China considers moves against North Korea
It took them long enough. Faced with news that North Korea is preparing for a sixth nuclear test, China policy makers are now considering various options for removing North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.
According to the Korea Times, Professor Zhe Sun told a security forum in Washington that the Chinese were debating how best to deal with the North Korean leader. ‘Some Chinese scholars and policy makers began to talk about supporting “surgical strikes” and “decapitation” by the U.S. and South Korea as one policy option,’ he said.
Satellite images of North Korea’s nuclear test site shows activity at all three of its tunnel complexes, fuelling speculation of another test ahead of a key political anniversary next week
Professor Zhe Sun told a security forum in Washington that the Chinese were debating how best to deal with the North Korean leader ‘More radical proposals indicate that China should change the leader, send troops across borders and station in DPRK, force DPRK into giving up nuclear and beginning opening up and reforming.’
North Korea has never been able to do anything without the support of China. That China has allowed them to get this far in their nuclear weapon and missile development has been an enormous mistake. That they might now be finally realizing this means that we could see some drama there very shortly.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
It took them long enough. Faced with news that North Korea is preparing for a sixth nuclear test, China policy makers are now considering various options for removing North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.
According to the Korea Times, Professor Zhe Sun told a security forum in Washington that the Chinese were debating how best to deal with the North Korean leader. ‘Some Chinese scholars and policy makers began to talk about supporting “surgical strikes” and “decapitation” by the U.S. and South Korea as one policy option,’ he said.
Satellite images of North Korea’s nuclear test site shows activity at all three of its tunnel complexes, fuelling speculation of another test ahead of a key political anniversary next week
Professor Zhe Sun told a security forum in Washington that the Chinese were debating how best to deal with the North Korean leader ‘More radical proposals indicate that China should change the leader, send troops across borders and station in DPRK, force DPRK into giving up nuclear and beginning opening up and reforming.’
North Korea has never been able to do anything without the support of China. That China has allowed them to get this far in their nuclear weapon and missile development has been an enormous mistake. That they might now be finally realizing this means that we could see some drama there very shortly.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
‘Some Chinese scholars and policy makers began to talk about supporting “surgical strikes” and “decapitation” by the U.S. and South Korea as one policy option,’
What the hell?
China has spent enormous sums of American trade money building a military and they expect the US to do their dirty work? While a nuclear-capable North Korea is of concern to everyone, if China wants to be a strategic player they need to take care of their own back yard.
“China has spent enormous sums of American trade money building a military and they expect the US to do their dirty work? ”
Sure! Squeeze a little more from the US is always an option. One option. An option that does the least to abandon the “closer than lips and teeth” relationship that China and the DPRK have had, even including plausible deniability.
“…if China wants to be a strategic player they need to take care of their own back yard.”
Yes, but do *we* want them to be that, rather than appear to be that? Not if the next place they “help” with is when the next elected President in the Philippines swerves away from President Duterte’s current romance with the PRC, and the PLA decides they can and should prevent Duterte’s policies from being reversed. At the present moment, the wrangling over bits of rock and coral in the seas East of China is a good way to distract a Chinese population from the agency costs of the governmental and Party hierarchies. We don’t really want the PLAN, the PLAF, The PLA, the Military Affairs Comittee, and the Politburo to decide that this is a good general foreign policy, starting in the DPRK and expanding from there.
The PLA got a bloody nose when they invaded Vietnam in the late 1970s. I vote for keeping that as their most recent “strategic experience”.
‘Some Chinese scholars and policy makers began to talk about supporting “surgical strikes” and “decapitation” by the U.S. and South Korea as one policy option,’
This option also allows the Chinese to observe the power of the most recent developments in the US arsenal!
What will be the responses in the next presidential debate. Bet they try to skirt the issue!
Skirt? Skirt? not in this debate, pant suits only……
;)
“Orion314
October 7, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Skirt? Skirt? not in this debate, pant suits only……”
Good one!
Tom Billings:
I’d considered your second point, and as you rightfully point out there are some serious concerns about Chinese muscle-flexing. My consideration is that American power has been much reduced the last decade, and we can’t be everywhere at once policing everything. That’s what Democrats do. It may be that we should be seeking strategic partners at this point.
On the other hand, if North Korea demonstrates a consistent ability to hit the US, I’d support military action.
Who could or would stop China from taking action to depose Kim?
Russia? no way. UN sanctions? not likely…
Besides, does anybody remember the axis of evil that George Bush Jr. pointed out around 2003? Libya and Syria were not on that list. It’s interesting that within the last few days, China has stated their support for both Syria and Russia with their military, while at the same time floating the idea of asking for assistance and cooperation from the US in dealing with North Korea on top of that.
Probably a red herring (pun intended). The Peoples Liberation Army helped facilitate the N. Korean nuclear program. Any time they want regime change in N. Korea all they need do is cut off food, oil, and electricity, and give the N. Korean generals the go ahead. Little Kim Jong Un would be toast.
” Dave Williams
October 9, 2016 at 2:11 am
Probably a red herring (pun intended). The Peoples Liberation Army helped facilitate the N. Korean nuclear program. Any time they want regime change in N. Korea all they need do is cut off food, oil, and electricity, and give the N. Korean generals the go ahead. Little Kim Jong Un would be toast.”
After NK has working nuclear weapons and a delivery system with holding food will not be an option.
Even China does not want to lose a million people plus a million solders if NK launches. Do you really think the NK government or military will tell their own brain washed people they were the ones to start the war?