, North Korea would have no hesitation to attack us nor should we shy away from attacking them if need be.
June 1st, 2009 at 9:59 pm
VET- Don’t assume it’s liberals who caused this! This trouble ha been brewing for the last 8 yrs.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:12 pm
SFC retired wrote:
Hitler duped millions of people while the U.S. and other nations sat idly by and did nothing while he forcefully gobbled up lesser nations that didn’t have the means to defend themselves against him. someone finally woke-up to the real world situation and realized that Hitler had a calculated plan to take over other nations that initially he couldn’t defeat militarily. It’s terrible that people still thing pacifying your enemy works to anyone’s benefit.
You sir are obviously neither a student of history nor geography. Comparing Kim Jong Il and NK to Hitler and Nazi Germany is like comparing your county fair to Disney World. Hitler managed to make a weakened and broken people strong again, the problem was that he was a meglamaniac who wanted to be the new Napolean and believed that a certain race was superior to all others, so he set out to conquer the world by alligning himself with leaders of other countries who also felt that their turn at colonization had come.
Kim is just a punk on the corner showing his bling and letting everyone know how “bad” he is. He’s got China to the north, South Korea to the south (just in case you couldn’t figure that out) and the sea to the east and west. Which lesser nations is it that you believe he’s going to gobble up? Maybe Japan across the Sea of Japan? Me don’t think so!
BTW, what is the end purpose of war? Or let me say it in easier to understand terms, what is the purpose of spanking your child? To p-a-c-i-f-y the party on the losing end, no? So maybe you’re right, war really isn’t the right answer right now.
No one is codifying NK. Isolation and letting NK know that we are prepared to retaliate with the N-option and wipe North Korea completely off the map should they ever use a nuclear weapon against us or our allies is enough to contain them. Attention is what they want and idiots like Kristol and Hume give it to them, just like they want.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I’ve read numerous posts here suggesting that an attack on the NK missile sites will only trigger a violent reaction from the North. Couple thoughts:
1. North Korea has conducted short range missile tests, nuclear bomb tests, long range missile tests and withdrawn from the Korean War armistice since Obama came to office. These are unquestionably acts of aggression, at least toward South Korea and Japan. Imagine, for a moment, that Cuba and Venezuela test fired these missiles.
2. Yes, we possess the power to destroy the Korean peninsula, but if we’re unwilling to use that power (and the North Koreans know it), how does that serve as effective leverage? This is exacerbated by having a hugely inexperienced president in Obama whose foreign policy rhetoric has had the uncomfortable ring of appeasement to it leading a country that lacks the political will to wage any more wars. Recall Joe Biden’s dire warning of a serious test. Kim Jong Il most certainly believes he has a golden opportunity here – carte blanche – to do whatever he wants. And THAT’s dangerous.
3. We can’t see into Kim Jong Il’s mind or heart so we can’t really know for certain what drives his kind of madness. But if a military confrontation is inevitable – and it well could be if the regime fully intends to proliferate its weapons technology – then it would behoove the world to put an end to the North Korean regime sooner rather than later. The potential loss of life only increases as NK’s military capabilities increase.
4. An assassination might be a wise course of action before launching any military attacks. If it works, war is possibly averted. If it doesn’t, well…the shit’s hitting the fan anyway.
5. There are potential ancillary consequences to a weak response against North Korea that we should be mindful of. Already countries like Iran sense weakness in America. We don’t want to invite more attacks on our interests abroad, and certainly not domestically. But that’s precisely what we may see if we don’t face down the North Korean threat.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:37 pm
darin guidry Says:
You sniveling pacifist are a pathetic JOKE! You kick the aggressor teeth in. That’s how you deal an aggressors. Were the leaders of the free world and we have a duty to defend the word from tyrannical governments. what part don’t you fools understand about how to insure peace. PATHETIC!
So Darin, according to your logic here, we have a duty to act aggressively towards those countries whose leaders are not on the same page as us? That would make us the aggressors, so then are you telling us that those countries should also be trying to kick are teeth in? Oh, wait, I got it! We should be kicking our own teeth in, right! Awesome.
