[OFF TOPIC] Politics Thread

[Olympian1010 7,975]

 

[Olympian1010 7,975]

I will say that if the US managed to turn North Korea the world would look very different. You’d have two nuclear capable, democratic, mega economies right next to China (Plus, Taiwan which also has one of the largest economies in the world). The US could make some fitness down in SEA, and all of sudden, China is surrounded by US allies...

 

I’m not one for war though, so this scenario is just as bad as a communist North Korea in my opinion. It’s interesting to think about though.

[Vic Liu 1,682]

49 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

I will say that if the US managed to turn North Korea the world would look very different. You’d have two nuclear capable, democratic, mega economies right next to China (Plus, Taiwan which also has one of the largest economies in the world). The US could make some fitness down in SEA, and all of sudden, China is surrounded by US allies...

 

I’m not one for war though, so this scenario is just as bad as a communist North Korea in my opinion. It’s interesting to think about though.

 

China definitely go through this scenario many times so China will not just let it happen. The best scenario is as you said, his sister take over, everything is still peace and stable. The second best is China and South Korea (maybe USA and Russia together) involved into NK internal political battle without blood, finally a new government recognized by all parties founded with one more step to democracy and unification. The worst scenario is the proxy war happen. China will not allow US army near its border, NK is a perfect buffer zone right now, once this balance break the war will begin. 

 

China and South Korea are pretty calm right now so I think Kim's probably still recoverable or prepared for peaceful power take-over. Neither USA or China would rather see a unified Korea ( cruel but true), Neither one will play fool to start a proxy war I guess/hope.

[heywoodu 15,141]

Saudi Arabia has stopped with having flogging/caning as punishment, that's something. They of course still use the Sharia and it's Medieval punishments and rules (stoning, cutting off limbs etc), but it's at least a tiny step towards something more humane.

[Griff88 1,952]

1 hour ago, heywoodu said:

Saudi Arabia has stopped with having flogging/caning as punishment, that's something. They of course still use the Sharia and it's Medieval punishments and rules (stoning, cutting off limbs etc), but it's at least a tiny step towards something more humane.

 

I completely disagree with cutting off limbs or stoning but I still support flogging/caning as a punishment.

 

Rather than jailing for instance, vandals, a few strokes should teach a good lesson.

[heywoodu 15,141]

33 minutes ago, Griff88 said:

 

I completely disagree with cutting off limbs or stoning but I still support flogging/caning as a punishment.

 

Rather than jailing for instance, vandals, a few strokes should teach a good lesson.

 

Thing is, people also get dozens or even hundreds of strokes for all kinds of nonsense. Apart from society hopefully moving away from semi-torture like flogging, which is rather stronger than a little smack.

[Griff88 1,952]

18 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

 

Thing is, people also get dozens or even hundreds of strokes for all kinds of nonsense. Apart from society hopefully moving away from semi-torture like flogging, which is rather stronger than a little smack.

 

Well yeah not kind of flogging for being homosexual, gambling, blasphemy, caught together with opposite sex whom you're not married to, or other "questionable" offenses. And with reasonable number of strokes, too.

[Monzanator 4,502]

8 hours ago, Olympian1010 said:

I will say that if the US managed to turn North Korea the world would look very different. You’d have two nuclear capable, democratic, mega economies right next to China (Plus, Taiwan which also has one of the largest economies in the world). The US could make some fitness down in SEA, and all of sudden, China is surrounded by US allies...

 

I’m not one for war though, so this scenario is just as bad as a communist North Korea in my opinion. It’s interesting to think about though.

 

North Korea is so far back economically nobody would be willing to spend all the money to shorten the gap between them and even South Korea in case the communist regimes goes down. It just doesn't make sense. Look at Germany, 30 years after the fall of DDR, East German lands are still believed to be the "poor" ones compared to the rich GDR in the West. And that's with all the EU support and all that. I read an article few years ago where it states the world doesn't really want North Korea to become democratic because it would take an absurd ammount to make to help them so it's better the communists stick around while under sustained pressure from China. This also belefits China, they can manipulate the Western world by supressing Kim's ambitions while being granted the international free market leeways.

[Olympian1010 7,975]

3 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

North Korea is so far back economically nobody would be willing to spend all the money to shorten the gap between them and even South Korea in case the communist regimes goes down. It just doesn't make sense. Look at Germany, 30 years after the fall of DDR, East German lands are still believed to be the "poor" ones compared to the rich GDR in the West. And that's with all the EU support and all that. I read an article few years ago where it states the world doesn't really want North Korea to become democratic because it would take an absurd ammount to make to help them so it's better the communists stick around while under sustained pressure from China. This also belefits China, they can manipulate the Western world by supressing Kim's ambitions while being granted the international free market leeways.

Well if they went democratic and joined South Korea, to form the new Unified Republic of Korea, then it would be an advantage. Korea becomes a democratic nuclear power, and economic powerhouse. The North would be heavily exploited, but would hopefully catch up at some point.

[Monzanator 4,502]

6 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

Well if they went democratic and joined South Korea, to form the new Unified Republic of Korea, then it would be an advantage. Korea becomes a democratic nuclear power, and economic powerhouse. The North would be heavily exploited, but would hopefully catch up at some point.

 

The East German example teaches us that 'point' won't happen anytime soon so the juice is not worth the squeeze. USA were involved in the Korean War 50 years ago and things haven't changed much since. After the Vietnam failure I suppose USA is done meddling in the Far East and relies on Japan to do the dirty work