I think I stand with Jeff and Gollevainen on this one.
Kim was an Intelligence Officer who surprised everyone when he took over form his Father. I have no doubt that he did a deal with Beijing and that if he really was "out of control" that Beijing would easily and quickly install another General or group of Generals in his place.
No war, no shots, just a simple re-arrangement of the Palace furniture.
Well said! Here is why I think China won't invade N.Korea: the moment the full scale operation is detected, S.Korea will be compelled to invade also to try to push the PLA back, possibly with the support of NKPA and maybe US Forces as well! Koreans on both sides of the DMZ would rather fight together against new occupier than live in a divided country for untold number of years!
The PRC doesn't need war now, and she will be better off playing NK, SK, Japan & USA off each other. Like that Monkey King who watched from a tree 2 big tigers fight, and after 1 is killed and the other is crippled, climbed down and took possession of the world!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike
It is possible that SE Asia will regard Japan's militarization as a rational response to an irrational and nuclear North Korea. [/quote]
And I would add S.Korea possibly going nuclear if she doesn't feel adequately covered by the US nuclear umbrella -
A group of 17 former South Korean defense ministers and war veterans last week issued a statement calling on the government to ask the U.S. military to re-deploy tactical nuclear weapons, which were removed by former President George H.W. Bush's administration in 1991 as part of arms reductions following the Cold War.
N.Korea is very rational, in its own way.-
Also, please see my other post here-
http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/showthread.php?t=2471&page=6
