mtfester@netMAPSONscape.net wrote in message news:<cg5p2g$ivj$2@news.Stanford.EDU>...
> John W. <worthj1970@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > mtfester@netMAPSONscape.net wrote in message news:<cg52nb$4v0$1@news.Stanford.EDU>...
>  
> > I have yet to see a reason justifying it that I can buy into. The
> > security excuse was always dodgy, and then the combination of the
> > humanitarian reason made it worse because for both those reasons North
> > Korea is a much bigger threat. I guarantee that had we let things run
> 
> Yes, but they have nukes, and a touchy China on their northern border.
> Iraq or Iran presented easier targets.
> 
They have nukes now, maybe. They almost certainly didn't have them
when we were planning our war with Iraq, but they do have real weapons
of mass destruction, unlike Iraq. But that might have been part of the
point.

I honestly believe China wouldn't do too much. For starters North
Korea presents them with some prickly problems, not the least of which
is the refugee crisis. Also, if China did wage war against us (and
they'd be sorely tempted, though the situation could possibly be
avoided if we gave in on Taiwan) there's a massive Indian army to
their West and the Russians to their North, and both nations are more
or less on our side. Finally, world opinion would have been more
likely to get behind a war with North Korea where this an actual
humanitarian crisis and a real evil regime (I think Saddam was growing
increasingly toothless), as well as real weapons of mass destruction
that pose a problem to world peace (particularly now that they have a
missile that can reach US soil). The problem is that the US really
doesn't gain much by a war with North Korea, since they wouldn't be
able to give us any natural resources (though I heard at one point
there's oil exploration going on in the Sea of Japan), if they were
not there we wouldn't have a dog to kick, and we also would have to
rethink our military situation in the Pacific. In Iraq (I think things
are actually going more or less according plan) we'll be there for a
couple of years, get some valuable military experience, and then stay
if we want (might be a good thing to hold over the heads of the
Saudi). Personally I figure if Bush gets reelected Iran will be put on
a countdown timer.

John W.