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| What's Going on in North Korea | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 6 2006, 10:06 AM (401 Views) | |
| George K | Jul 6 2006, 10:06 AM Post #1 |
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Finally
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From StrategyPage Forget the Missiles, This is Even More Bizarre July 5, 2006: While everyone's attention was focused on North Korean missiles, the real story is the North Korean economy. It continues to fall apart, and more North Koreans are unhappy about that. Worse yet, more North Koreans are finding out how badly they have been screwed by their leaders. Meanwhile, North Korean officials engage in even more bizarre behavior. For example, food and fuel supplies sent to North Korea have been halted, not to force North Korea to stop missile tests or participate in peace talks, but to return the Chinese trains the aid was carried in on. In the last few weeks, the North Koreans have just kept the trains, sending the Chinese crews back across the border. North Korea just ignores Chinese demands that the trains be returned, and insists that the trains are part of the aid program. It's no secret that North Korean railroad stock is falling apart, after decades of poor maintenance and not much new equipment. Stealing Chinese trains is a typical loony-tune North Korean solution to the problem. If the North Koreans appear to make no sense, that's because they don't. Put simply, when their unworkable economic policies don't work, the North Koreans just conjure up new, and equally unworkable, plans. The Chinese have tried to talk the North Koreans out of these pointless fantasies, and for their trouble they have their trains stolen. How do you negotiate under these conditions? No one knows. The South Koreans believe that if they just keep the North Korean leaders from doing anything too destructive (especially to South Korea), eventually the tragicomic house of cards up north will just collapse. Not much of a plan, but so far, no one's come up with anything better. July 4, 2006: North Korea finally fired its Taepodong 2, but after about 40 seconds, the missile exploded, apparently because of an engine failure. The only other test of the Taepodong 2, in 1998, was a success, with the missile passing over Japan. In addition to the Taepodong 2, North Korea apparently launched eight or more shorter range SCUD type missiles into the Sea of Japan. These were probably older missiles nearing the end of their useful lives. North Korea has taken the basic Russian SCUD missile (which was developed, with the help of captured German scientists, from the German World War II V-2 ballistic missile) and improved it as the longer range (1,300 kilometers) Nodong missile. The basic SCUD design was also enhanced to produce longer range (up to 600 kilometers) SCUDs. All of these have been sold to foreign buyers like Yemen, Iran and Pakistan. June 28, 2006: China has openly urged North Korea to halt preparations for "missile tests," and return to negotiations regarding economic aid and the North Korean nuclear weapons program. Previously, China had refrained from public criticism of the North Koreans. |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Qaanaaq-Liaaq | Jul 6 2006, 10:24 AM Post #2 |
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Senior Carp
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It's a country gone mad. See the documentary film "A State of Mind", the subject of which is North Korea. I wrote a short film review on it. It's posted on the well-tempered forum: http://well-temperedforum.groupee.net/eve/...6273#5110056273 |
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| George K | Jul 6 2006, 10:29 AM Post #3 |
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Finally
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Is this the film that was shown on PBS about a year ago? I remember it was made by two Brits, and I found it extremely distrubing. Empty cities, traffic cops directing no traffic, bizarre museums showing American soldiers eating babies... Well, I'm telling you anything that you don't know. Sigh. It's sad. |
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A guide to GKSR: Click "Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08 Nothing is as effective as homeopathy. I'd rather listen to an hour of Abba than an hour of The Beatles. - Klaus, 4/29/18 | |
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| Qaanaaq-Liaaq | Jul 6 2006, 10:40 AM Post #4 |
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Senior Carp
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I don't know if "A State of Mind" was shown on PBS. I saw it at a theater that specializes in showing non-commercial films. Yes, the film maker is British. |
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| Shammy | Jul 6 2006, 12:33 PM Post #5 |
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Middle Aged Carp
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THey kept the trains????? That is so bizarre!!!! You're right.... their other behavior makes the missle launching almost look sane. |
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I'd rather fall into chocolate. | |
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| Matt G. | Jul 6 2006, 01:00 PM Post #6 |
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Middle Aged Carp
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An unfortunate moniker.
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| AlbertaCrude | Jul 6 2006, 01:05 PM Post #7 |
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Bull-Carp
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That moniker may very well explain Kim Jong Il's and North Korea's odd and inexplicable behavior... |
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| JBryan | Jul 6 2006, 01:07 PM Post #8 |
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I am the grey one
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Then they compounded it by developing the Type O Dong |
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"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it". Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody. Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore. From The Lion in Winter. | |
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| AlbertaCrude | Jul 6 2006, 01:30 PM Post #9 |
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Bull-Carp
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Clearly an indication of obsessive fixation behavior. |
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| JBryan | Jul 6 2006, 01:31 PM Post #10 |
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I am the grey one
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Or penis envy. |
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"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it". Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody. Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore. From The Lion in Winter. | |
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| AlbertaCrude | Jul 6 2006, 01:35 PM Post #11 |
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Bull-Carp
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The French are likely to deploy a Castor class missle defence system in response. |
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| JBryan | Jul 6 2006, 01:36 PM Post #12 |
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I am the grey one
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Although they are only baiting us in a masterful way. |
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"Any man who would make an X rated movie should be forced to take his daughter to see it". - John Wayne There is a line we cross when we go from "I will believe it when I see it" to "I will see it when I believe it". Henry II: I marvel at you after all these years. Still like a democratic drawbridge: going down for everybody. Eleanor: At my age there's not much traffic anymore. From The Lion in Winter. | |
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| AlbertaCrude | Jul 6 2006, 01:42 PM Post #13 |
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Bull-Carp
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Best to remain |
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| Mikhailoh | Jul 6 2006, 01:56 PM Post #14 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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You guys don't see your own phallus logic, instead erecting intellectual walls. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| Mikhailoh | Jul 6 2006, 01:57 PM Post #15 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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What is needed here is Viagraus diplomacy. Send Kim Li'l Dong a little blue pill and a couple California surfer girls and crisis deflated. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| Jolly | Jul 6 2006, 01:59 PM Post #16 |
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Geaux Tigers!
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I can only see that scenario as one which makes him harden his position. |
| The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros | |
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| Mikhailoh | Jul 6 2006, 02:25 PM Post #17 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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You mean the new one? The Castor 8? |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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| AlbertaCrude | Jul 6 2006, 02:28 PM Post #18 |
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Bull-Carp
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Oui, les volees des castors. |
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| apple | Jul 6 2006, 02:33 PM Post #19 |
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one of the angels
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great thread
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| it behooves me to behold | |
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| Mikhailoh | Jul 7 2006, 03:52 AM Post #20 |
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
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Quite uplifting, yes. |
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Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball | |
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11:13 AM Jul 11