And would this fit your definition of a pacifist: A person who calmly and with a cool-head considers all options before making a decision on the best course to take? And this is bad?
So you’d rather have everyone kicking each other’s teeth in instead of trying to come to a peaceful solution through talking and concession? I hope you’re not married or have children! I don’t think it would be a good thing to kick therr teeth in everytime they don’t do what you say.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Are we really getting this worked up about what dribbles out of the mouths of two discredited talking heads?
June 1st, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Haj Says:
After we bomb North Korea & war brakes out, do you think Kristol can convince his son to fight in this one?
All these neocon chickenhawk military no-shows, (Bennett,Romney,Frist,Medved,Miller,Prager) to name a few, who cheerleaded us into Iraq by telling us that it was a war against barbarism. Yet, none of their kids signed up to fight for civilization. They where willing witness men & women, some
in their thirties, married, & with children do 2 & 3 tours of duty imposed by the stop loss program. So their S&D’s can do what? These ScmBgs are so cavalier with other peoples sons & daughters.
Surely, you jest!
June 1st, 2009 at 10:49 pm
alanmarv Says:
June 1st, 2009 at 2:22 pm
alanmarv, excellent post. touche.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Anyone out there that just wants to bomb soeone needs to consider the off side. Does anyone think we have the military to fight anyone else. The troops get very little time at home and start traing for there next cycle. Some on a six month turn around. No one wants to join the military right now unless you are just broke enough to live under a bridge. Would you be willing to start up the draft and put your kids in the mix. Don’t forget daughters are equal. No deferments just everyones kids on the line. Some of you need to be careful what you wish for.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:59 pm
North Korea is no where near the US of A. So why not bomb it? It wont hurt and US civilians.Just erupt a war in Asia, where several thousands of people would die. Bill Kristol’s family wont be in the way. (that should be his idea ya?).
Its easy for someone to wage war, as long as he does not take part actively in it and his family is out of danger.
If he wants war – will he take a a bomber and bomb NK himself? If he wants to bomb NK, he should be upto the task to do it.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm
And speaking of Venezuelan missiles….
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/117/story/69148.html?storylink=omni_popular
Sheesh. That didn’t take long.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Man, you pukes are a sorry lot of strategists. One tungsten-cased warhead full of boron would punch a hole in their only working reactor and poison it forever. And a slight dusting of smallpox would do the rest.
Don’t you guys have any imagination?
June 1st, 2009 at 11:13 pm
THe Neoconservatives and their cohorts in the Israeli lobby will cause the ruin of America. Culturally, politically and militarily we have lost a tremendous deal due to this force that controls our media, our corporate world and our politics.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Well, If all the little girls are finished speaking as they cower in the corner in fear of ‘upsetting’ anyone.
Its time to understand we live in a world that was born in war and will end in war. Nations too cowardly to stand up to rogue nations will always have to ‘plea and bargan’ to try and get things done, and it never works in the long run.
If some nut job on your block is firing his gun towards your house, and is shooting near your friends and neighbors…. do you go and politely ask him to stop… how effective do you think that would be?
June 1st, 2009 at 11:22 pm
you know it is a wonderful thing that jfk didn’t over react as a bunch of kick ass and damn the consequences advisors were telling him to bomb Cuba! You and I wouldn’t be here to express our opinions due to nuclear holocaust! This is an example of intelligent pragmatism that is essential for the planets survival in todays nuclear age! Jfk got it, Obama gets it. But no doubt some of you must consider jfk a pussy for not starting wwIII.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Damn, what a menagerie! There are enough idiots on each side of this to fill every zoo from here and now until the end of time. What I see going on here is the same sort of thing I see in American politics where if you ain’t one you’re the other and therefore the worlds biggest idiot, ass, ignoramus, etc, etc, etc… The amount of common sense I see being displayed would make a retarded piss-ant a genius–my apologies to the retarded piss-ants.
