Why Do We Laugh at North Korea But Fear Iran?

amoy

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Why Do We Laugh at North Korea But Fear Iran? - Julian Hattem - The Atlantic

It's also partly matter of geography. Despite claims by the North Korean regime, most experts agree that their rockets probably cannot reach the American mainland. And even if they could, there's a lot of space and time over the Pacific Ocean for the military to shoot it down. Other countries, especially our allies in the region, don't treat the regime so lightly. South Korean and Japanese citizens tend to view the North as an existential threat, as we might if the Kims were sitting in Mexico City or Ottawa.

As for Iran, on the other hand, there's the Israel factor. We might not be directly in Iran's neighborhood, but Israel is, and the particular dynamics of the US-Israel relationship and Israel's oft-stated willingness to preemptively strike Iranian nuclear sites makes that tension seem more urgent. In Jerusalem, Obama reiterated the United States' "unshakeable support" for Israel, and U.S. foreign policy typically regards Israel as the bastion of Western influence in the Middle East.

We got used to the North Koreans being awful, but just not awful enough to merit a major military response. We're tired of it.
There's also the fear that Iranian development of a nuclear weapon would inspire Saudi Arabia and other countries in the neighborhood to seek one of their own. South Korea and Japan accept the United States' umbrella of protection as a safeguard against the North; countries in the Middle East are less willing to rely on us to protect them from Iran. Western powers worry about an Iranian nuclear weapon turning into a Middle Eastern arms race.

Meanwhile, North Korea has been a constant threat. When most tyrants die, their legacy dies with them. Usually the people revolt or a new leader is put in power or a war unsettles the regime to push it this way or that. In North Korea, the son carries on just as the father did, and we've come to expect more or less the same behavior. Though the North recently claimed to abandon the armistice treaty, troops on the Korean Peninsula haven't seemed to notice much of a difference. There are still Americans lined up along the Demilitarized Zone- thousands of them. A Defense Department official explained to Foreign Policy, "We are always ready to go to war on the Korean Peninsula within a matter of hours," and the New York Times' David Sanger explained on Face the Nation, "The armistice was signed 60 years ago and it's been an on and off thing ever since with violations and so forth." The constant threat makes the highs and lows much more muted. Unlike Iran, which has lively internal politics and saw massive protests just a few years ago, North Korea is committed to the same track for the foreseeable future. In that context, each new inflammatory remark or island bombardment seems more or less in line with the long-standing behavior. It's just more of the same.

Also, because they've been doing this for a long time, we expect them to know not to cross the ultimate line, for fear of their own survival. Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told the Council on Foreign Relations that it was a matter of rationality: "Iran has this patina, at least, of this super-religious extreme folks that might actually not care if they were wiped out in response to one of their attacks. There are some folks in Iran who ... might actually care less ... than the North Koreans do, because the North Koreans care only about regime-serving." Unlike Iran, where leaders value religion more than the state, North Korea cares too much about its own survival to ever actually use its bomb.
 

SajeevJino

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The Article says the Answer Already

Where Noko is also a Deadly Forces with massive deployments of 21K Artillery's and Bunch of Aircrafts and Massive Infantry units with Shoulder Launched AA Missiles ..But the fact is there is no reason to goes war with SOKO on this decade ..and so NOKO separated there is no Countries support Noko movement his closer ally China is negotiating to withdraw current deployment and Russia Condemning their action

But these words are common to Both Countries NOKO says we will destroy Soko and Iran says we will destroy the Jewish State ...both of them saying we will launch preemptive strike over our Enemies ....and destroy US bases near their Country

If we go with Iran there allies also strong the Arab and Muslim sates are Joining hands to destroy their Common Enemy Israel and they tried so many times but they Lost that time they didn't have Nukes ...Now they have Nuke warheads ..we can easily saying If Iran goes war with Israel Lebenon ,Syria ,egypt Pakistan even Turkey also do the same ..where Russian gives Stream of weapon supply ..where Israel has Only one hope that is US If war suddenly erupts The first two days Israel manage his stands at his own stand after we can seems his ally US ...but we can't say how US helps with their Planes ..because of Russian deployments...
 

civfanatic

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Same BS about Iranian leadership being blind and super-religious and unable to think rationally. That people actually think Tehran would consider a nuclear strike on another country without any care for the consequences that would follow, is absurd, appalling, and dehumanizing.

As for Iran and North Korea, they are leagues apart and should not even be grouped together. Iran is a semi-industrialised, middle-income country with a per capita income of over $13,000 and possessing close to $1 trillion in total purchasing power. North Korea on the other hand is a dysfunctional basket case whose total GDP (in PPP terms) only amounts to $40 billion; that is, 25 times smaller than Iran's economy.
 

asianobserve

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The reaction of the US to a nuclear armed NoKor will tell you about its strategic considerations: that it wants the current status quo in the Koreas maintained, that is keep the 2 Koreas divided. Neither is the US, SoKor, Japan or any of the SEA countries particularly threatened by a nuclear Korea since they know that the KIMs (including the current one) and their generals do not intend to use it unless they are invaded or there's a clear attempt to topple them. It's perfectly clear to everybody that the moment NoKor use its strategic weapons is the moment it will cease to exist. The KIMs and their generals do not have the death. That's why we do not see a nuclear arms race in the Pacific despite NoKor's very public display of its attempt to acquire nuclear weapons.

