If North Koreans could blog on ATS right now, what would they say?

Originally posted by Phantom28804
I wasn't saying they live in the lap of luxury. I was actually just pointing out that as oppressed as they are by their government they probably think they are living in the lap of luxury. As far as they know and are taught the rest of the world is way worse off then they are. I mean obviously i don't live there so I can't speak for it from personal experience, but I highly doubt that they realize just how cruel their government is. I would like to think if they did they would stand up to do something about it.

I guess the Beloved leader didn't want to make the same mistake that China and Russia did and let their people see what life was like elsewhere.

It is always hard to get into somebody elses shoes. I only remember back in my childhood days in GRD our country was so praised by our leaders and our teachers taught us our history and how all the good people live in the GDR and all the bad ones who started world war two moved to the "other" germany. The sad truth is, kids are very easily influenced and it feels good for a child to believe you are surrounded by good people. You as a kid of course don't know what other things may be going on right around the corner of your own house. I often wondered what my thoughts would have been like had I been older during the GDR-times and had learned more about the truth of my country, but I can't say, and as for my parents and grandparents, they didn't know about the bad things that happened to some people either. They only knew there were spies ("Stasi") but not what they did or how many there were.

Still, it is a very tricky thing for another country to get mixed up in it even if they say it is for the good of the oppressed people. How could it be if war is the outcome? Nobody will be better of if their homes get destroyed. Maybe in 20 years the new generation would say: Yes, the US chiming in was a good idea because NOW things are better for us, but what about the living situation for the people in the meantime? In hindsight many things tend to look better than they were, but when you are in the middle of it ... I don't know. I always only think about the poor people who know nothing and want nothing but live in peace with their families.

I just heard on the german radio news: USA ecpects a strike from North Korea or something to that effect. Well, all I can says, EXPECT is such a precarious word. I mean, you can expect anything if you want to. Doesn't mean anything. And worst case scenario it all ends like in 1939 when Hitler didn't have anything better to do than lie about Poland attacking Germany just because he wanted an excuse to invade. Of course that truth only came out decades later...

Sigh.

Originally posted by halfoldman
By the looks of the documentaries I think that any country who wants to take North Korea on would be wrong to think they are pushovers.

They had a military first policy, which means that the funding of their military and weapons in no way reflects the general state of the population.

Most importantly, the people shown actually believe what they are saying.
They are not faking or performing for tourists in the documentaries.
They totally believe that the Americans hate them and are poised to wipe them out, and they will fight them to the last breath.

I've always liked conspiracy theory because it means some group is ultimately in control and it won't allow an actual nuclear war.
Even the Illuminati have to survive somewhere on a living earth.

If not, and World War III actually happens, SA will probably side with China.
Now that's a scary thought, because who will China side with?
In that case I'm deserting.

From the looks of it I am going to say China will side with us. There has been quite a lot of signs that China is growing weary of NK's mouth so to speak. As I have seen stated somewhere else. If North Korea were to start a war they are going to be put down quick and effectively. Not saying that they are pushovers but frankly the air superiority of the US will make quick work of their defenses etc. Then basically you will have a US presence literally on China's doorstep. This is something China does not want, and highly likely they will take a stance with the US to avoid actual war or also to ensure they do not have the US right next door. If they side with us then more then likely we will allow them to control what remains.

I do not think it will go that far. This is literally par for the course with NK. They do this every year about the same time. Do I think they will do anything more provocative then has already been done? Absolutely. I have no doubt they will launch a missile soon and probably around the 10th of April, but I also think it will be a test. Just to give the finger to the US and the UN without starting an actual war. Then they will probably make some more threats of immenant demise. Finally they will agree to come to the table after renewed pressure from the test and threats. Then we will give them food etc and they will calm down till next Spring.

I'm just reminded of some rare footage of the Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe.

The campaign of terror was carried out in the 1980s, when Robert Mugabe consolidated his power by butchering over 20 000 people from tribal areas that supported rival liberation movements.

The slaughter was carried out by the Fifth Brigade, who were trained by North Koreans.

Here is some historic footage of Mugabe and the North Koreans:

Originally posted by Emarie

Originally posted by Phantom28804
I wasn't saying they live in the lap of luxury. I was actually just pointing out that as oppressed as they are by their government they probably think they are living in the lap of luxury. As far as they know and are taught the rest of the world is way worse off then they are. I mean obviously i don't live there so I can't speak for it from personal experience, but I highly doubt that they realize just how cruel their government is. I would like to think if they did they would stand up to do something about it.

I guess the Beloved leader didn't want to make the same mistake that China and Russia did and let their people see what life was like elsewhere.

It is always hard to get into somebody elses shoes. I only remember back in my childhood days in GRD our country was so praised by our leaders and our teachers taught us our history and how all the good people live in the GDR and all the bad ones who started world war two moved to the "other" germany. The sad truth is, kids are very easily influenced and it feels good for a child to believe you are surrounded by good people. You as a kid of course don't know what other things may be going on right around the corner of your own house. I often wondered what my thoughts would have been like had I been older during the GDR-times and had learned more about the truth of my country, but I can't say, and as for my parents and grandparents, they didn't know about the bad things that happened to some people either. They only knew there were spies ("Stasi") but not what they did or how many there were.