The basic situation is this: We have nukes, so does Russia, China, England, France, India, Pakistan and Isreal–though Isreal refuses to confirm or deny they have them. Currently Iran and North Korea are actively working to develop nukes under the guise of “peaceful power generation” research…the very same umbrella India used to cover its weapon research. (http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Nuclearweaponswhohaswhat)
The object of the entire exercise we are “discussing”–and I use that term lightly–isn’t to punish or deprive a second-rate dictator because of his ambitions, it’s to prevent the spread of the technlogy he is trying to develop. The nuclear weapons club is small–the 8 states cited–the technology is VERY difficult, time-consuming, and hideously expensive. All for a weapon you don’t EVEN want to get caught using and, if you are sane, you will never get to use in anger..unless you want your country to be converted into a glass-paved parking lot. That being said, joining the “club” brings enormous recognition, respect, and awe that you could pull it off. Naturally, the countries that have them don’t want anyone else to get them, not out of jealousy, but from a purely pragmatic point of view: the resources, funds, and talent it takes to develop them could be put to better use, especially in the two countries currently attempting to build them. For North Kores the choice is between building and maintaining a military far beyond what it needs to provide border and coast integrity coupled with developing nuclear weapons and feeding its populace…and the populace isn’t getting any fatter.
Iran is another ball park entirely and not involved with this discussion except tangentially as another wannabe.
North Korea has, for the last 60-some years, used the specter of a US-led invasion to justify to itself and its populace the almost total usage of GDP going to its military and the draconian restrictions on outside information and personal movement. From accounts I’ve read a North Korean practically has to have permission to go to his local authorities to get permission to go to the other side of town. (exagerated possibly–but not much.) For this reason, the idea to drop “information appliances” would not work–to be caught with one, or even to be rumored to have had one, or listened to one would result in a knock on the door–if you can term breaking it down a knock–followed by a series of loud bangs as you, and your family’s “treason” is summarily punished.
That the current leadership there is, for all practical purposes, insane is a given, no discussion needed on that point. To expect rational behavior from them is about as likely as pissing upwind in a hurricane and expecting not to get wet. Threats mean nothing to them, other than confirmation of their beliefs that we are going to invade next week, if not tomorrow. “Buying” their cooperation doesn’t work either because, as the mafia says, they won’t STAY bought: how many times over the last 15 years have they NOT trumped up some excuse to back out of an agreement then came back to negotiations only after “sweeter” terms (bribes) were offered? Looks like another dead end exercise in futility on our part to me.
What DOES work with people like Mr Kim is a simple description of the consequences if a stated action is carried out by him. The only caveat is you have to have the guts to do as you say you will and the strengh to accept the possible outcomes. This is why prior consultation with South Korea, Russia, China, and our allies is imperative.
What has to be done is to tell them in no uncertain language nuclear tests and long range rocket launches will not be tolerated from that point in time on and the same information given to Russia and China. The next one will be shot down when it leaves their airspace, the one after that will be destroyed upon detection of the launch, the one after that will cost the launch facility and any nuclear facilities known, the next will cost the launch facility and their missile manufacturing facilities, etc. If at any time during the listed proceedings one artilary shell enters South Korea, one sabateur, or any other action to threaten South Korea, Japan, or any other US ally, friend or trade route encounters any hostile activity of any sort will cost Pyongyang and the twenty miles north of the DMZ. All the while, efforts should be made to impress on the Generals there that all will stop if the current leaders are removed, food and supplies start going to the populace, and new leaders with common sense and true concern with the plight of the people there are installed. Hopefully, cooler heads in the country will prevail and stop launches and tests before the process goes very far.
Normally, I would support more negotiation but history gives ample evidence they will not honor negotiations. It is imperative something be done, and soon, primarily because the North Korean leaders are, if not entirely insane then treading the line very very closely. It would be reckless to the point of folly to allow this farce to continue much farther as is, and if we display anything that can be construed as weakness then they will be emboldened to continue their present course.
What’s the difference between Russian, Chinese and North Korean nukes you ask? The North Koreans are insane enough to use them. ANY elected official in the US who allows North Korea to develop a long range missile and a nuke to put on top of it deserves to be tried for treason and shot.
