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9/16/08
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Coyotemike

Coyotemike

Kearney, NE
May 2006

SEP 10, 2008 11:10 AM

Kim Jong-il supposedly had a stroke a few weeks ago.

Intelligence officials in Washington said that the exact status of Mr. Kim's health was unclear, but that on Tuesday he failed to attend a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of North Korea and that American intelligence agencies believed that he was now under the care of doctors in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital.



Hope you die in pain, you asshole.

Oninotaki

Oninotaki

Ypsilanti, MI
March 2003

SEP 10, 2008 11:48 AM

This will be interesting to watch.

SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

SEP 10, 2008 02:59 PM

Mhm. Potential power struggle in a starving, nuclear-weapon-owning autocracy with near neighbours China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan, and with American forces on the ground in South Korea.

Coooool. What could possibly go wrong? No conceivable shooting war anywhere there. Of course not.

Funnily enough, none of the relevant neighbours seems to have any sort of reasonable, agreed policy to follow should things get weird. Which has to be on the cards.

At this point, Americans may be wondering what their strategic planners have been up to over the last few years. Fucked if I know; perhaps you should ask the president?

Varuka_Salt

Varuka_Salt

I'm lost
October 2006

SEP 10, 2008 03:02 PM

SockPuppet said:
Mhm. Potential power struggle in a starving, nuclear-weapon-owning autocracy with near neighbours China, South Korea, Russia, and Japan, and with American forces on the ground in South Korea.

Coooool. What could possibly go wrong? No conceivable shooting war anywhere there. Of course not.

Funnily enough, none of the relevant neighbours seems to have any sort of reasonable, agreed policy to follow should things get weird. Which has to be on the cards.

At this point, Americans may be wondering what their strategic planners have been up to over the last few years. Fucked if I know; perhaps you should ask the president?



I'm sure he'll "decide" whatever is best for us.

SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

SEP 10, 2008 03:21 PM

Oooo, crap - did someone get the uberzot?! I'm sure there were two comments above mine... shocked

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

SEP 10, 2008 03:35 PM

man i hope that fucker dies.

Rappaccini

Rappaccini

Burnt Cabins, PA
February 2004

SEP 10, 2008 03:39 PM

This is one death I'll certainly join the CE board in celebrating. My prayer is, because of this, Democracy can take hold in NK.

Coyotemike

Coyotemike

Kearney, NE
May 2006

SEP 10, 2008 03:59 PM

DeadBilly said:
This is one death I'll certainly join the CE board in celebrating. My prayer is, because of this, Democracy can take hold in NK.



He's not dead yet. Or was there an update?

Rappaccini

Rappaccini

Burnt Cabins, PA
February 2004

SEP 10, 2008 04:02 PM

coyotemike said:

DeadBilly said:
This is one death I'll certainly join the CE board in celebrating. My prayer is, because of this, Democracy can take hold in NK.



He's not dead yet. Or was there an update?



Not yet, but when it happens I will. smile I wasn't clear enough in my original post, sorry.

Sick

Sick

Minneapolis, MN
June 2003

SEP 11, 2008 05:16 AM

DeadBilly said:
This is one death I'll certainly join the CE board in celebrating. My prayer is, because of this, Democracy can take hold in NK.



Eventually, hopefully. However, I'm with SockPuppet on this one. Kim Jong-il's death will probably leave a power vacuum, and the struggle to replace him might get ugly.

RedBstrd

RedBstrd

Pomona, CA
April 2004

SEP 11, 2008 05:53 AM

I would expect the military to back Kim Jong Il's son/heir. Kim's efforts to develop a nuclear bomb were designed in part to shore up support with the military and hardliners.

Hopefully I am wrong, but I just don't see any opportunity for civil society to build a democracy until the military backs off from supporting the regime or soft-liners gain prominence in the government and promote reform from within.