Posted on 1/24/2008, 12:47:31 AM by TigerLikesRooster
Regime collapse in Pyongyang
January 21, 2008
By Daniel L. Davis - On Nov. 7, Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited his South Korean counterpart Kim Jang-soo to underscore the solidarity between the United States and the Republic of Korea with regard to the oft-intransigent North Korea. Sending an unmistakable message to Pyongyang — and Asia in general — about how seriously America views the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, Mr. Gates was accompanied by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the admiral commanding all American forces in the Pacific, and the four-star general commanding all troops in South Korea.
Notably absent from this contingent, however, were any State Department officials. This omission was critical because though military tension continues to pervade the Korean Peninsula, there is another crisis looming that could actually portend greater global disruptions than even a North Korean attack, and this crisis will require all the diplomatic skill we possess. It involves the collapse of the regime.
North Korean President Kim Jong-il will soon celebrate his 66th birthday amid widespread, though unconfirmed, rumors of deteriorating health. The Kim regime is unquestionably the world's most anachronistic government, and even absent rumors of his imminent death, Kim's totalitarian regime will eventually join the corpses of the Soviet Union, East Germany and other former dictatorships. Of great concern to North Korea's neighbors in the region, however, is the prospect of a no-notice regime collapse whereby the North becomes totally dependent upon surrounding nations — particularly South Korea — for its physical survival.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
The longer the current situation lasts, the more chaotic the eventual collapse would be.
Ping!
Right. Like Cuba will collapse, Iran will collapse, Venezuela will collapse. As if nobody there has a clue what to do. The only country of consequence that might actually collapse is Pakistan, and that won’t happen while the Army exists.
It’s going to be ugly when it happens.
IMHO The ChiComs are ready to march. Their goal of the 50s will be achieved.
N Kor has nothing China needs or wants. Maybe a shipyard, but that wouldn’t be worth sending in a squadron of traffic cops.
For N. Korea, it is different. Current N. Korean regime needs air-tight state control to survive. It is a cult commune. Without it, it will collapse, and state control is not what it used to be. It will go bang in one of these days.
It has a lot of strategic value to China.
He acts like enough of a fruit loop. /sarc>
Cheers!
Maybe something to that, but Russia owned it last before the Japanese and that is possibly where WW III will begin and the USA need not be involved.
Cuba, Iran and Venezuela have nowhere near the problems North Korea has. They have widespread starvation and, even with the allies they do have, barely can provide enough fuel to meet the needs of their military.
While the people may not revolt, there are those in positions of power who would like to be in total control, and eventually there will be action along those lines.
Likely, when one player makes a move it will be a free-for-all, as no-one has been given enough power to do it alone, and nobody trusts anyone else.
What with N. Korean citizens do? Which way do they lean? Suppose they want unity with S. Korea, then what does China do—and how will Japan react to that?
It is already ugly there. Eating tree bark to stay alive isn't as glamorous as it sounds.
Pretty lame article. He makes one prediction and then starts issuing directives.
If NK collapses suddenly, we have nothing to worry about.
China will move in quickly and fill the void. Any plans that we and other nations make would be useless.
Ugly is probably a serious understatement.
Between the physical hardship, psychological brain washing and brutal repression North Korea will take decades to normalize
From what I understand, they eat each other to survive. Border nations need to rush in when this happens to keep their populace from being plundered/slaughtered for food.
Rehabilitating trained pit bulls.
Those poor people probably just want a sandwich.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.