The Associated Press has an entire story on North Korea’s Kim building up his nuclear arsenal.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the “exponential” expansion of his country’s nuclear arsenal and the development of a more powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, state media reported Sunday, after he entered 2023 with another weapons launch following a record number of testing activities last year.
Kim’s moves are in line with the broad direction of his nuclear program. He has repeatedly vowed to boost both the quality and quantity of his arsenal to cope with what he calls U.S. hostility. Some experts say Kim’s push to produce more nuclear and other weapons signals his intention to continue a run of weapons tests and ultimately solidify his future negotiating power and win greater outside concessions.
The presumption by experts, or at least the ones that the media quotes, that North Korea and Iran are building up their nuclear programs as negotiating leverage strangely assumes that the only possible use for nukes is in diplomatic bluffs.
Sure, we’ve seen plenty of that over the years. Putin keeps mentioning he has lots and lots of nukes every 5 minutes. And North Korea is unlikely to use nukes against us. Or at least we like to think that they still believe that even the Biden administration would engage in nuclear retaliation. Frankly, I’m skeptical. After 9/11, I’m pretty sure that the response to an American city being nuked by a non-great power would be to go over and make sure that they have democratic elections rather than making them glow in the dark.
But the idea that Iran wouldn’t use nukes against smaller targets, whether Israel or regional powers, or that Kim is collecting nukes for show with no serious intent of using them against regional nations is a serious blind spot. It’s the same kind of blind spot that had Chamberlain waving around his agreement with Hitler, convinced that the Austrian sociopath was not serious about an extended program of conquest.
Just because we can’t imagine that people think differently than we do, doesn’t mean anything.
Presuming that Kim doesn’t want nukes except as a status symbol could turn out to be a very dangerous mistake. Murderous dictators like power. And nuclear weapons are the ultimate form of military destructive power. They do provide a lot of diplomatic leverage, but the ultimate leverage is still force.
“I’m pretty sure that the response to an American city being nuked by a non-great power would be to go over and make sure that they have democratic elections rather than making them glow in the dark.”
Do you mean “Democratic” with a big “D”, i.e., rigged?
I mean nation building, which is popular among both parties.
Korea or any rogue nation could launch a nuke into the low-earth orbiting satellites without violating the air space of any other nation and take out ALL our satellites, sending us back to the dark ages. Nothing would work. Water and gas could not be pumped. Airplanes could not be flown. No electrical power. NOTHING using integrated circuits would work. This short article was written in 1998.. Nothing has changed.
https://spp.fas.org/military/program/asat/at_981015.htm
The Chinese have always wanted the U.S. land and its resources while despising its people. Remember, they have no silly notions of the value of human life. North Korea could launch a low-earth nuke and it would not set them back much, if at all. Remember how dark the North Korean land mass looks on satellite imagery in darkness?
But nukes are not necessary. Biological weapons could also do the trick – kill us and preserve our infrastructure. We have helped China develop biological weapons. They are working out how to use it against us while protecting themselves genetically or with vaccine immunity.
Nothing has changed since General Chi Haotian’s death except the progress of technology to accomplish the goal.
Here’s Newt describing in ashen terms the chaos that might confront Republicans.
I wonder if the other side is ashen at the prospect? All opportunities for them but what we have is Newt.
He doesn’t know what “exponential” terms, one of the most abused and misused mathematical terms these days.
We can assume he is isn’t acquainted with the exponential decline of Christianity in America? A decline that is a surprise to nobody outside of America who isn’t acquainted with cowardice. Ergo, Peter Hitchens who is extremely acquainted.
Thanks Una 🙂
(I meant “means” instead of the first “terms”, my internet is giving me problems)
Ha! I read it as ‘Means” – just the way you meant it. Not as it was typed.
Maybe we have all mind melded and have become the borg here.
I am very honored if we have!
Thanks Cat! I always enjoy your posts 🙂
Beyond your vulgar verbiage….you might want to lighten up. Its a new year after all. However, you may be a leftist (a leftist redneck) if you have no understanding of sarcasm, no sense of humor, no imagination and you’re way too angry.
We feel protective of the few genius thinkers who are brave and good enough to share their thoughts with us.
So, take a chill pill, buddy.