Still, it is a very tricky thing for another country to get mixed up in it even if they say it is for the good of the oppressed people. How could it be if war is the outcome? Nobody will be better of if their homes get destroyed. Maybe in 20 years the new generation would say: Yes, the US chiming in was a good idea because NOW things are better for us, but what about the living situation for the people in the meantime? In hindsight many things tend to look better than they were, but when you are in the middle of it ... I don't know. I always only think about the poor people who know nothing and want nothing but live in peace with their families.

I just heard on the german radio news: USA ecpects a strike from North Korea or something to that effect. Well, all I can says, EXPECT is such a precarious word. I mean, you can expect anything if you want to. Doesn't mean anything. And worst case scenario it all ends like in 1939 when Hitler didn't have anything better to do than lie about Poland attacking Germany just because he wanted an excuse to invade. Of course that truth only came out decades later...

Sigh.

Well amen to that about the expect. I think America expects NK to do something and I even expect them too. For one the new beloved has to prove himself to his people so he doesn't look weak. Also they want something. Every time this happens they want something. North Korea is tricky because if we give in they will do the same crap again because they know it works, but at the same time if we don't give in you really don't know what they will do. Being in the mainland US I don't fear they can do harm to me, but I do feel for those closer to them such as Guam, SK, Japan etc. I am just waiting to see tensions ease off soon. From what I read today America has been in a heavy convo with China today which tells me they are pushing to get China on the bandwagon to DE-escalate things. I don't care what the US says. To me Obama pushed this thing a bit further then it needed to be. I can understand going on with the training as planned as that is not to provocative. Sending B2-Bombers and Stealth bombers to SK during the training. That was a bit to much push in my opinion and I feel certain that has a lot to do with what put us where we are now. I also think that the Obama administration realizes they SNAFUed and are trying to do damage control. There have been numerous reports in the American media that the Obama administration is trying to cool things down.

Originally posted by Phantom28804
Being in the mainland US I don't fear they can do harm to me, but I do feel for those closer to them such as Guam, SK, Japan etc. I am just waiting to see tensions ease off soon.

Hi Phantom

I know what you mean. It's just I can never help feeling sad for the people, you know? I always picture all the kids that don't know anything and may suffer and that not only for a moment but for life. I guess I am just (very naively) wishing for a world with NO war ever at all.

I hope what the US wants is really ease off tension (NOT with a strike though!). As you can imagine, over here in Europe that's not what people are usually told about the US. But I am not a US citizen, so I really don't know. (And I always devide heavily between a country's people and government, for me those are two different sides of a coin with very different intentions.)

Isn't it scary how half if not all of the world's views about other countries seem to arise out of hearsay, no actual truths? Fact is, we don't know anything about anyone else but maybe ourselves, not even our own government agendas.

Emarie.

reply to post by windword


The lights in the darkness are Pyongyang and a couple border communities with China that are trade hubs for the North Korean economy. I think they missed the rural electrification step. That's unmodified except for the outline of the nation so you don't outright lose North Korea in with the water for where the black of a night ocean ends and land begins.

The lights in the other nations are what appear in almost the entire world...except THAT part of it. Other areas are black too.... Some of Africa, Antarctica of course ..except for a couple tiny little dots perhaps and some large tracts of our Western states. Of course, the difference there is that those are unpopulated areas. North Korea is home to 24 million Souls. Not that you'd know it by the power useage outside those few pinpoints, eh? That's a NASA Photo, BTW. They have galleries of them for all over the world and across time periods.

(Light pollution is nasty in the developed world, isn't it?)

Perhaps North Korea should be stabilized more with funding and trade.

The war option, even if it succeeds without poisoning half the world, would result in an initial regime change and reunification hugs.

Then it won't take long before all the other countries are complaining about those darn North Korean immigrants taking their jobs and turning London into "little Pyongyang".

They would be saying "I hate America because ________" or "I hate Americans because ________". Pretty much what everyone does. Except they would would be putting in untrue quips about the Kims doing amazing things.

I KEEL YOU!!!

reply to post by halfoldman


"If North Koreans could blog on ATS right now, what would they say?"

We are hungry.
We are tired of dictators.
We are tired of unemployment.
We are tired of an administration that beats us down on a daily basis.
W are tired of our leader thinking that he is an emperor.

We sympathise with the Americans that suffer the same way as we do.

Can't we all just get along?

If they could post here, right now, with no knowledge of what is happening outside their country...they would probably threaten us.

Give them 3 years of free internet access to see what is really going on in the world, they would ask for the same liberties and opportunities.

I feel that the internet is breaking trough the barriers of racism and acceptance while on the other hand, is separating the haves from the have nots. The hidden war of the elite versus the common populace is getting spotlighted more and more everyday and by more and more people.

It won't be that long till people see their true enemies.