South Korea Threatens Preemptive Attack
Uh oh:
“We would have to strike (North Korea) right away if we detected that it has a clear intention to attack (South Korea) with nuclear weapons,” Defense Minister Kim Tae-young told a local defense forum.
“It would be too late and the damage would be too big if, in the case of a North Korean nuclear strike, we had to cope with the attack. There can be no changes to this principle.” [Yonhap]
Whatever.
Let the NorKs bark and foam all they want. Didn’t Kim Tae Young make a similar comment in 2008, only to have the DPRK cry foul and not fire a single bullet?
HUK, I think that Joshua’s point is that Bush was roundly condemned throughout the world for a similar policy of preemptive attack.
Jeffery Hodges
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How quick would China come running to defend its pet state, North Korea?
As for the histrionics, nothing beats: “You are worthless, Alec Baldwin! Worthless!”
I pray South Korea won’t pay attention to the weak who don’t believe standing up to tyranny is worth the price in blood.
I pray South Korea will do what Ronald Reagan did in standing against the USSR, and make every threat of violence to keep North Korea on the defensive.
I strongly doubt China has the political will anymore to fight a war with South Korea, USA, Japan, and most of the rest of the world to defend a despotic regime. If they think they can muster the troops for such a battle without destroying their economy, I would like to see them try. Chines Communists underestimate the power of its young people to its own, happy demise.
Pre-emption is the only feasible strategy. And it is not just tied to GWB, but has been the US Policy since the 1940s. States like Israel and the ROK can’t afford the luxury of absorbing a first blow. There are 23 million Koreans in the greater metropolitan Seoul area with 13,000 pieces of artillery and rockets trained on them at all times.
Sadly, I agree with KCJ that “pre-emption is the only feasible strategy” for South Korea. Being through, at least in talk and miltary action if nesssary is probably the only way to solve the nuclear weapons problem with North Korea and the more important human rights problem and making North Korea free.