I hear you, but I do think KJU has a different perspective. Unlike much of the USSR/US Cold War, there is a definite hostage this time (as you mention): Seoul. OK, you could argue "Berlin" and that's valid, but the threat of total destruction of Seoul (by conventional weapons) is an oversized card to play in this high-stakes game. Qaddafi didn't have that, in other words.

I just hope that certain of "my generals" don't convince Trump that KJU won't retaliate in any military way if, say, we take out a few of his missiles on the launch pad. Any attack on the regime is going to trigger a pretty overwhelming response, and I am not at all certain everyone in the Pentagon truly understands that. Which is scary.

Even without nukes, Korean War II would be horrendously expensive, in the cost of lives.

ListenWhenYouHear [4] -

I thought Tillerson was Condi Rice's appointment?

Heh.

:-)

Kick [5] -

Are we ready for (cringe) "Rexit" yet?

Sorry, I apologize, I hate the moniker too...

:-)

-CW

He was a Putin appointment (or Big Oil’s appointment, at the very least).

Poor Rexxon... also known as "RT"... gets kicked around by "Putin's Puppet" because he's "Putin's Pick" and takes all the abuse Trump would love to heap on Vladimir.

Tillerson says he didn't seek the job but "my wife told me I'm supposed to do this." I wonder how Vlad likes being referred to as RT's wife? :)

Remember, Tillerson is the only person in Trump’s cabinet that did not get his job through groveling and kissing Trump’s cottage cheese orange ass — He was a Putin appointment (or Big Oil’s appointment, at the very least). Trump had never met Tillerson, yet offered him the Secretary of State job the day they were introduced. Rex isn’t going to grovel and worship at the Trump alter like the others are so very willing to do at any given moment, and Trump isn’t used to being around anyone who doesn’t do that.

Trump is intimidated by truly successful people (Can you say, “Obama”?). Add to that the news reports of Tillerson calling Trump a “moron” in front of White House staff and Trump is probably chomping at the bit to fire Tillerson!

"If North Korea continues for another year or so (or even sooner), then they will be able to deal with the United States as an equal -- a country with the ability to deliver thermonuclear warheads to another continent."

I think this is a bit of an overstatement. NK joins the nuclear club, but not as an equal member. To put it bluntly, NK doesn't gain "Doomsday Privileges" without a lot more more work and a lot more investment.

North Korea and its "beloved leader" have gained some additional deterrence against a regime changing attack, but they've already had very powerful deterrence for years - In the form of conventional weapons aimed at Seoul and the piggy backed threat of Korean War II. This has served the North Koreans well for seven decades - they are still firmly in power and the ruling elite is living elite-ly as mega mafia lords with plenty of nice stuff. Life is very good at the top.

"North Korea has taken the lesson of Libya's Qaddafi to heart. The Libyan dictator did agree to end any nuclear weapons program, and look what happened to him."

If Qaddafi had a small nuclear force, would it have prevented the domestic uprising? I would argue no. Would it have prevented NATO air intervention? Perhaps, but NATO had other less overt options. Any time Q. uses his nukes, he can do serious hurt to the West - but as a small country he can expect total destruction. He can weigh that option against more conventional military options... and he can do that right up to the bitter end... when catching a plane out of country may be more appealing than committing suicide.

Strategic nukes change some things, but not every thing. Conventional war has never ended... it's just played for higher stakes.