I felt we must apologize to Korean people because the present mess going on is originated from the history that Japan colonized Korea before WWII. We should feel that debt to them as a kind of basso continuo. I am really angry as well at the politicians who behave like playing with fire in this region. The on going threat of war is due to OPLAN 5029 or 5055. Of course, needless to say the Kim administration is an inhumane dictatorship and should be overthrown by non military way. North Korea has not started invading the other coutries nor attacking them with weapons at present. The US president is insisting that North Korea should not be allowed to own nuclear weapon and ICBM. There seem to be some domestic problem that Trump won't get good approving rate in the US and would resort to military action which was partially successful in Syria. Our prime minister is slaving after Trump possibly thinking it would be a good chance to change our constitution to that in old era, under which the basic human right and freedom is deprived of us. Our government has recommended the school teachers to teach on the Imperial Rescript of Education. They have recently admitted "Mein Kampf" by Hitler as a teaching material. Both Trump and Abe, and of course Kim Jeon Un are playing with fire in this area.
It seems China is trying to calm down North Korea with the card of prohibiting export of gas to North Korea. I don't know if it will work long. This situation of serious threat could be accidentally turned to war any time. In such a case, it means a suicidal war for North Korea and will give us tremendous damages and casualties in this area.
I read that in the event of any attack on the North, they would relaliate in minutes by firing missiles from mutiple sites directed at Seoul. It is estimated that 130,000 South Koreans would die in the first trenty minutes of war.
ReplyDeleteAfter this, conventional strikes from both sides would kill 2 million within the first day on both sides.
When the North eventually falls, USA would have troops right along the Chinese border, which China would never accept. It is doomsday scenario but Trump seems ignorant of the dangers.
John, what you said is unfortunately the right perspective in case of the total war in this area.
DeleteI suspect they are playing fire with it. It seems plotted for the military industrial complex to get concession. Of course, there must be an aspect of plotted crisis for the domestic politics in the US.
Today it seems that Trump will use some kind of diplomatic and economic pressure on North Korea. But what is worrying is the way he changes his mind so often. Now he says Xi is a good man whereas three months ago it was the opposite. The present USA administration seems to act on sudden whims, or according to the way the wind is blowing on any particular day.
DeleteI totally agree with you. Trump administration now depends on the established elites from military and investment corps. He has no fixed own idea. Among his promises in the election campaign, only withdrawal from TPP was realized.
DeleteBTW, I was surprised to read a news that told the minister of defence in UK had announced UK would make preemptive attack to Russia with nuclear weapons. Does it reflect the tension between the western Eu and Russia or merely a eccentric strategy of the UK administration? Russia also threatens UK in the same way. I know it is a part of diplomacy and won't become real at once. But who knows?
In Japan, the ministry of foreign affairs will have all the minister and vice ministers travel abroad for 4 days during the coming vacation season next week.What relaxation in this critical period! Or they are sure it is just playing with fire.
The calibre of diplomats has plummeted recently in UK. The Foreign Office is badly under-funded compared with previous administrations. Foreign policy seems to consist of insults traded between nations on Twitter. It is populism in action and the end of astute government. Plato must be turning in his grave.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is, I know, a typical populist. The staff seems to have been deteriorated there. The same thing is happening everywhere. It is scary that those populists would be involved with the conflicts with the other countries and would resort to military action. I could not help feeling people would forget what they have experienced in the WWII. Some negative energy is leading them to another total war. It could start with only exchanging threatening propaganda.
DeleteI felt nauseous hearing the ultra right faction in our country insisting, reforming the constitution, they would make the cost of education free, which could be widely approved by the people. Their hidden intention of changing the constitution is to take away the basic human rights from us and to revive the imperial regime like before and during the WWII. Making education free could be achieved with ordinary legislation without changing the constitution. What a deception!