> 2) Did you consider the DPRK in 1994, when it was accepting US bribes and > UN inspections, and when it was only a few years away from assembling a few > nuclear bombs without us knowing or able to stop them, to be "relatively > weak" at that time?
Yes and no. Compared to the US, in general terms, yes. Even today. But it seems to me that DPRK, backed to some degree by China, constitutes a much greater threat to US allies than Iraq, even before our latest massive troop buildup in the Middle East. In other words, even though the US is vastly more powerful than the DPRK, the DPRK can hurt too many of our allies too quickly for us to take them lightly, and they are in a much better position to do such a thing than Iraq is in its current state, even without nukes.
Also, back in 1994 I basically saw the DPRK as a nation run by such crazy MFs that they might actually be willing to stupidly destroy themselves in a war with the US just to save face over some stupid thing or other, so I was immensely heartened by their willingness to take our bribe like sane people: maybe they were slowly coming around. Now I think that the DPRK is neither insane nor coming around, and I still think they could hurt a lot more of our allies than Iraq ever could to date.
Marvin Long
I'm not arguing against what you wrote Marvin, I'm just trying to make my own point here: Unless I've been wearing blinders and earplugs, I think everything I've seen or heard has completely ignored what President Bush said about N. Korea. He wants China, Japan, S. Korea, and Russia to step in and talk with Korea. To solve a regional problem. N. Korea has ignored these requests and only wants to talk with the US. They won't use the UN. They won't talk to China or the others. Yet somehow it's the USA's fault, the situation is spiraling out of control!
And I think it should be that way in other countries. People are saying 'We haven't done enough in Afghanistan' as if piggly wiggly's and elementary schools come in shrink wrapped packages, just add water. I loved the story back in January talking about the money change over. It took them nine months just to get the money printed and figure out an exchange rate, to replace four different notes. We are helping the leaders learn how to run a country, not do it for them.
Kevin T. - VRWC Time for bed
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