OT - Maybe I'm missing something here?

[pundit]

The U.S. (along with its coalition partners, Britain and Australia) invaded Iraq using the pretext that Iraq had WMD and was iminantly going use them... Tony Blair stated that Iraq could launch a WMD strike within 45 minutes.

If the Iraq invasion was justified (at the time) on WMD grounds then why not North Korea which has been making noises for years about acquiring and using WMD?

[rob101]

The U.S. (along with its coalition partners, Britain and Australia) invaded Iraq using the pretext that Iraq had WMD and was iminantly going use them... Tony Blair stated that Iraq could launch a WMD strike within 45 minutes.

If the Iraq invasion was justified (at the time) on WMD grounds then why not North Korea which has been making noises for years about acquiring and using WMD?

China

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

the support and wealth to do anything with their program, except to ultimately alienate what few allies they have and implode under the weight of their military and their new found atomic white elephant.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

They are about ready to Bitch slap ol' Kim for playing with Nukes in their backyard.

[Jimbo]

the support and wealth to do anything with their program, except to ultimately alienate what few allies they have and implode under the weight of their military and their new found atomic white elephant.

I agree with both Rob and Bob.

China hugely complicates the whole North Korea thing, if it weren't for China we would have taken over the North back in 1950. However, North Korea simply does not have anything resembling a sustainable economy, if China starts backing some of the sanctions against the North it is only a matter of time before they collapse in one way or another.

To me North Korea is one of the biggest jokes in the world, its just too bad its people have to suffer so much and its psychotic leader has to make this world just a little bit less safe of a place to live in.

As for Iraq, I wish we would have just finished the job back in 1991 and avoided all this mess

[Elekta]

37,000 US soldiers south of the dmz. 2 million north Ko's. Albright got fooled. China...a mulitude of reasons.

Why we let the Russians cart off all that WMD before the invasion we'll never know. Meanwhile, while the rest of the planet hates the US, Putin is slowly silencing his critics KGB style...2 bullets to the head.

And we would have had North Korea in a month, but Truman fired MacArthur

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

As for Iraq, I wish we would have just finished the job back in 1991 and avoided all this mess

Knew too well what a mess Iraq would be, left it alone.

[The Bigfella]

And we would have had North Korea in a month, but Truman fired MacArthur

All MacArthur was good for was self agrandisement

[Zeuk in Oz]

I also agree with Rob, Bob & Jimbo. China !

The delicious irony, however, is that the only nation in the world to have used nuclear weapons in anger is trying to stop other nations from having the same.

I know, I know - North Korea and Iran are the bad guys. I must say, however, I would probably classify George W in the same lot these days, as his foreign policies have nothing to do with diplomacy.

Imagine, however, if North Korea had oil !

Every congressman or woman with children should have at least 1 of their children serving in Iraq. I predict then that the US presence in Iraq would last a matter of a few days.

[mamilapon]

I really wish the North Koreans had some oil somewhere...anywhere!!