- 01 Apr 2017 06:39
#14792387
This is the part of your premise I agree with.
My viewpoint - a guy such as Kim Jong-un has it so good in life, absolute power, pretty wife, virtually any other North Korean woman he wants, the finest food and drink available, all the amenities and luxuries that life could offer, etc...so why on earth would he wish to mess that up by starting a war he couldn't possibly win? He would likely die quickly either from an Allied response or a hissed off North Korean general might shoot him in the head for destroying the country. All this is exactly why I don't believe he would ever start a war...and that also goes for Iran attacking Israel or the US....those Ayatollahs have it too good in life as well.
The basic problem is that dictators often have an insatiable appetite, that normal folks such as us have a hard time comprehending. They are usually tough if not impossible to figure out based on rational reasoning. So while I consider the chances low of an attack from them, we simply can't risk otherwise, and be unprepared for that possibility.
Your premise about a solar flare is correct. In my opinion for that reason alone, hardening the electrical grid is a vital idea. I realize there are all sorts of pressing matters out there that require fixing. But let's face the facts, we live in a modern world and it cannot function without electricity. We need to do whatever it takes to safeguard our electrical grid.
MB. wrote:Anyway, my question is, assuming the DPRK developed the capability to conduct such an attack (even assuming the US had not taken the proper precautions) what motivation could the DPRK have for doing so? They would be totally destroyed by US retaliation. I think the critical part of the argument there is missing.
This is the part of your premise I agree with.
My viewpoint - a guy such as Kim Jong-un has it so good in life, absolute power, pretty wife, virtually any other North Korean woman he wants, the finest food and drink available, all the amenities and luxuries that life could offer, etc...so why on earth would he wish to mess that up by starting a war he couldn't possibly win? He would likely die quickly either from an Allied response or a hissed off North Korean general might shoot him in the head for destroying the country. All this is exactly why I don't believe he would ever start a war...and that also goes for Iran attacking Israel or the US....those Ayatollahs have it too good in life as well.
The basic problem is that dictators often have an insatiable appetite, that normal folks such as us have a hard time comprehending. They are usually tough if not impossible to figure out based on rational reasoning. So while I consider the chances low of an attack from them, we simply can't risk otherwise, and be unprepared for that possibility.
Your premise about a solar flare is correct. In my opinion for that reason alone, hardening the electrical grid is a vital idea. I realize there are all sorts of pressing matters out there that require fixing. But let's face the facts, we live in a modern world and it cannot function without electricity. We need to do whatever it takes to safeguard our electrical grid.