It is very different in the Middles East. The moment Iran acquires nukes then the whole region will go nuclear. When it happens the US will practically lose its strategic military advantage in that region and its ability to maintain the balance of power or influence the events there. Unlike in NoKor's case the US genuinely fears the moment it loses control of the ME.
 

W.G.Ewald

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That people actually think Tehran would consider a nuclear strike on another country without any care for the consequences that would follow, is absurd, appalling, and dehumanizing.
The words of Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are absurd, appalling, and dehumanizing, but he appeals to those who see themselves as victims of US oppression, of whom there are no end.
 

sorcerer

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North Korea's silent football matches
Foreign visitors to North Korea are allowed to attend sports matches alongside their minders. But football in this secretive republic has little in common with the passion and glamour of the Europe's major leagues.

The game was a sell-out, though you would never have guessed it.

As we entered the 50,000-seater Kim Il-Sung Stadium below the watchful eye of the Eternal President and Great Leader, not forgetting his son, the Supreme Leader Kim Jong-Il, there was no-one to be seen.

There were no queues, no turnstiles and certainly no hotdog stands or programme sellers.

But once inside it was a different matter. Every seat was taken and row upon row of men sat silently, wearing identical dark suits and red ties, everyone sporting a tiny enamel badge on their left breast.

No, not of Pyongyang FC, but of the Great Leader himself.

The artificial pitch looked immaculate under the spring morning sun. Kick off was at half past nine.

Maybe it was the early start but there were no chants and no flags or scarves in sight, just a quiet murmur around the darkened rows of seats Many of the fans were soldiers in green uniforms and broad-brimmed hats.

I do not know if they were under orders to attend but some were quietly reading paperbacks and showed no interest in the game.

The opposition, the crack army outfit Amrokgang, looked stronger in the first half but it was a scrappy match.

Pyongyang fought back and won a penalty though you would be hard pressed to know that from the reaction of the crowd. There was none.

My travelling buddies decided to inject some old-style terrace atmosphere of our own and we chanted: "One nil to the referee, one nil to the referee."

The dozen or so Westerners who had joined us in the VIP box - at 30 euros a seat, hard currency only please - laughed at us.

One or two even joined in as we grew bolder: "Pyongyang ooh, ooh! Pyongyang ooh, ooh!"

But the locals just stared at us. In a land where it appears you must ask permission to speak, this show of individuality, of spontaneity, was not seen as rude, or aggressive. They just stared blankly at us.
I think they thought we were, well... a little odd.

Our tour party was closely monitored at the game. Two guides led from the front while a mysterious "Mr L" who hardly spoke, brought up the rear.

It was never clear if he was just minding us or was making sure our guides stuck to the strict party line that all was rosy in this socialist utopia.

The national side uses the official name of the country, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Their greatest footballing moment came in the 1966 World Cup when they beat Italy by two goals to nil to reach the quarter finals. They also qualified for the 2010 finals.
At the last World Cup, in South Africa, North Korea's coach, Kim Jong-Hun, told the media that he received "regular tactical advice during matches" from Kim Jong-Il "using mobile phones that are not visible to the naked eye" and purportedly developed by the Supreme Leader himself.:rofl:

But the team is struggling at the moment and has not qualified for next year's World Cup in Brazil. Its last game was a goalless draw in a friendly against fellow communists Cuba.

Back on the pitch at the Kim Il-Sung stadium, Amrokgang had got one back.

Another penalty, though why the referee had to confer with the linesman is anyone's guess - the Pyongyang striker was taken down five yards inside the box.

The goal caused little reaction. The crowd stayed quiet. Neither manager ventured out of the dugout, there was no high-fiving, no pats on the back from the players. Now I like to watch controlled football, but not quite like this.

Surprise, surprise! There was some half-time entertainment.

A brass band piped up behind the goal. But immediately another band behind the opposite goal struck up. They were playing different tunes, though no-one seemed to care.

The match went into stoppage time. Pyongyang were pressing hard.

The crowd, at last, seemed to rouse themselves, if only a little, at the prospect of another goal.

And finally, Pyongyang scored with a low shot following some good passing.

It was the very last kick of the most bizarre game I had ever watched and it came in the 94th minute.

Maybe the referee was under orders to ensure a home win in the Great Leader's stadium.

I would like to think the crowd went home happy.

But with no emotion one way or the other on the faces of the soldiers and party faithful as they marched silently out, I just couldn't tell.
BBC News - North Korea's silent football matches
 

Ray

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I think that neither is feared nor is a joke.

NK is localised and the fallout of soured relations with not have global ramification and hence humoured to ease the tension and playing to the megalomania of Kim to keep him getting a feel good feeling that he can scare the world!

However, Iran is a different kettle of fish. Any conflagration will have global ramifications and the global economy will take a toss with oil supply becoming sporadic.

It will also assume a Sunni Shia colour (since all this animosity is at Saudis behest) and Muslims who live all around the world and they are in sizeable number outside will take up arms against each other ruining the internal security and safety of the countries where they reside.
 

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