A couple of points for our liberal friends before they begin screaming at me:
1. The approach I described follows ALL the liberal traditions and expectations; i.e., there is prior warning, the response is graduated, no civilian populace is threatened unless South Korea or Japan is attacked, Russia, China, and our allies are consulted with beforehand, although not to beg their permission but to state what we are going to do, why, and the process to be employed. They then have an obligation to tell North Korea “Hey guys, these people are SERIOUS. What you are doing is unacceptable and, under the circumstances, we will not intervene.”
2. North Korea has already totally obliterated many, many lines in the sand with no meaningful repercussions. UN sanctions? Laughable. The ONLY reason UN troops were participants in the 1950-53 war was because Russia was boycotting the Security Council at the time the vote was taken and they didn’t get a chance to veto it. Otherwise, there would have been NO UN troops there. As it was, the UN only had a token force any way. The United States WAS the UN response, mostly because we already had a treaty with South Korea and significant troops in the area. We were already responding before the UN resolution was passed. All in all, UN sanctions are not worth the paper they are printed on. If you don’t think so, cite ONE instance where they have caused an end to objectionable activity anywhere close to what we are discussing. (I’ll give you a hint–there aren’t any.) The ONLY time sanctions have worked is when troops were dispatched to enforce them.
3. To the guys who will inevitably “invite” me to go myself, or send my sons I will say this: When did you go? Who, and what, gives you the power to pass judgement on other peoples opinions if they don’t agree with yours? It’s easy and cheap to engage in personal attacks when you have nothing more than an opinion to support you. Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one and they all stink. As for the “invitation” to go…I already did. From December of 1967 until August of 1993, except for an 18 month break in 1971/72. I spent a total of 24 years in the Air Force, 12 in various tactical communications and radar units (The Air Force’s Army..). I also spent 6 tours overseas, long and short as well as temporary duty assignments to Germany, Egypt and Oman. (I often wonder if my 3 postings to California qualify as foreign tours.) I also have 2 electronics degrees, and have been working on an information systems degree. What have YOU done besides sit at your computer and think up new and dazzling BS to heap on people?
All in all, North Korea is a tough nut to crack no matter what you think about it. It is (should be) obvious that it is imperative to the entire world, not just to the US that they NOT be allowed to develop a nuke. The possibilities, none of them good, boggle the mind. Whatever process is used to stop them cannot rely on endless “negotiation”. They will simply use the time to continue on until one day they walk in and say further negotiation is pointless as they already have a deliverable bomb.
I try to proofread my postings but if something slipped by, I apologize…something about freezing fingers in Northern Germany winters and other winters on top of a mountain in Sardinia…they just don’t work quite as well as they used to.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Kristol is a commentator–so dismiss him. But lets look at what the “real” power is saying. Both Obama and Gates have said that they “will not accept” a nuclear armed North Korea. the credibility of the US on this issue has just been bet, and the world is watching. What real cards do we have to play?Does China really care?–they sure would if the Japanese decide that they need to have a nuclear deterrent against the NK’s. Politically difficult in Japan–definitely, but it will become a lot less so as this behavior continues. That move might finally make Chine get serious about their psychotic neighbor.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:29 pm
FIRST OF ALL……THE COMMENT THAT WHAT IF IRAN STATED ON TV THE SUICIDE ATTACKS AGAINST AMERICA MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA…HOW WOULD BILL KRISTOL FEEL…..WERE NOT THE ONE THREATING THE WORLD WITH NUKE AND MISSLE TEST YOU IDIOT!…SOME PEOPLE ONLY RESPOND TO AN IRON FIST.WHAT SHOULD WE DO …WAIT UNTIL THE KILL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITH A NUKE?
