Kim Jong-un is obviously suffering from a mental illness with delusions of grandeur. He must be insane to even think about taking on the USA. Tomorrow Julia Gillard and Bob Carr go to China to plead with them to do something - anything, to bring this young despot into line.
China has every reason to talk some sense into him, if North Korea were overwhelmed, China could end up with a united pro-Western Korea on their doorstep, much better to have a friendly ally close by.
The north invaded the south on 25 June 1950 and quickly captured Seoul. The UN invited members to help the south fight the dreaded Communists and allied troops from many countries rallied to the cause and pushed them back over the 38th parallel, and for a short time, they controlled 2/3 of North Korea.
Then China intervened and with 180,000 troops, drove the allies back to the 38th parallel. But there was no resolution, the war ended in a stalemate and on 27 July 1953, a cease-fire was signed.
I feel sorry for South Korea, they've been living under a cloud of unfinished business ever since the war ended. It's an impossible situation really, a country split in two - one side living the dream of success and all that comes with it and the other side hungry and deprived of human rights.
The South has wanted its own nuclear programs for years but the UN wouldn't allow it, they can't allow them to have it and say no to North Korea and Iran. And they have good reason to wonder how committed the US will be to defend them, after the disaster of Iraq and Afghanistan, it's only natural to assume that they won't want to rush headlong into another war.
So today's headlines tell us that the Army is about to evacuate 7000 Aussies from South Korea, so it looks like things are getting very serious. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
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