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The Campaign Spot

Election-driven news and views . . . by Jim Geraghty.


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Kim Jong Il’s Thanksgiving Gift: A Crisis on the Korean Peninsula

It says a great deal about our policy towards North Korea that when the Norks fire artillery across the border and kill two South Korean soldiers and injure 15 soldiers and three civilians, it’s not clear whether this is a major batton-down-the-hatches crisis that brings us to the brink of war or whether this is one of the regime’s regular provocations that grab headlines for a day or two and are largely forgotten within a week.

It sounds like Glenn Reynolds has had it with them:

If they start anything, I say nuke ‘em. And not with just a few bombs. They’ve caused enough trouble — and it would be a useful lesson for Iran, too. We can’t afford another Korean war, but hey, we’re already dismantling warheads . . .

I can’t believe the president’s personal letter to Kim Jong Il didn’t work.

Tags: Barack Obama

New on The Campaign Spot. . .


COMMENTS   5

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   11/23/10 09:07

Given how isolated North Korea is from the outside world, I'm sure this is just a case of Norks not having gotten the word yet about how glorious our own Glorious Leader is and that they're supposed to be all warm, fuzzy and friendly now that we're in the Age of Obama. Soon as they find out, I'm sure apologies and changed behavior will be coming right up.

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Stoutcat
   11/23/10 09:14

Sorry to be nit-picky, but the word you want is "batten", not "batton", which is not a word at all.

Otherwise, spot on! And I'm with Glenn Reynolds, I say nuke 'em!

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   11/23/10 09:40

Let's all try to predict how various American politicians will react to the incident.

Nancy Pelosi: "Be warned, North Korea. If this happens again I will become very angry with you. And if it happens twice more, I will insist that you enter into negotiations to send us your top ten economic experts, thereby depriving you of their services and simultaneously allowing us to make the U.S. economy more fair."

Harry Reid: "Do the South Koreans compete with Nevada's casinos? No? Why is this news?"

the President: "Let me be clear: this makes me furious in a way that you cannot even begin to understand. The North Koreans did not even enter into a dialogue with me before doing this. And I know more about the policy nuances of the Korean peninsula than anyone else. What were they thinking?"

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   11/23/10 09:40

Will the North Korean shells be eligible for the Dream Act?

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   11/23/10 13:18

Now that Obama has restored our respect by trashing us around the world, only one "naughty, naughty!" should do the trick.

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