How To Avoid Restarting The Korean War

Or we can just pull our troops out and let them do whatever. Maybe then our clients in the South will think twice about thumbing their nose at our trade agreements.

How about getting China to overthrow North Korea and install their own puppet dictator while we look the other way? The board doesn’t change, just the piece everyone (including the Chinese) is afraid of.

I suspect it’s because China is too smart, or focused on an economic goal, to dabble in such distractions. Unlike, well, the U.S. which lives for this kind of thing.

China’s got a lot of strategic advantages from this. China wants an ally in North Korea if, for no other reason, than to assure that it has a buffer between it and America friendly South Korea. However, it is also as nervous as just about everyone else in the region by the unpredictable nature of North Korea – and whenever they start skirmishing around the border, I bet that China is the next most nervous nation after South Korea. Furthermore, there’s plenty of evidence that China doesn’t want North Korea to be a nuclear power for those very reasons.
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That said, there is a level of risk from any moves China makes. NK has the 4th largest army in the world. It is unclear how much of the problems comes from the Kim family and how much is from the communist party or the military – though China probably knows better than anyone else. They’ll want a communist regime and they’ll probably want it to remain militarily strong so the more problems initiated from those two particular groups, the less likely China would be able to actually install a pet.
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I doubt, however, that they object to the idea of having a puppet there or they don’t see the value of having one, but it is almost certainly not as simple as my suggestion would be. But, it would probably be the easiest resolution at this point.

forgottenlord, your analysis overwhelms me and probably China as well. But, I see no downside to China taking over North Korea and executing the Kims, sort of like we did in Iraq with Sadam. Here in our country, I would tune into Fox to see the right wing reaction, with great trepidation. SALT, which the Illustrious Republican Leader Kyl is so quick to dismiss, would indeed be of no help.

I like your response. It is time the US to establish Quid Pro Quo with our so called allies. As far as I am concerned, we should not even be in South Korea. They are now a very wealthy country and shold fend for themselves. I am also for removing our troops from Germany and Japan. Both are capable of defending themselves.
On a related subject: The Europeans, though subject to al-Queda attacks have not contributed proportionally in our efforts to defeat them even though it is also in their best interest. They are more reactive than proactive. To some degree we are also guilty of that.

It is evident I need to proofread before submitting. Spellling errors and omissions — and I know better.

Well, we had to replace the Iraqi government. China just has to replace the dictator and his family. But otherwise, I agree