> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Verzonden: Friday, August 17, 2001 2:37 PM
> Aan: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Onderwerp: Re: Landmines
> >>
> You excused the devotion of huge amounts of North Korea's GNP to
> military resources as a consequence of their fear of the US. People
> starve to death and lack medicine not because of lack of resources but
> because of devotion of huge amounts of those resources to military
> endeavors. And that is the US's fault because we are a threat to them.
I don't believe any country should let its people starve. But I also don't
believe in denying a country the right to spend the resources necessary to
defend itself. And yes, I know these two priorities can clash; for any
country, it sucks when you're dirt-poor and at the same time have enemy
forces gathering at your border.
As for the US being a threat: how else could North Korea interpret the
presence of US troops just south of their border? Keep in mind that from a
North Korean point of view, the hated capitalist US is an agressive country,
intend on world domination.
> North Korea's troop allocation and movements are simply an attempt to
> stave off the american threat.
Although this may indicate that North Korea is planning an invasion, the
evidence is circumstantial. If this case were brought before a court of law,
North Korea would not be convicted of planning an invasion, since the only
evidence present is circumstantial. Allocation of troops, troop movements
and clearing of minefields does not equal invasion plans; as a sovereign
nation, North Korea is free to clear its own minefields and to move its
troops to whatever location within the country it deems necessary.
> All evidence of North Korea's intent is turned into simple defense.
The evidence is circumstantial; it's not hard evidence. As long as North
Korean troops stay on their own side of the border, everything that you
consider "evidence of hostile intent" could just as well be interpreted as
regular military exercises.
Jeroen
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