I don't full understand this whole North/South Korea thing - can someone explain it to me?

[KenAdams]

And why have America got involved. And what is the big deal about Chinas position?

I feel very thick

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

The YouTube narration linked to at the beginning of the thread turns out to be fake

Am reading nothing to envy on the iPad now. Thanks for the recommendation.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

I am also going to download Nothing to Envy tonight. Should make for an uncomfortable read. :(

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Ooh, tethers / marm - I laughed about that email too. It was almost in the vein of those stories where someone was on the underground, and picked up a dropped wallet. When they gave it back to the bearded man in islamic dress, he said thank you. please ensure that you are not in X place at Y time...

[HazeltheMcWitch]

I think no one's quite sure exactly how much time KJU spent in the west. He's the youngest of 3 brothers, and was only proclaimed as the true successor not that long ago. There are reports that he spent lots of time in Switz, but they can't really be verified.

I loved the stories about the eldest brother being caught travelling on a fake passport (under the nickname of Fat Bear), wearing a gold chain, whilst on his way to Disneyland. Soon after that he fell out of favour.

[MissRee]

Another one to have downloaded Nothing to Envy...

[ScrambledSmegs]

This article articulates what I've been wondering about Kim Jong Un recently. The likelihood that he is merely a puppet of the regime is pretty high.

From the accounts of his childhood at school in Switzerland, he was never a particularly bright student or interested in politics. The eldest (Fat Bear of Disneyland fame) was, therefore probably far less amenable than little Jong Un.

[Earlybird]

I am in America. News reports here say no one believes Kim Jong Un actually has the capabilities he is claiming (wrt to range of missiles and where they're aimed), but the State Department must make arrangements to respond to any provocative acts. Evidently one of the missiles is aimed at Austin Texas (of all places!).

About a month ago, a retired and very flamboyant American professional basketball player (Dennis Rodman) visited North Korea as the guest of Kim Jong Un - who apparently is a HUGE fan of the game. It was surreal to see the short, stout dictator (with a bizarre hairstyle) standing next to a very tall, heavily tattoo'ed and pierced African American. Each pronounced the other 'cool', and then the dictator resumed with his paranoid military plans.

[CutePuppy]

Can I ask...what is different this time? That people are thinking eh might do something? As opposed to all the other times we hav e pretty much ignored the threats? Why is this time people so scared? If that makes sense?

Learning lots as I read this that, but clearly have a long way to go! Sorry for being so dim!

[CutePuppy]

Xpost. So they'd outthink he will do anything? Then why move the missile? :s

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Maybe he is moving the missile so that it appears to the outside world that he is doing something instead of just throwing his toys out of the pram again?

[Patchouli]

Just looked up that 'Nothing To Envy' and it's being made into an animated film.

[CutePuppy]

Sorry, meant the us moving the missile. But yes, Kim thingy could be moving it as part of the posturing. Lets hope so!

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Oh do you mean the U.S positioning a nuclear defence thingie (correct technical terminology) in the west Pacific?

Yes, the Americans HAVE to do this. They HAVE to seen to be ready to defend against any potential attack. This comes as NK moved a missile to their east coast. This is why America has positioned theirs IYSWIM?

Think that's right.

[IncrediblePhatTheInnkeepersCat]

Thank you for starting this thread. I've also just downloaded NtE.

[orangeandlemons]

Bit like the Bay of Pigs again. Although from what I understand that was much much more scary

[flatpackhamster]

orangeandlemons

Bit like the Bay of Pigs again.

No, not at all.

Although from what I understand that was much much more scary

No, nuclear-weapon-armed lunatics are much scarier.

[lottieandmia]

I've just heard David Cameron on the radio saying in theory they could bomb us if they can bomb the US. I really hope they are not trying to pave the way for more senseless wars or interventions.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Cameron is just trying to justify his ploughing of money into Trident on the week that he has cut loads of benefits.

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

No offence to any Americans, I generally am happy that we have them as an ally and all that, but they have attacked over a lot less. If they wanted to react, they have been given enough ammunition, IMO.

[lottieandmia]

Do you think this would be far more worrying if Romney had got in?

Agree about Trident!

[MarmaladeTwatkins]

Yes.

I was saying to DH last week that if this had happened under Bush, I think that this could be panning out very differently.

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

This isn't really an AIBU so we've moved it to In The News.

[lottieandmia]

Agreed. 'Hammer time' (shudder!)