Is North Korea REALLY a threat to us?

Answer 1

The biggest threat that Kim Jong IL represents, is probably to his own people.

Unlike an aggressive Iran who is meddling militarily in Lebanon and Iraq, Kim is an ‘isolationist’ who is paranoid that he is about to be attacked. Kim is surrounded by economic giants (Russia, China, South Korea and Japan) and is constrained by his dependence upon them for financial aid. Kim is financially broke and can’t even properly feed his own people. That is why he has gotten into counterfeiting, drug dealing and insurance scams for desperately needed dollars. How else is the “Godfather” of N.E. Asia going to buy his French cognac.

Who is he a threat to? The South Koreans think he is more of a pathetic joke than a serious threat to them. They are convinced that North Korea would never attack them (at least the young Koreans believe that). He is really more of a threat to Japan than to the U.S. Kim has fired threatening missiles over Japan (before he tested his nukes). But, he doesn’t have any kind of navy to lead an assault on the third richest country in the world. Koreans and most of Asia still have ‘bad blood’ with Japan because of atrocities committed in WWII (they have long memories in Asia). The threat that the DPRK poses to Japan is through missiles and nukes but is countered by the U.S. nuclear ‘umbrella policy’ protecting South Korea, Japan and Taiwan from attack

Kim is still years away from being able to perfect an intercontinental missile delivery system that would be able to reach the U.S. By late next year, America’s S.D.I. [Strategic Defense Initiative] will be ‘on-line’ protecting against missile attack. That’s probably why Russia’s Putin was recently so upset and complaining about another arms race with the U.S. Intercontinental missiles will be much less of a threat to the U.S. than in the past. Kim has not been involved in terror (not yet, at least) and is not in a position to project military power (except for his questionable nuclear capability). His capability to threaten the U.S. seems limited to helping terrorists which, so far, he hasn’t been inclined to do.

The news media likes to hype the story to be about the DPRK challenging the U.S. In reality, Japan and South Korea has much more at stake than the U.S. does (unless Kim does something crazy to initiate a military conflict directly with the U.S.) The one thing few are paying attention to is the fact that Kim (with his nuclear posturing) may have inadvertently triggered an arms race in N.E. Asia. As a result of the DPRK’s nuclear weapons tests, Japan was bolted out of a 60 year sleep, military defense-wise. For the first time since WWII ended, Japan is in the process of changing its constitution to allow for an offensive military to be created. Their current constitution (given to them by General MacArthur) does not allow for an “offensive” military. With U.S. nudging, I believe that Japan will gradually begin to rearm. This will have the effect of countering China’s rapid military modernization program as well.

This whole nuke thing is just a big scam to extort financial aid from the U.S. (which he apparently has succeeded in doing). However, I believe that the big loser in all this ultimately will be China who will be facing a rearmed Japan after a ‘long sleep’.

For 60 years, the U.S. played the role of ‘honest broker’ in N.E. Asia with troops (that are really needed and wanted) in South Korea and Japan. Our troops have served as a buffer between the Koreas, as well, between Japan and rest of Asia. Now that China has started to flex its military might and the DPRK has tilted the sensitive balance of power in N.E. Asia, the effects are going to be more than anyone there realizes yet. That is one ‘genie’ that can not be put back into the bottle.

Japan is the key to our foreign policy in Asia. For that reason we need to focus on an ‘equal partner’ military alliance with our biggest allies in Asia, Japan and South Korea (and Taiwan). They all have much more at stake involving the DPRK and China than does the U.S.

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Answer 2

Kim Jong-Il should be seen more desirable of a Saturday Morning caricature villain than a danger to global peace. North Korea has threatened war ever because the Korean war on each and every occasion it needs something from america. in case you want an social gathering, North Korea has requested for $one hundred Trillion for war damages incurred by technique of the Korean war. that's more desirable than the entire global's GDP.

Answer 3

Any countries that have nukes aimed at us (and especially those run by crazy, ignorant people) are a threat to us.

Answer 4

YES IT IS! or didn't you hear about that nuclear missle aimed at the US about 6 months ago.

Answer 5

As long as the present administration is in office they are.

Answer 6

nothing is a threat to us..

we have too much power and allies...

Answer 7

not yet, but bush is working on it.