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General Discussion / Re: Let's Draw Kim Jong-un In Accordance With The Socialist Lifestyle [DPRK Thread]
« on: February 21, 2014, 04:50:44 am »
Beast Tamer: I think it's interesting. But do you plan on expending it, or is that a final version? Because I think a lot more could be said about the cult of personality in North Korea. One of the important things is the fact that there are recorded cases of people defecting to the South. This does mean NK's ideology is not completely rebel-proof. One does wonder how many unsuccessful cases of defection there are and what does that tell us of stability? Can this be further expanded on the Jonestown example, the victims that survived the mass suicide or those that were left out intentionally?
I'm asking because I do not know how long your paper should be or even for what purpose you are doing it. I apologize if you explained that in earlier pages, I do not follow this thread much.
I do not agree on the conclusion though. However, I am not trying to persuade you to change what you have written. Just presenting my point of view, so hear me out:
If we consider the possibility that entire country is brainwashed to the point of people willing to sacrifice themselves without second thought, then an armed intervention would be counter-productive. Forget the speculations that NK's army may-or-may-not have obsolete equipment, forget the technologically superior SK/USA/China's army, forget the nukes. If attack is made on the whole country that has been living in a fear that one day such attack would happen, then you have the whole country to fight. WILLING to fight to the bitter end. Such conflict would not only be long and bloody but if successful for the invaders, one wonders what would there be left in the end?
That is, of course, in the case that whole cult of personality is as strong as suggested. Given the existence of mentioned defects, NK's occasional interactions with pro-West world (family reunions, occasional piece of "western" music/video/art to be allowed etc.), it makes one think the regime's hold on it's people CAN be broken or at least the people are willing to accept more "non-NK" values. In that case, open war is still a gamble - should invasion take place, maybe some people will join the invaders? Maybe whole country will embrace them, once (if) the ruling party falls?
But what if none of that happens? What if a still large enough number of blindly loyal people remain? For how long will eventual guerrilla warfare/terrorism activities last in such country? For what cost?
And lastly, is a head-on assault of a nuclear armed nation even a smart thing to do?
Surely, with all that being said, question of how to "deal" with NK presents itself.
Wait for regime to collapse? Help it collapse? That might be the wrong way to see the problem. The problem itself is not the regime, it's the people who believe in it. If that is (on a nation-wide scale) just a small number of people, military intervention might be possible, if extremely risky solution. But on a larger scale? Taking Jonestown for example - most died willingly, correct? If army/trained assassins stormed the place with sole mission of killing Jim Jones, do you think his followers would not do the same?
Taking down a regime people not believe in is as simple as eliminating people who hold the power. Taking the one mass amount of people believe in or even support to a fanatical degree is another story.
On a slightly less serious, more jubilant note - Beloved Leader fights Imperialist pigs on a pegasus, rainbows staple food for every party member.
I'm asking because I do not know how long your paper should be or even for what purpose you are doing it. I apologize if you explained that in earlier pages, I do not follow this thread much.
I do not agree on the conclusion though. However, I am not trying to persuade you to change what you have written. Just presenting my point of view, so hear me out:
If we consider the possibility that entire country is brainwashed to the point of people willing to sacrifice themselves without second thought, then an armed intervention would be counter-productive. Forget the speculations that NK's army may-or-may-not have obsolete equipment, forget the technologically superior SK/USA/China's army, forget the nukes. If attack is made on the whole country that has been living in a fear that one day such attack would happen, then you have the whole country to fight. WILLING to fight to the bitter end. Such conflict would not only be long and bloody but if successful for the invaders, one wonders what would there be left in the end?
That is, of course, in the case that whole cult of personality is as strong as suggested. Given the existence of mentioned defects, NK's occasional interactions with pro-West world (family reunions, occasional piece of "western" music/video/art to be allowed etc.), it makes one think the regime's hold on it's people CAN be broken or at least the people are willing to accept more "non-NK" values. In that case, open war is still a gamble - should invasion take place, maybe some people will join the invaders? Maybe whole country will embrace them, once (if) the ruling party falls?
But what if none of that happens? What if a still large enough number of blindly loyal people remain? For how long will eventual guerrilla warfare/terrorism activities last in such country? For what cost?
And lastly, is a head-on assault of a nuclear armed nation even a smart thing to do?
Surely, with all that being said, question of how to "deal" with NK presents itself.
Wait for regime to collapse? Help it collapse? That might be the wrong way to see the problem. The problem itself is not the regime, it's the people who believe in it. If that is (on a nation-wide scale) just a small number of people, military intervention might be possible, if extremely risky solution. But on a larger scale? Taking Jonestown for example - most died willingly, correct? If army/trained assassins stormed the place with sole mission of killing Jim Jones, do you think his followers would not do the same?
Taking down a regime people not believe in is as simple as eliminating people who hold the power. Taking the one mass amount of people believe in or even support to a fanatical degree is another story.
On a slightly less serious, more jubilant note - Beloved Leader fights Imperialist pigs on a pegasus, rainbows staple food for every party member.
