I agree. For whatever niceties they have publicly about Japan, I think China would blow them off the map and take whatever they could if they had the opportunity. But putting the US against China and Russia over Japan is illogical and even China knows that.

I don't disagree it's highly unlikely. I think it would be us being a mediator if it came to that. We just know from history how fast things can escalate. The number of pressure points that could spark a conflict are too many to outright rule out the possibility.

The last thing we need is another damn war. Can we just stop bombing people for a little bit?

If only

I think initially China wanted a client state on their border rather than a democratic Korea. Now, unfortunately that client state has evolved into a weird cult of personality dictatorship, and China is not sure what to do with them now that it is already too late to change the course.

We can say what we want about China, but I believe they are long term strategic thinkers and don't want anything to upset the apple cart. Like it or not China and the US have a much greater symbiotic relationship than we do with a country like Russia. China provides us with the vast majority of reasonably priced goods and in turn we provide them with a huge customer base in which to sell their goods.

Anything that upsets that balance would mean trouble for both countries. Enter North Korea... I think that perhaps Kim believes that China needs him more than they really do, and if he was to do anything more than saber rattling, and seriously threaten the US-China relationship, China would step in and effect a regime change.

That is what I would like to believe...

Of course, one other possibility is that China may be using Kim and North Korea as sort of an evil alter-ego, so they can pretend to be all civilized, all the while in the background secretly masterminding all if Kim's bellicose actions towards the West.

If that is the case then all bets are off...

The Chinese will never forget what the japs did to them 1935ish-1945. I promise you, they'd wipe the island of japan off the earth if they could.

You two just don't get it

That's what I tend to lean towards. China originally used NK as a barrier country but it has evolved into a sleeping militant arm of the Chinese government, much like Hamas is to Iran except Hamas is fully active and not sleeping. Eventually China is going to challenge the uni-polar world order and their plan was to use NK to start stirring the waters when the time was right. And everything was cool until Kim Jong Un got power and this guy is coming completely off the rails. Now, China doesn't know what to do with him. If there is any type of conflict or breakdown of the government there then China will have a major problem on their doorstep.

Lemme guess, we're fighting over there to keep it from coming over here.

Let me tell you what I do get:

1. Bat**** crazy dictator with a 1984 styled military state.
2. Same dictator has verified nuclear weapons with ballistic missile capabilities.
3. Seoul, SK has approximately 25 million residents.

This guy may just be stupid enough to call our bluff, then what are we going to do? Nuclear retaliation? Over what? South Korea?

I often contemplated being an evil dictator, but my research indicates, it never ends well. Plus it's hard to find good help these days.

If they don't do anything but hold that fat little twerp down and shave off that fender-head haircut of his, I'll be happy.

There is an old medieval saying (as if anything medieval isn't old) that goes like this:

There are three types of men you can never trust or reckon with.

1. A low born man who has the backing of a powerful well born personage.

2. An uneducated and poor man who suddenly comes in to a lot of money and power.

3. A Viking

Little NK Fat boy ain't a Viking - otherwise its definitely him.

Well, longboat implants from the Northern Regions, Irishguy and AC870 will be along shortly to warp you with their shillelaghs and longswords.

He looks like a 57 Plymouth Belvedere

I say he can't get one off the launch pad unless we allow it.