June 1st, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Jerrold Llewellyn wrote:
There comes a time in one’s life that a decision must be made to do the right thing, even if it may kill you. Rather than sit on our butts in denial that we are going to be hit again a thousand times worse than 9/11, we had better start neutralizing the nuclear threats before it happens. We have the power and the ability to do this. Those that say, “Violence only leads to more violence.” are uneducated to warfare. Ineffective, unfocused violence leads to more violence. Limp, panicky, half measures lead to more violence. However, complete, fully thought through, professional, well-executed violence never leads to more violence because, you see, afterwards, the other guys are all dead. That’s right, dead. Not “on trial,” not “reeducated,” not “nurtured back into the bosom of love.” Dead. We need to reintroduce fear into the hearts of the tyrants of the world with the knowledge that life, as they know it will cease to exist if they attempt any attack. Isn’t it time we, as a Nation, the Greatest, most powerful Nation on Earth, stop allowing ourselves to be sucker punched and take it to these murderous bastards in any way, shape or form that will get the job done? Isn’t it time we wipe off the face of the earth these Islamic militants and other crazies that have twisted their minds to allow the murder of innocent men, women and children? I, as an American citizen, encourage our government and our military to use any method necessary to defeat once and for all this evil, including the wholesale and widespread use of every weapon in our arsenal.
Absolutely brilliant! And then we become the exact thing we hate in our enemies! Yes, throw out the Constitution, tear up the Bill of Rights, burn the Federalist Papers! Make the Patriot Law the new Constitution of the Republic! Who needs democracy when you have the biggest and most powerful military in the world? Let’s install our own dictator who doesn’t have to think about the people of the country, since he wouldn’t have to be elected any longer! Then we can use our might to bend everyone to our will!!!! Yeah!
Brilliant!
June 1st, 2009 at 11:52 pm
lest us not forget that there are 1.2 or million north koreans waiting to come back to the south, if they do, there will be no south korea anymore, as much as i hate the thought of communism in my era, it is not over, the south korean people are a really good friendly and i enjoyed meeting them and being with them while i was there, but i also know we do not have enough military to fight a third front, there are not enough of us left and unless useless obama gets pro-active and stands his ground the whole world will be walking all over us.
this is what we get for having an idiot elected that said at the start of his campain that he was disarming america and then the armed forces, our enemies took notice and now look what happened and what the h3ll does anyone need nukes for any more
June 1st, 2009 at 11:55 pm
jay pister wrote:
Those morons who would call us hypocrites because we have maintained the supreme nuclear arsenal are dangerous. The only thing that has kept freedom alive is what in Ronald Reagan’s words…”We will maintain a military so strong that no one will dare raise a hand against us”
Maintaining a lesser military promotes the chances for war. It is this stance and this type of thinking that had brought on the original Korean war. The North had perceived that the South was too weak to defend itself. This perception and the fools that had allowed the perception to exist, are responsible for the deaths of millions.
All of the morons who would call for a weaker American posture will have blood on their hands.
jay, I agree with you, and nothing will change my love and respect for Ronald Reagan and my gratitude for all he did and set in motion to change the world and end 50 years of a cold war.
The U.S. does need a strong military, which should be used more to protect the people of the world, not just the U.S., from those who would commit genocide or other crimes against humanity on scales that are too large for the U.N. alone to deal with. But, our military should not be used frivilously because our feelings are hurt or to teach a bully a lesson.
We should have used our military to protect the people of Rwanda, we should have used it in Serbia sooner than we did (not just because it became politically expedient), we should have forced the issue in Myanmar (Burma) after the devastation from the cyclone there last year. If we are really the leader of the free world, then our military should be available, and kept strong enough, to be used to protect the free people of the world and to aid humanitarily those who can’t help themselves, wherever they are, when no one else can or will.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:18 am
writerkent has the right idea.Take out the crazy leader and his sons and the NK military will breath a big sigh of relief because they know what would happen to them if we open up on them. Heck we kill more of our own people than our enemies do. I suggest we catch Kim and his boys flying across country one night with a stealth fighter loaded with nothing more than a chinese machine gun and bullets, shoot them down over a unpopulated part of NK. By the time they find the crashed jet the military will have cooled off, plus they sure don’t want to fight China.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 am
Greetings “My fellow Americans” as LBJ used to say to put you on guard that the bs was fixing to fly. Kristol is so accostomed to coming out with the old line to get fewer and fewer to stand up and wave OLD GLORY and watch our oponnent de jour wilt at its sight that he is still playing the game in character.
