The right sees Obama’s falling numbers and Israeli pressure as signs that war with Iran is imminent. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen went on record with “Meet the Press” that America is ready to assault Iran. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. North Korea may be the next threat when it comes to war, writes Front Page Magazine. Not only would this be tragic in terms of lost lives, but it would be deadly for production and also the world imports market.
Nobody wants a New Korean War
Recent territorial clashes between North Korea and South Korea – also as the sinking of the South Korean ship Cheonan – have drawn the United States into a fray that could easily lead to a New Korean War, suggests Front Page and other sources. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il says his country is ready to fight, which has caused global stocks to plummet. Jong-il warned of “powerful nuclear deterrence” in a recent broadcast where he said that “We do not hope for war, but if South Korea, with the United States and Japan on its back, tries to assault us, (we) will finish the task of unification left undone during the…(Korean) war (in 1953)”.
Sanctions from the United States of America or the European Union over the Cheonan disaster may also spark violent retaliation, warns Jong-il.
The Americas will stand by its ally nation of South Korea
A recent opinion poll indicates that over half of American adults fully expect a New Korean War in the near future, accounts UPI. Among those respondents, less than half are against the United States of America getting directly involved in a North-South Korean conflict. Thinking about the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said after the Cheonan sinking that the United States would defend its ally – South Korea – in an armed conflict with North Korea, the intent is clearly there.
Boasts of war, busts of business
American consumers, dealers and importers of products made in South Korea are very worried about the prospect of a New Korean War, reports The Detroit Bureau. Setting aside the potential for tragic loss of life on all sides and also the United States’ arguable over-commitment in Iraq and Afghanistan, business numbers could also suffer. Hyundai, Daewoo, LG, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and a host of other big-box retailers would be severely impacted. South Korea would experience economic hard times as their import routes are constricted by war, and even China would feel the pinch as they deal with refugees flooding their borders with the Koreas. Dominoes would continue to fall, and the United States would not keep away from the collision entirely.
America wants South Korean products
South Korean companies have not prepared to date for what they’d do during a New Korean War according to various sources, so the flow of world commerce would surely be disrupted. North Korea reportedly doesn’t have a top flight military anymore, but the potential is still there for significant damage to lives and economic systems. No new products or parts coming out of South Korea would make things difficult for the American market.
Further reading
Associated Press
newser.com/article/d9h5b3183/north-korea-threatens-nuclear-retaliation-to-us-south-korea-military-exercises.html
The Detroit Bureau
thedetroitbureau.com/2010/05/how-a-new-korean-war-would-affect-u-s-business/
Front Page Magazine
frontpagemag.com/2010/05/26/the-new-korean-war/
Real Clear Politics
realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/08/04/iran_war_option_on_the_table_106598.html
UPI
upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/06/03/US-adults-expect-new-Korean-war/UPI-27261275605162/
