North Korea

[Sifu Darkfist]

when i said we encourage i mean the public, as we have seen over the past five years public image has increased and importance.

Also i am only wishing that the Japanese spark action from other sources the nukes if ever needed would more than likely come from us. I only pray for my brothers on the line and pray for their removal.

[Mr Punch]

First you said encourage the rearming of the Japanese army, now you're saying encourage the public...? Which one?

And I still don't know what you want to encourage the public to do...

The public has many heads... but in general the Japanese people are vehemently against the nuclear option, and many of them support a moderate change to Article 9. But it's to what extent Article 9 is changed that's the rub.

It was only through a loophole that Koizumi could actually deploy any troops in Iraq, and many believe that that was a good thing. But in Iraq, the Japanese army is not allowed to fire or return fire on attackers (hence the British army having to babysit them! ) which most people agree is stupid.

But do 'most people' want the army to have fully offensive deployment capability? They're afraid of NK, but no, most of them can't agree what they should do about it.

That's why I'm bringing the question back to you... what on earth does 'spark action from other sources' mean? Invade? Invade a little bit?! Just as far as a bit of a beach party?

NK is already sabre-rattling enough for the whole region. The reason it doesn't escalate is because the US, and Japan, and to some extent China, is showing great restraint and pushing for talks. Kim is mad but he's a self-preservationist. And the NK people know nothing at all, and most of them don't even eat very well.

There has been some success over there, and rocking the boat even further would just undo it. The relationship between NK and Japan is as much to do with Yasukuni Shrine, NK kidnapping of Japanese citizens and comfort women reparations as is to do with armament.

If you're just thinking 'The NK situation is ****ing ridiculous...' and wanted to let off steam by starting a thread about it fair enough, but otherwise the nitty-gritty details are the whole point here, not just moaning about how ball-less the Japanese are. They are some of your staunchest allies come what may, in more ways than military, for whatever god-known reason.

[Mr Punch]

Or sorry, but did you mean the US public should encourage someone about Japanese military expansionism? If so that is even more confusing.

[GeneChing]

I've been avoiding this subject here since Red Dawn but this video is too good to pass up.

Kim Jong Un guides Martial Arts and Shooting Exercise of Soldiers

So...anyone recognize those forms?

[sanjuro_ronin]

Looks like some old ITF, maybe moodukwon...

[mawali]

They seem to be forms adapted for the military within a CQB training and conditioning format. Modern TKD (I did ITF curriculum) when you (I) compare the forms, the video has the postures closer together within a functional utility base.
Modern forms have too wide a gap between postures and how they are used.

[Syn7]

Dayum, them some fat ass officers!!! Makes you wonder if they were ever actually soldiers.

[mawali]

It seems that the well placed officers had enough 'face time' and influence to reach where they are now so they, probably, were chosen due to trust and family affiliation than to some 'warrior ethic' in defense of something.

[Syn7]

You ever wonder why we fear Iran and laugh at NK? Considering the fact that NK actually has nukes.

Whaddya think? Israel? Oil? Or both?

I wonder how much of a threat NK would be if we wanted their rare earths.

[GoldenBrain]

Thanks for that entertaining video Gene! I don't recognize the forms but they looked pitifully sloppy to me. The shooting was also a mess. I could understand holding large center mass groups like that at a tactical shooting pace, if you were drunk, but when target shooting while sober and being military, they should be able to hold 2" groups. I especially liked the throw at 36 to 38 seconds where the dude landed on his opponent. He would have had his ass choked out cold if he tried that sloppy crap on a decent fighter with even the most basic understanding of grappling. And, what in the heck was that at 1:06?

[pazman]

I've been avoiding this subject here since Red Dawn but this video is too good to pass up.

Kim Jong Un guides Martial Arts and Shooting Exercise of Soldiers

So...anyone recognize those forms?

I don't recognize the forms but I haven't done taekwondo forms in years.

I really wonder what's gonna happen in North Korea, though. Tensions are very high. Where is China's "soft power"?

[sanjuro_ronin]

I don't recognize the forms but I haven't done taekwondo forms in years.

I really wonder what's gonna happen in North Korea, though. Tensions are very high. Where is China's "soft power"?

War is bad for business and China is all about business.

[Jimbo]

IMO, *if* NK were to actually fire a missile, I could imagine them more likely to fire one over Japan (again...?) than into SK.

[Syn7]

China looks at NK as their retarded cousin that they have to put on their team when playing basketball even though he ruins the fun. Not because they sympathize with NK, but because they cannot allow the US to have control of the NK/China border. And you gotta see where China is coming from with that one. In the end if it does come to hostilities the only way to keep China from jumping in will be to give guarantees that there will be no militarization within a certain area near that border. It's about keeping the real threats at bay. NK can do some damage, but it would be their end. They haven't a chance of reaching mainland. Not even Hawaii. But they can hit SK and MAYBE Japan. MAYBE. You gotta understand that it's not just about how far their missiles can travel, but also about how much protection the rest have nearby. If people believed there was a legit threat of a nuclear attack, I doubt that it would even venture very far from their airspace before being knocked down. It's a legit threat and I have no doubt that appropriate countermeasures have been taken. Gotta justify that budget somehow, ya know.

[Syn7]