We “Fellow Americans” need to go back about 61 years and start every thing all over. We squander the whole world’s money on our lifestyle and I for one have enjoyed every minute of until now. We have had the best politicians that money could buy, and buy them we did. We bought and the spent and what they did not spend on us or themselves they
spent on themselves. We all enjoyed the ride and the views of both sides of the debate each Sunday morning. Now we are starting to see things from a little different perspective as
the national credit card has got to where we cannot make the minimum payment as it comes due. We need a little original eyeopening comments from good “OLE BILL” to shock us to our senses. Well as Marie Antionette said “Let them eat cake.” The purpose of this note is to make you want to return to a time when we thought that we lived life with respect and honor and not to lie, steal and cheat in all our dealings with mankind. Utopia is still a dream is it not. Peace to All!!
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:23 am
trent wrote:
first I accept the washington post job.
second all i can say about n-korea is
1. do they have wmd’s
2. is n-korea more or less stable than iraq.
3. why was the invasion into iraq acceptable when they thought they had wmd’s. acceptable to everyone at the time, yes democrates and republicans alike. but a country who we know has wmd’s and who we know is bat shit crazy, everyone just wants to employ the old wait and see what happens approach. god help us all
Simple, geography/topography. It’s easier to fight on flat barren land than rugged mountainous terrain.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:38 am
Ex_Jammer wrote:
What DOES work with people like Mr Kim is a simple description of the consequences if a stated action is carried out by him. The only caveat is you have to have the guts to do as you say you will and the strengh to accept the possible outcomes. This is why prior consultation with South Korea, Russia, China, and our allies is imperative.
What has to be done is to tell them in no uncertain language nuclear tests and long range rocket launches will not be tolerated from that point in time on and the same information given to Russia and China. The next one will be shot down when it leaves their airspace, the one after that will be destroyed upon detection of the launch, the one after that will cost the launch facility and any nuclear facilities known, the next will cost the launch facility and their missile manufacturing facilities, etc. If at any time during the listed proceedings one artilary shell enters South Korea, one sabateur, or any other action to threaten South Korea, Japan, or any other US ally, friend or trade route encounters any hostile activity of any sort will cost Pyongyang and the twenty miles north of the DMZ. All the while, efforts should be made to impress on the Generals there that all will stop if the current leaders are removed, food and supplies start going to the populace, and new leaders with common sense and true concern with the plight of the people there are installed. Hopefully, cooler heads in the country will prevail and stop launches and tests before the process goes very far.
Normally, I would support more negotiation but history gives ample evidence they will not honor negotiations. It is imperative something be done, and soon, primarily because the North Korean leaders are, if not entirely insane then treading the line very very closely. It would be reckless to the point of folly to allow this farce to continue much farther as is, and if we display anything that can be construed as weakness then they will be emboldened to continue their present course.
I like it. Good post!
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:38 am
“ask yourself how Kristol would react if one of Iran’s leading political pundits went on television and said that maybe “targeting suicide bombings” against American targets would be a good idea.”
Actually, they (Iranian leaders) HAVE gone on television, accompanied by video footage of Iranians’ training of suicide bombers, bragging about their capabilities to hit Israel and regional (read that as Iraq/Afgan US troops) US forces.
I guess you were too busy hating Bush to notice that news item a few years back. A bully like Iran or N Korea understands one thing – a punch in the nose.
Grow up and learn something, will ya please – you’re boring and tiring with your sophomoric naivete.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 am
…and furthermore,since you asked and don’t know, let me explain what hitting NKorea with some missile or air strikes would do:
1) cause them to pauseand even stop their saber rattling.
2) topple Kim w/ a more moderate military coup in fear of US attack resulting in their deaths (like Saddam and his sons)
3) stop the wasteful arms race that is about to break out in that part of Asia -Japan willnot tolerate a nuclear N Korea since the tow hate each other – Japan will quickly arm itself with Nukes, causing China (who ahtes and mistrusts Japan) to add to their nuclear arsenal etc. Japan has the technology, nuclear reactors/fuel, and economic might to quickly build a few thousand nuclear armed missiles in just a few years, should htey so choose. And if N Korea is not stopped, they will choose.
Grow up and read a book or two on geopolitical strategy, please.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:01 am
How on earth have so many people convinced themselves that North Korea is such a vital threat to the U.S. that we should attack them—with nuclear weapons even? Jesus Fucking H. Christ.
