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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Retired U.S. commander: North Korea collapse not far off |
| 2016-05-26 |
| [UPI] SEOUL, May 25 (UPI) -- A former U.S. Forces Korea commander says a North Korea collapse could take place sooner than expected. "First off, I believe there will be strong provocations, strong attacks by North Korea that could quickly escalate into a much bigger conflict," said retired four-star Gen. Walter Sharp, Stars and Stripes reported. "Secondly, there will be instability in North Korea that I believe will lead to the collapse of North Korea much sooner than many of us think." Sharp was speaking at a conference held by the Association of the U.S. Army's Institute of Land Warfare in Hawaii. Sharp told the audience that major changes are ahead, possibly during the tenure of Gen. Vincent Brooks, who was recently appointed to command the U.S. military on the Korean peninsula. Sharp's remarks on a plausible North Korea collapse mirrored similar comments from Wendy Sherman, a former U.S. undersecretary of state. Sherman had said in early May that, "It is becoming increasingly clear that the status quo [in North Korea] likely is not sustainable, and unexpected changes, including sudden regime collapse or a coup, cannot be ruled out." North Korea is under multiple pressures, most recently heavier U.N. Security Council sanctions that could choke off funding for Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. China's support of the sanctions could mark a turning point, as well, and there are increasing signs Beijing's North Korea policy is changing. In addition to agreeing to enforce sanctions, China could be taking a different approach to North Korean defectors, as evidenced by the flight of 13 North Korean state restaurant workers who were permitted to leave China for Southeast Asia on valid passports. Conditions have not improved under |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #5 Got it in one. Barring a "black swan" this is the most likely end. |
| Posted by: Nguard 2016-05-26 22:05 |
| #4 Ain't gonna happen. Last thing China wants is a collapsiffied NKor, with all the chaos ending up on their doorstep. Better to keep the mad little pitbull of a country around to terrify the neighbors. If it all gets too crazy, the ChiComs can always instigate a little regime change. I bet they even have their NKor generals already picked out. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2016-05-26 19:15 |
| #3 Gonna be blamed on Trump, of course. The narrative will be something like "Poor little Kim Jong Un was just walking to the store to get some Skittles & lemmonade, and the Evil Capitalist Trump ambushed & regime changed him!!! OMGWTFBBQ!!! No blood for Kimchee!!!11!eleventy!!" |
| Posted by: Nguard 2016-05-26 18:31 |
| #2 So will it be blamed on W, or on Trumps' rhettoric when North Korea collapses? |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2016-05-26 18:01 |
| #1 for some reason, the "General Franco is still dead" skit comes to mind whenever "North Korean Collapse imminent" type stories come up. The suspense is wearisome. Would that they would just get it over with already. |
| Posted by: Nguard 2016-05-26 09:21 |