There's been a lot of talk about North Korea, with them shooting missiles into the Eastern Sea. Eastern Sea? Don't you mean Sea of Japan?
It isn't called the Sea of Japan in North or South Korea. Why not?
This is indicative of a lot of the problems in East Asia. Join me for Q&A primer after the flip.
Q:
Korea, north and south, are united in something. They don't like Japan. But, why? Japan makes kickass video games and robots, what's not to like!
A:
Well, because Japan occupied and enslaved the Korean peninsula from 1910-1945. Koreans, north and south, are still pretty pissed about this. Pissed enough in fact to argue the name of the body of water to the East of Korea and West of Japan. That's pissed.
Q:
Is that why Japan, who has a limited but improving military because of the deal they cut after WW2, is totally freaking out about the missiles?
A:
Yes, that is totally why Japan is freaking out.
Q:
Why don't we just roll in there and kick some ass?
A:
Because, millions and millions of Korean civilians live pretty much on the DMZ. North Korea, at any time, could launch a massive conventional weapons attack on South Korea's major cities. North Korea essentially has 20 million hostages.
Q:
Why don't those South Koreans Move out the way of the whoopass machine?
A:
Because North Korea would probably notice if a city of 10 million, like Seoul, was being evacuated. They would then construe this as an act of War and start blowing shit up.
Q:
How much does that suck?
A:
It sucks a lot.
Q:
What is South Korea doing about all of this?! I mean we have 23,000 troops there, what are they doing about this!
A:
South Korea has ¾ million active duty troops with about 1 million reserves. They have some of the most advanced military equipment on the planet, land, air, and sea.
Q:
Wow, sounds like South Korea can totally take care of itself. What the hell are our troops doing there?
A:
Our troops are there pretty much a target, so that if anything goes wrong, some of our soldiers will die, justifying our entry into the conflict. Also, South Korea makes a great place for Naval and Air bases.
Q:
Why is it that China supports and has influence on North Korea?
A:
Because of the rail routes that allow trade into North Korea. China makes some bucks off of North Korea, and also has a land buffer against the US ally South Korea.
Q:
So what the hell do we do?
A:
Well, South Korea is trying something called the "sunshine policy". Pretty much just sending aid to alleviate suffering of the North Korean people, waiting for Kim Jong Il to die.
Q:
No I mean what should America do?
A:
Well, try to keep the possibility of nuclear proliferation at a minimum through talks, and pretty much wait for the regime to fall. Hopefully it will work out like Germany. And, whatever we do, we shouldn't try to provoke conflict by calling North Korea names.
Q:
You mean like when Bush named them as part of the Axis of Evil?
A:
Yes, that was profoundly stupid. It caused the crazy leader of North Korea to ramp up his nuclear program.
Q:
Wow, how dumb was that!
A:
It was way dumb.
Q:
Are the people of North Korea suffering?
A:
Yes.
Q:
So what is the goal here?
A:
Well the goal used to be Korean reunification. But, now that seems to have changed. After WW2, S. Korea has built itself into an amazing country, with a monstrous economy, and amazing quality of life. Now it seems as if the goal is the Status Quo minus N. Korea shooting missiles in Japan's general direction.
Q:
You mean we're just going to wait while those people are suffering, because the economies of the region have finally gotten to their feet, and a War could do serious damage to all of that?
A:
Yes.
Q:
Why have we let this go on for so long.
A:
Cold war, and N. Korea has no real natural resources. No spoils for the victor.
Q:
So, what's going to happen?
A:
A deal will be cut, concessions given. A cost benefit analysis, it's cheaper to leave Kim Jong Il in power.
Q;
That makes me lose faith in the world.
A:
Yes it does.
If you have any questions I'll try to answer them. This is my take on the situation and I think I'm dead on.