June 2nd, 2009 at 1:38 am
Next time Matt posts a Limbaugh piece and people start complaining why are we paying attention to this now marginalized idiot they should remember this comment thread. The stupid is out there, it votes and it listens to right-wing media.
June 2nd, 2009 at 2:11 am
Thank you, Jesus. H.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:33 am
Where the fuck did all these mentally ill types come from to jack off on their fantasies of war with North Korea?
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:46 am
Surprised you’re not for it, Matt. I’m sure you could work up a good liberal interventionist case if pressed.
As for the bombtards commenting here, the reason North Korea rattles sabres is that it is desperate because America’s pushing it into a corner.
I just imagine the pissing of pants that would go on if anyone was actually capable of doing to you what you so willingly threaten to do to them.
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:53 am
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my sincerest wish that every individual in favor of pre-emptive strikes and invasions to stop the North Korean madman; sign up at the nearest Army/Marine/Navy/Airforce recruitment center and train to become one of the best instruments of war and death. And, if any of you couch potato pussies ever survive the training we military men had to survive, and make good on the schooling we have attended to ensure that we become deadly effective in our craft and trade, then maybe you can start talking about pre-emptive strikes and invasion; when it’s your ass on the line and when you finally have enough knowledge to assess the situation clearly based on good intelligence material and current facts. Otherwise, why don’t you just go back to your basement and play with your little dolls and stop professing to know anything at all about this whole situation and how to act. From me and my wingmen, up yours with love.
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:56 am
I didn’t sleep last night because I’m so disturbed by these reactionary posts. I served in nuclear forces during what could easily be the most dangerous 6 minutes in human history. November 9, 1979. In the face of imminent nuclear war, I was calm and alert. What is wrong with you pants-pissing cowards that you start to advocate a preventive war, and even the unprecedented preventive nuclear war, on the basis of the drivel that passes for news about North Korea?
North Korea and Iran don’t frighten me. Bush saying something as patently insane as “all options are on the table”(which is a threat to use nuclear weapons) if Iran has the knowledge to make nuclear weapons should terrify you.
There is a world of professionals who deal with the threat of nuclear war every day of the week. They are doing everything in their power to contain it. They’ve even written books about it, that you might want to look into. Some of you mushroom clouds might want to educate yourself before advocating genocide.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:28 am
[...] similar remarks on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday. Matthew Yglesias makes a good point when he says As you probably know, a certain number of people are down-the-line pacifists. They believe that war [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 am
El Cid
Where the fuck did all these mentally ill types come from to jack off on their fantasies of war with North Korea?
so doing nothing and allowing n-korea to develop more nukes and a effective delivery system is the smart move?
mabey el cid its you who needs to get off the short bus remove your helmet and stfu.
June 2nd, 2009 at 9:56 am
Maybe. Maybe John Bolton and George W. Bush Jr. shouldn’t have let North Korea test their first nukes. Maybe you’re right, and a bunch of retards who think foreign policy is a game and who don’t give a shit in the slightest about what the likely consequences of their policies are are the ones who have the right idea.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:02 am
ONLY IN AMERICA
Only In America….Must We Spend Billions of Taxpayer Dollars We Don’t Have Because We Can’t Let GM Go Bankrupt, And Then, Let GM Go Bankrupt.
Only In America….Can Congress Force Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac To Buy Subprime Loans, And Then Blame Fannie And Freddie For Buying Subprime Loans, Then Lay Off The CEO’s With Giant Severance Packages And Nationalize The Companies For The Tax Payers To Pick Up The Tab.
Only In America….Does A Major Crisis Requires Swift Action To Pass A Bill Without Reading It, Then Vacation For Three Days Before The President Has Time To Sign It.
Only In America….You Can Be Legally Illegal
Only In America….Can The Congress Make Laws That They Don’t Have To Follow
Only In America….Will Your Vice President Declare ‘Jobs’ A 3 Letter Word.
Only In America…Does The Military Get Investigated By Homeland Security As Possible Terrorists, While Our Borders Are Wide Open.
