"Let the place go to shit." - Downer (About North Korea.)

[Kotza]

Back in 2005 when he was the foreign minister, Alexander Downer advised George Bush to "let them (the north korean populace) starve" and "let the place go to shit."

Do you agree?

Also, i was 100% on the side of Wikileaks, but them revealing this is only going to agitate already hostile times...

[Kotza]

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/downers-advice-to-bush-on-n-korea-starve-them-20101221-194fx.html

[Ghost!]

What do you mean by do you agree?

Do we agree that North Korea should've been left to go to shit?

[Cianyx]

They are at war. These sort of statements are expected. I'd be more surprised if they sent birthday greetings to one another.

[chrisjb]

Souce: Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/downers-advice-to-bush-on-n-korea-starve-them-20101221-194fx.html)

THE Howard government urged the United States to force the collapse of the North Korean regime by denying it aid, despite advice that the country had a growing nuclear arsenal and could unleash an artillery barrage on South Korea's capital at a moment's notice.

...

A leaked US embassy cable reports that Mr Downer told General Leon LaPorte that the outside world should sharply increase pressure on North Korea, suggesting that ''aid that could prop up [North Korea's] failing infrastructure should be withheld to bring an end to the regime's tyranny''.

Any Cubans in the house?

[herzy]

why the reference to cuba? lack of aid etc.? i'm not familiar with what happened there. in answer to the thread, a lack of intervention sure beats some of the US's forms of 'intervention'

[chrisjb]

why the reference to cuba? lack of aid etc.? i'm not familiar with what happened there. in answer to the thread, a lack of intervention sure beats some of the US's forms of 'intervention'

I was infering that there are huge simmilarities between the cuban missile crisis at the height of the cold war and this. Both are communist states (more or less), both have/had strong allies who are also communist states who don't like america and whom america doesn't like. Both have nuclear weapons. Both are (apparantly) prepared to use them if need be.

The general gist of what happend with cuba was that the US decided to impose an embargo on cuba in an effort to "let them starve" and "let the place go to shit." (obviously that wasn't the primary intention but it was a side effect). Because they had nuclear weapons on their shores and were prepared to use them, and also they didn't like comunists very much.

The point I was illuding to was that it almost caused a nuclear war then, there's no reason that it can't happen now (except for the fact that china and america aren't nearly as fidgety as america and russia were).

[Cianyx]

Another good point in raising about Cuba (as well as Iraq), letting 'the place go to shit' doesn't actually get rid of the people in charge. Both countries has remained in power even when the trade embargo severely crippled the nations and reduced people to the point of starvation. Great to know their Foreign Ministry is always on the ball with ingenious tactics.

[echenzi]

It can still happen. There is  a lot of tension in the world. North Korea and South Korea are a possible spark, and history may repeat itself one day.

The patterns of armament suggest that many countries are buffing their arsenals, and with the US completion of over 2000 F-35 Lightning II's, they should be feeling cocky.

Either way, North Korea and South Korea serve as a potential spark for a wildfire. Other's include Israel, and you can probably find many more.

[Spreadbury]

Who are still allies with North Korea?

[echenzi]

China. haha.

[Spreadbury]

China. haha.

China was rather friendly with the US during Nixon's run as President. Don't know how their relationship fairs now.

[echenzi]

It is best described as when you have to shake the hand of someone you don't like, but also put on a smile and just shake.

[chrisjb]

^ but china still isn't silly enough to support north korea... at least not militarily.

[echenzi]

True. China is trying to promote the peace U.S and south korea can't really aggravate without reason given Russia and China's position on the U.N Security council