Are the US the strongest country?

[Dude_Doc]

If the United States were to invade, say, North Korea, without dropping an atomic bomb, would they really succeed?

[IxianMace]

I'm guessing that China might intervene on behalf of North-Korea if the US invaded.

I think the US would have a good chance of succeeding, but the nuclear deterrent from China and North-Korea might make them think twice before making any serious moves.

You also have to consider any foreign aid (in any form), that the US may be receiving in support of such an endeavour.

I'm not sure how the UN and the world would view this kind of action from the US, since the US would look like the aggressor, and I would hope that the US would need to justify their invasion...

[Dude_Doc]

No, I just meant like a kind of game-thing. If every country was to be "erased" or something, and then the only two countries which were left were the US and NK, the would the US succeed on invading NK? Without using an atomic bomb? Because I heard they said North Korea has the biggest army, somewhere second to Chinas...

[Caid Ivik]

China is a 1,5 billion country. From that we can count one percent - men in age and power to fight, which will be called to arms. Result: 15 million army. Militaristic regime of China will always find some resources for them. Industry is sufficient to support such juggernaut. And North Korea is the only fellow maoistic country for them, so any military action would be a suicide for USA. As well as any other country on the world. Only way is to start some hostilities between Korea and China, no other way.

[Acriku]

If the United States focused its entire military force at North Korea, then I would say "bye-bye Korea."

[Seal89999]

If the United States focused its entire military force at North Korea, then I would say "bye-bye Korea."

Ditto ^^^^^^^

If we really wanted to we could take most anybody....

[DukeLeto]

I'm guessing that China might intervene on behalf of North-Korea if the US invaded.

Actually, on that note, China has stationed troops on the N. Korean border to invade if need be. They don't want piddly little dictatorships having nukes any more than we do.

[Mahdi]

In ten years when China's economy really gets rolling I fear we'll be back in another cold war, and this time on the weaker side for sure.

[Acriku]

Who's we? Canada?

[Edric O]

You don't seem to understand that China is a de facto capitalist country these days... They don't really give a damn about ideology any more, so they have no reason to support a "fellow Maoist country" like N. Korea, or to start a cold war with the US.

Cold wars don't just happen every day. There are many conditions that must be met all at once in order for a state of cold war to exist:

1. You must have two (and ONLY two) superpowers with completely opposite political views and interests.

2. The rest of the world has to be divided into two camps, each lead by one of the superpowers.

3. There must not be any serious alternative to the two camps. It has to be very difficult to stay neutral, and virtually impossible for a third superpower to rise up.

...etc. etc.

There is no way that another cold war could possibly start any time soon. If anything, the early 21st century looks like it will be a chaotic free-for-all.

[Mahdi]

Who's we? Canada?

NATO. US, Canada, Britain, etc.

If China get's there economy up and running they'll quickly overtake the States both economically and militarily.

[Acriku]

Is that the way it has to be, or is that just how it was when it happened? I don't see how you can come up with "requirements" for a cold war.

Mahdi: I doubt that, but we'll see.

[Mahdi]

No world war? If China tries to take back Taiwan, which is entirly possible sometime in the future, the world ends. The US has to defend Tawain. That means a world war. That likley means nukes.

Edric, the only reason there was a cold war WAS nukes. Had MAD not been in place, nothing else would have mattered. MAD is the reason for cold wars.

[Mahdi]

Is that the way it has to be, or is that just how it was when it happened? I don't see how you can come up with "requirements" for a cold war.

Mahdi: I doubt that, but we'll see.

Once a nation gets on the path to full economic and industrial recovery, it's industry increases at a spectacular rate, catching up to other industrialized nations quickly as leading industrial nations grow fairly slowly.

Throw in the worlds biggest army, and 1.5 billion people, there is no maybe. If China's economy really gets on path, the States will be nothing compared to it.

[Edric O]

Well, a cold war is a stand-off between two powerful military and economic blocs. Obviously, certain conditions must be met in order to make this stand-off possible...

Anyway, what I'm saying is that the current world situation is nothing like the one that sparked the cold war.

[Mahdi]

Well, a cold war is a stand-off between two powerful military and economic blocs. Obviously, certain conditions must be met in order to make this stand-off possible...

Anyway, what I'm saying is that the current world situation is nothing like the one that sparked the cold war.