Only In America, Can You Get A Tax Refund On Taxes You Didn’t Pay.
Only In America, Can You Can Blame Others When You Don’t Perform.
Only In America, Where You Have More Rights Being an Illegal Immigrant,Than You Do As a Naturalized Citizen.
Only In America, Can You Be 13 And Have An Abortion Without Telling Your Parents, but Must Have A Written Note From Your Parent Why You Missed School.
Only In America, Are You Punished For Good Performance And Rewarded For Non-performance..
Only In America….Can You Call Large Corporations Evil, While 99% Of Americans Work In Companies With Less Than 500 Employees.
Only In America, Can Chrysler Get $10 Billion In Aid For Their Company Of 30,000 Employees. I Guess It Is Difficult To Run A Company For $333,000 Per Employee.
Only In America….Do We Care About 3 Guys That Get Water Up Their Nose, While Our Enemies Are Beheading Us And Blowing Up Crowds Of People With Suicide Bombings.
Only In America…..Can You Can Say Other Interrogation Techniques Work, But You Have No Idea What Those Techniques Are.
Only In America….You Can Be President Without A Birth Certificate
Only In America, Whatever Goes Wrong In The Country Will Always Be Bush’s Fault
LASTLY, HOWEVER, IN AMERICA, YOU CAN ONLY BE PRESIDENT……WHEN THE TELEPROMPTER IS ON.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
Who said anything about doing nothing? Is it total war or nothing? What kind of sad little black and white world do you people live in? READ books by experts on the topic—not polemics from talking heads—-read experts in the history of the nuclear arms race. This isn’t US vs N. KOREA as if we were truly locked in a bitter existential emnity for all time. This is the nuclear arms race. It has a history of its own, and fortunately a lot of people who are involved in it don’t think Well—they blow up one of our cities or we wipe them off the map every time some podunk backwater is or may be developing nuclear weapons.
Get the fuck over it.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
Here’s some easy reading from last year’s Washington Post:
link
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:46 am
212 Henry
I must say i did lol at your post. Good one
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
wiley #214
interesting reading, but not very relevent to todays situation with n-korea is it?
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:52 am
Ha ha! Teleprompter! Barney Frank! ACORN! Hey why do we keep losin?
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:05 am
Was it today that was in a vacuum, or yesterday? Of course it’s relevant.
June 2nd, 2009 at 11:07 am
Did he say HITLER? I didn’t bother. It’s when the literate talk like whack-jobs that I bother.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:11 pm
I’m really hoping that the Illmatic decides to come out of hiding. I used to get daily enjoyment from that blog.
BTW, the warmongers lost all moral standing after the last failed attempt at “liberation.” Why bother to engage the chickenhawks now? If someone can’t be bothered to consider the actual consequences of their actions, then all that is left is to bitch slap them in the face. Sticks and stones.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:23 pm
id like to think that preventing n-korea from using there wmd’s ever isnt warmongering. mabey to you it is, mabey the UN will work this time and we wont need military action,there sucess rate in the past has been amazing. lol
sactions and appeasement work ppl dont u get it!!!
wait and see.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I’d like to think that preventing war isn’t war-mongering.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
[...] the regime, advancing the possibility of increased military presence in the Korean peninsula. Bill Kristol commented that “targeted air strikes” might be an effective deterrent against North Korea’s [...]
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Im not pro war people.
i guess like many others im just worried about that tiny bat shit crazy dictator having nukes. hell mabey nothing will come of it. that is my hope and wish.
id like to think we can do more than hope though. This is obama’s first major test lets see how he handles it. If he does, ill be the first to praise him.
war is the last option..but it is one.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 pm
It would be heads-in-the-sand not to be concerned about any nuke that anybody has. This is a game that requires level-heads, patience, diplomacy, depth, a wealth of knowledge—the human race has built an apocalypse. Tread with care as if everyone’s life from now to the end of human time depends on it.
June 5th, 2009 at 5:12 pm
btw im sure the two U.S. journalists captive in n-korea will be giving a fair trial before being found guilty. lol Anyone who travels to that shit stained country takes his or her own life into there hands.