Comments on: ‘The nature of the North Korean nuclear crisis rests with the nature of the North Korean system.’ http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/ Korea... in Blog Format Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:40:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1816 John Thu, 05 Feb 2004 05:09:46 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1816 Kim Tae Woo is one of the saner commentators on North Korea, not to mention one of the country's foremost experts on nuclear strategy. You might have mentioned that he also once ran for the National Assembly under Kim Dae Jung's banner - which must lend him some credibility with the youngsters here. One only hopes more of them get to listen. Kim Tae Woo is one of the saner commentators on North Korea, not to mention one of the country’s foremost experts on nuclear strategy. You might have mentioned that he also once ran for the National Assembly under Kim Dae Jung’s banner - which must lend him some credibility with the youngsters here. One only hopes more of them get to listen.

]]> By: Michael http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1815 Michael Wed, 04 Feb 2004 17:51:47 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1815 That's the most reasonable lecture by a Korean expert(?) I've ever read, almost frighteningly reasonable--maybe that's why he threw in the anti-miguk bit. To John--there's a lot of handbag-swingin', powdered poofter boys here, but it's more than balanced out by Lee Hyolee ;) That’s the most reasonable lecture by a Korean expert(?) I’ve ever read, almost frighteningly reasonable–maybe that’s why he threw in the anti-miguk bit. To John–there’s a lot of handbag-swingin’, powdered poofter boys here, but it’s more than balanced out by Lee Hyolee ;)

]]> By: Neil http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1814 Neil Wed, 04 Feb 2004 17:42:21 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1814 I wonder how many university students change their opinions of having US troops in South Korea after they finish university and begin to live in the real world. I remember studying political science in university and just laugh at some of the ideas I thought would be practical back then. Coddling a dictatorship like some teddy bear is a dangerous strategy. Luckily the ROK military has more common sense than the political leadership who are up to the eyeballs in financial scandals. I wonder how many university students change their opinions of having US troops in South Korea after they finish university and begin to live in the real world. I remember studying political science in university and just laugh at some of the ideas I thought would be practical back then. Coddling a dictatorship like some teddy bear is a dangerous strategy. Luckily the ROK military has more common sense than the political leadership who are up to the eyeballs in financial scandals.

]]> By: Paul http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1813 Paul Wed, 04 Feb 2004 13:47:24 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1813 John I have to laugh. You started out to try to make a serious comment but you just couldn't restrain yourself and had to get sarcastic. That's the "hegemon" in you asserting itself, of course. Oh well, you were pretty "genteel" about it, compared to the rest of us Texans, who I suppose the world thinks only want to "shoot up the town" or whatever it was "hegemons" did back in the Old West. Actually the Old West analogy I prefer is the "cold bucket of water in the face" -- or its figurative equivalent to South Korean society, which would be provided by immediate withdrawl of all our ground forces. Not very genteel I suppose but satisfying to the one who throws it and a needed wake-up for the one who receives it. John I have to laugh. You started out to try to make a serious comment but you just couldn’t restrain yourself and had to get sarcastic. That’s the “hegemon” in you asserting itself, of course.

Oh well, you were pretty “genteel” about it, compared to the rest of us Texans, who I suppose the world thinks only want to “shoot up the town” or whatever it was “hegemons” did back in the Old West.

Actually the Old West analogy I prefer is the “cold bucket of water in the face” — or its figurative equivalent to South Korean society, which would be provided by immediate withdrawl of all our ground forces. Not very genteel I suppose but satisfying to the one who throws it and a needed wake-up for the one who receives it.

]]> By: john http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1812 john Wed, 04 Feb 2004 13:14:14 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1812 As an American, and a Texan, I have to fight back my nationalism to try to understand all this gobbledy-gook, pardon the unintended semi-pun. I don't think the US really has colonies, certainly not in the same way as the British, French, Germans, Belgians, Dutch, Russians, or Japanese... who _really_ have no room to criticize our foreign policy, given their own histories... I can understand the Koreans feeling like we're "The Man", and we're "keepin' them in their place"... especially when it was only due to pressure by the US Department of Hegemonism that North Korea invaded in 1950, and it's only due to our mighty "Hegemony Enforcement Division" of 37,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen that the poor defenseless norkers need to starve their people and deploy 1.6 Million soldiers and God knows how many guns, knives, and pointed sticks along the border... Then again, maybe they believe that schtick put out by black rappers--I mean their music has been infected (and not the good way!) by the Debby Boone school of Hip-Hop, with a sprinkling of Michael Jackson thrown in... Not to get too far off the track; but the hair styles and makeup worn by some allegedly straight Korean guys today would make a drag queen blush... Who are these people and what have they done with the South Korea I knew? As an American, and a Texan, I have to fight back my nationalism to try to understand all this gobbledy-gook, pardon the unintended semi-pun.

I don’t think the US really has colonies, certainly not in the same way as the British, French, Germans, Belgians, Dutch, Russians, or Japanese… who _really_ have no room to criticize our foreign policy, given their own histories…

I can understand the Koreans feeling like we’re “The Man”, and we’re “keepin’ them in their place”… especially when it was only due to pressure by the US Department of Hegemonism that North Korea invaded in 1950, and it’s only due to our mighty “Hegemony Enforcement Division” of 37,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen that the poor defenseless norkers need to starve their people and deploy 1.6 Million soldiers and God knows how many guns, knives, and pointed sticks along the border…

Then again, maybe they believe that schtick put out by black rappers–I mean their music has been infected (and not the good way!) by the Debby Boone school of Hip-Hop, with a sprinkling of Michael Jackson thrown in…

Not to get too far off the track; but the hair styles and makeup worn by some allegedly straight Korean guys today would make a drag queen blush…

Who are these people and what have they done with the South Korea I knew?

]]> By: Kevin Kim http://www.rjkoehler.com/2004/02/04/the-nature-of-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-rests-with-the-nature-of-the-north-korean-system/#comment-1811 Kevin Kim Wed, 04 Feb 2004 10:17:36 +0000 http://rjkoehler.com/?p=508#comment-1811 Why does he say, "We need an anti-American movement"? Is this Gaullist-style contrepoids thinking? I think he's on the money about other matters, but the above sentiment bugs me. Opposition for opposition's sake? Kevin Why does he say, “We need an anti-American movement”? Is this Gaullist-style contrepoids thinking? I think he’s on the money about other matters, but the above sentiment bugs me. Opposition for opposition’s sake?

Kevin

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