posted on Oct, 17 2004 @ 04:31 PM
0951,
I guess it is conceivable that China could join in some kind of action against North Korea. Although I still think it is highly unlikely.
Obviously from my first post, I believe that this whole thread is mental masturbation, as I really don't believe that there will be a new world war
any time soon. As a matter of fact, I think the nature of war has changed since the advent of Nuclear weaponry, to one of isolated conflicts in small
theaters. That's another thread, for another time...
Back to the question of NK. I can't see China joining in anything that would risk the destruction of North Korea as a sovereign nation. Just
as the old Soviet Union held on forcefully to Poland and the other Eastern European countries as a buffer zone against invasion, so must China do with
North Korea. Look at a current world map. China is quickly being surrounded by countries that if not outright hostile to communist China, are
definitely not allies. China has Russia (a historic enemy) to the North, Japan, the US, Taiwan and the Philippines to the east and southeast, and
India to the South. And, with the increasing influence that the US is wielding in the "Stans" (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
etc..) the western edge of China is now being threatened. Not only that, but if North Korea should fall, it would be much easier for an
opponent to project force into the Yellow Sea.
Granted, there could be some form of diplomacy to keep US forces from Northern Korea once again. However, once shooting starts, diplomacy becomes all
that much harder.
Just some food for thought,
-Cypher
[edit on 17-10-2004 by Cypher]