Pick your crisis

[King Rat]

Right now we have Iran thumbing its nose at the world while they race to develop nuclear weapons technology.

North Korea fired seven missles into the Sea of Japan yesterday. At least one of them was a test (failed) of their long range missle which was supposed to reach the US.

Hamas kidnapped an Israeli soldier and is holding him hostage. The Israeli prime minsister warned that "the sky will fall on Palestine" if the kid is harmed. Hamas, in turn, claims that Israel is trying to bring down a government.

Which crisis do you think is the most serious? How should Bush deal with them?

Iran: I would continue the course Bush has been following. Give diplomacy a chance - there is still time.

North Korea: For the moment I would ignore them. They are blackmailing the world trying to continue the policy Clinton started in the 90's of rewarding such behavior. But warn them that if a missle hits South Korea, Japan, or comes anywhere close to the US we will put a cruise missle right down Kim Jong III's throat.

Hamas: This is the most serious of the three because it is a powder keg that could turn into something big. Hamas must be destroyed. Israel should let the sky fall and the US should back them all the way. And since the Palestinean people elected Hamas to represent them, well, they get what they deserve when hunks of sky start hitting them. Hamas IS the government and their attacks on Israel are no longer terrorist attacks. They constitute an act of war by one government on another.

[calliope]

I'm right there with ya, King Rat. Don't know which is the biggest crisis, in terms of global impact, but I agree with your opinions on how to handle them.

Now, if I could play musical countries, I'd move Israel next door to us, right about where Mexico is now. And I'd sling Mexico right slap in the middle of the Middle East and leave it there. Wouldn't that be fun?

Seriously, though, Israel has shown incredible restraint over the years. It might be time for Israel to lose her temper to remind her neighbors that she ain't no lightweight. I'm not for displays of force just for kicks, but for DECADES Israel has put up with a heckuva lot more than the U.S. would ever even CONSIDER putting up with, and yet we continue to urge Israel to turn the other cheek. It's absurd.

North Korea: For now, I think we should keep a close (spying) eye, but let China and Japan take the lead on this thing. If the time comes, North Korea can be eliminated. Strong words, I know, but somebody needs to get off their Asian butt and assassinate Kim Jong Il. He's a total nut, but he's running the show. China and Japan (and poor South Korea) are going to be the ones to get hit first, when he decides to start playing with his really expensive toys. The U.S. will be a target, sure, but it looks like he'll have to practice on his neighbors for a while first, and I think their response will be devastating. I think we (the U.S.) can afford to rock back on our heels for a bit, while continuing to urge international pressure. Again, though, we need to spy the hell out of North Korea. And China too, while we're at it.

Iran: Yikes, what a mess. Another pot of crazies, only lots of 'em. On the bright side, I think the international community has really caught on that's there a BIG problem brewing here. Much further over the line, and Iran is going to be standing TOTALLY alone on its side of the line. Of course, there's one big problem here. Iran is the world's number two producer of oil. (Yet another reason to jack up the energy research. Go, bio-diesel! Yay, soybeans!)

My two cents.

[King Rat]

Russia will stand with Iran. China could just be using North Korea to boost its own credibility as a major player in the UN. The only real thing China has to fear from NK is the influx of starving immigrants if NK falls totally apart. Already, Russia and China have made it clear they will veto any UN resolution that is anything more than a "statement" against NK. Together they have already turned down one such statement as being "too strong".

Basically, we need to stop pretending that Russia and China are anything but our sworn enemies. We need to stop pretending that the UN is anything but an anti-American bunch of cowards.

They need us a lot more than we need them - at least for now.

[TF Admin]

Some would say use a "measured response" when dealing with Kim Jong. I would say..."HELL YEAH" If a missle comes close to the US or S Korea or Japan, I would not send one cruise missle, I would pick 3 highly valued military targets and bomb them to the stone ages.

My understanding is that the US military has almost completed development on a sea=based patriot missile battery. It would seem to me that by offering Japan a couple of these babies and jointly test them in the Sea of Japan would be a high priority and put the damper on ol Ill's plans to keep firing these missiles off.

Shoot those missile's down and then send 3 cruise or J-Dam for every one he fires and eventually he'll quit playing the game or try to launch an all out assault which will be his undoing.

TFADMIN

[granny2young]

I agree TF. I was talking to a close friend last night about Korea and their "bombs" and he expressed a fear that if US retailiates in any way against Korea that China will come to their aid, and IF that happens US will be in a mess. China out-man's and out-bombs, and out-weapons, and out-military's US 2 to 1, and we would have a big fight on our hands, possibly WWIII, but there again, you can't just sit by and do nothing for fear of a good fight.

[cntryldyx3]

Here is a tidbit for you.Some of the Hamas is right here in NE Ms and in Memphis.They are in convenience stores.How do I know?I worked for one who bragged about how mean the Hamas is.They think we are stupid and don't know what they are.

[King Rat]

One thing I've never understood: When Reagan dreamed of a missle defense system the press laughed at his "star wars" and tried to make him look like a buffoon. The UN opposed it. The democrats opposed it. Why?

I understand why the UN opposed it - that organization is as anti-US as you can get. I understand why the Soviet Union opposed it. But I can't understand why the American press and democrats opposed him.

We will never be able to stop other countries from developing nuclear weapons and missles to deliver them. China and Russia already have them. Shouldn't we have a defense against them?

Thankfully, Reagan's dream wasn't buried like we were told. Now, suddenly, we are told that we have the beginnings of such as system and suddenly it seems to everyone to be a good idea.

I would think the Clinton Administration and most likely the first Bush administration and obviously this administration worked toward building a missle defense. Are you glad we have it now? And do you have any clue why Reagan was so harshly critisized for it?