Different conditions can end with the same result. The world is not as simple as A causes B causes C.

[Edric O]

It wasn't just MAD, Mahdi. Back in 1948 when the cold war started, there was no MAD. The US only had a handful of atomic bombs (which needed to be dropped from airplanes) and the USSR had none. The only reason why WW3 didn't start right after WW2 was because both Russia and America were exhausted and drained of resources, so they could not afford another war so soon. By the time they recovered, MAD kicked in.

[Edric O]

Different conditions can end with the same result. The world is not as simple as A causes B causes C.

Ok, let me put it this way: What makes you think that a new cold war would start in the forseeable future? Why would China or the US or anyone else start it? What could anyone possibly gain by starting it?

[Mahdi]

It wasn't just MAD, Mahdi. Back in 1948 when the cold war started, there was no MAD. The US only had a handful of atomic bombs (which needed to be dropped from airplanes) and the USSR had none. The only reason why WW3 didn't start right after WW2 was because both Russia and America were exhausted and drained of resources, so they could not afford another war so soon. By the time they recovered, MAD kicked in.

Had MAD not kicked in when they recovered though, there would have been war.

[Mahdi]

Different conditions can end with the same result. The world is not as simple as A causes B causes C.

Ok, let me put it this way: What makes you think that a new cold war would start in the forseeable future? Why would China or the US or anyone else start it? What could anyone possibly gain by starting it?

I said I fear it might happen, not that it'l happen for a certainty.

What did anyone gain fromt he first cold war? Wouldn't the world be a much better place if everyone held hands and sung "Koom-bye-ya" or however you spell that song's title?

All there needs to be is one big international incident bewteen China and the US, and there we go. Two nuclear powers pissed as hell at each other, and only not going to war because of nukes. Just look at the big chinese plane/spying incident and how poorly Bush handled that right after he was elected.

[Edric O]

Had MAD not kicked in when they recovered though, there would have been war.

Yes. And the USA would have won anyway.

[Mahdi]

Yes. And the USA would have won anyway.

Which post are you replying too?

[Acriku]

Is that the way it has to be, or is that just how it was when it happened? I don't see how you can come up with "requirements" for a cold war.

Mahdi: I doubt that, but we'll see.

Once a nation gets on the path to full economic and industrial recovery, it's industry increases at a spectacular rate, catching up to other industrialized nations quickly as leading industrial nations grow fairly slowly.

Throw in the worlds biggest army, and 1.5 billion people, there is no maybe. If China's economy really gets on path, the States will be nothing compared to it.

Their ground forces may be massive, but wars are not on the ground exclusively anymore.

[Mahdi]

Is that the way it has to be, or is that just how it was when it happened? I don't see how you can come up with "requirements" for a cold war.

Mahdi: I doubt that, but we'll see.

Once a nation gets on the path to full economic and industrial recovery, it's industry increases at a spectacular rate, catching up to other industrialized nations quickly as leading industrial nations grow fairly slowly.

Throw in the worlds biggest army, and 1.5 billion people, there is no maybe. If China's economy really gets on path, the States will be nothing compared to it.

Their ground forces may be massive, but wars are not on the ground exclusively anymore.

No, but like I said, if they get there industry rolling, it won't take long to catch up to the US and everyone else. That means in every way, military tech included. They'l be just as advanced, but with there huge population they'l have mroe of everything: larger air forces, navies, etc. And with 1.5 billion people feuling a healthy, industrial economy, they'l slow down when they catch up to the States, but they won't stop, and will prety much become the worlds economic leader.

[Edric O]

What did anyone gain fromt he first cold war? Wouldn't the world be a much better place if everyone held hands and sung "Koom-bye-ya" or however you spell that song's title?

Au contraire, there was a lot to gain from the cold war. World domination.

And besides, there were two different ruling classes facing each other (the capitalist bourgeoisie vs. the stalinist bureaucracy), and neither could exist in the other's economic system. It was a matter of life and death.

All there needs to be is one big international incident bewteen China and the US, and there we go. Two nuclear powers pissed as hell at each other, and only not going to war because of nukes. Just look at the big chinese plane/spying incident and how poorly Bush handled that right after he was elected.

Ah, but they wouldn't have any serious reason to stay pissed at each other... The tension would eventually die down, seeing how neither of them is out to overthrow the other one's government and economic system.

Look how that spy plane incident died down...