A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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North Korea's bluster has been an incessant noise in the background of our lives for so long now that nobody really pays attention anymore. 
That may be a mistake.
North Korea today is about as unpredictable as a two-year old with a loaded -- and cocked -- revolver in his hand.
If the DPRK's new leader, basically a kid, is not soon gagged by North Korea's number one sponsor, China, he may well talk himself into doing something utterly stupid and bring a world of hurt down on himself and the people he holds in abject slavery.
On the other hand, he may suffer an, uh, untimely demise, (The tried and true "brain hemorrhage" ... usually caused by a 9mm round administered just behind the left ear.) and at such a tender age.
We expect his replacement would be a more, shall we say ... moderate ... dictator.
Tensions are way high on the Korean peninsula these days and a single misstep could touch off a raging war that the US is bound to take part in.
The US has 30,000 combat troops on the ground in South Korea today. That is not counting those US troops taking part in the war games underway today. We have had a rather large garrison of troops there since 1953 when a cease fire was signed between the Koreas -- with the US included.
Understand: A state of war technically exists between North Korea and South Korea and the United States. The agreement in 1953, was only to stop shooting at each other. Since then we have, all three, stood at the border and glared across the 38th parallel at each other with our "war faces" on. There have been incidents in which lives have been lost on both sides. Almost all those incidents have been directly caused or triggered by the North Koreans.
So. Like it or not, once again the United States is staring down the barrel of a North Korean artillery piece while the chubby kid with the bowl haircut tightens the tension on the trigger lanyard.
One has to ask how big a part Iran is playing in North Korea's bombastic diplomacy toward the US and its sister state to the south. Is it outside the realm of possibility that Iran has offered North Korea something of value to create a disturbance and divert America's attention away for Teheran 's bomb making efforts? We know the North Korea and Iranian nuclear experts have been colluding for some time now in a scientific-cooperation pact. The official agreement was signed by the two rogue nations last September. But their military cooperation dates back to the Iran/Iraq war in the 1980's. Since then, North Korea has been the number one supplier of missile parts and technology to Iran.
Consider this: "North Korea could provide Iran with a range of supplies for its nuclear program, including uranium ore, centrifuge machines and enriched uranium, according to these officials." SOURCE: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323628804578348640295282274.html
Even more troubling is the possibility that North Korea might be supplying Iran with the the technology needed to place an atomic warhead on a missile.
"North Korea and Iran both have strategic reasons to mislead and conceal from the West the true status of their nuclear and missile programs. They intend that the U.S. and its allies will underestimate those programs, fail to act in time to stop them, and be strategically surprised when North Korea and Iran become nuclear super-powers, and progenitors of a dystopian new world order." SOURCE: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/12944#.UVRVTDfJIuM
Then there is the strong possibility that North Korea already has the technology to lob a relatively small nuclear device and have it explode high above the continental US creating an electromagnetic pulse that would, for all intents and purposes, completely shut down the US. No electricity anywhere in the country, no electronic devices, including computers, no cars, no trucks, no nothing. The US would effectively be thrown back into the 19th century where the horse will be the number one mode of transportation -- all in the twinkling of an eye.
Look. This is science ... not science fiction. We have the technology and it is readily available to the North Koreans -- and the Iranians.
The US is as vulnerable, as she as ever been, maybe more so. All the while our government is busy cutting back on our military.
As difficult as it may be to get one's mind wrapped around our vulnerability today, it is becoming clear that we Americans are one button push away from playing out the script of the movie "Red Dawn" -- in real life -- on our shores any day now.
You know, all those armed-to-the-teeth American citizens could turn out to be one hell of a partisan army in waiting.
Problem is ... that is a fantasy. After an EMP attack, all the enemy has to do is wait. Science/experts tell us that within three to six months the population of the US would be decimated by hunger and disease. Soon, our enemies could just walk in and take over.
Horrifying? Damn right it is! But such is the world we live in today.
The United States finds itself at a point in its history where it is, for all intents and purposes, leaderless. In our entire history, there has been no time in which we were as vulnerable to our enemies as we are today, this very minute.
The last time the US came this close to baring its chest to our enemies was during the Carter years. Reagan quickly built the US defenses and military up again as fast as was possible. There is no Reagan on the horizon today.
Just as the barbarians gathered around Rome when they sensed she was vulnerable, so our enemies are gathering their forces. Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, plus the terrorist armies around the globe, and every little piss ant nation with a beef against us are biding their time.
"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum." Translated from Latin it means: "If you want peace, prepare for war." Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus (Usually shortened to Vegetius) is given credit for having said this in his book "Epitoma rei militaris." The book, itself, is a plea for army reform; it vividly portrays the military decadence of the Late Roman Empire.
One would hope an insightful American writer of modern times would pen such a warning today. Trouble is, about as many modern Americans can actually read as Romans of Vegetius' day! One must consider, too, that apathy amongst American citizens today far exceeds that of the citizens of ancient Rome.
There is no "high note" upon which to end this commentary. There just isn't.
These are perilous times for America -- extremely perilous. Even more troubling, is that an old swamp pundit finds himself compelled to direct the country's attention to the existential threat posed by a loud-mouthed, semi-sane, testosterone challenged, pip-squeak, rogue nation -- WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS!
You have heard it said: "Elections have consequences." Well, it's true. THIS is one of them.
© J. D. Longstreet
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