[PornoDoggy]

I realize it's a lot easier for you to discuss things with people who's sole response is "Bush is an idiot" (an entirely different discussion), but the least you could do is let me say that before you assume it.

Thank you for reminding me that they have a Stalinist-style dictatorship, too ... I'm glad to know that the regime we've been opposing for 53 years hasn't changed in the last 24 hours.

Shit-fire, why the hell do you think I have such a poor opinion of force reductions that eliminate "heavy" divisions and focus exclusively on the razzle-dazzle high tech "sexy" stuff - because I think the world is a nice place? The world is a mean, nasty place, and there are people we may have to confront that have a lot more bite than the mighty Iraqi army.

And there will be an arms race in Asia no matter WHAT the N. Koreans do. Japan is working toward rearming - in response to CHINA as much as to North Korea. If Japan rearms, South Korea and China will feel the need to counter it.

If you think I would shed a tear or spare a thought for the demise of the North Korean government then you are a lot dumber than I thought. If you think I'm opposed to the use of military force just because it's mean, nasty, and unpleasant you are really a complete moron who needs to ask friends to take up a collection to buy yourself a clue. See, in spite of my humble public school educatoin I not only am aware of the nature of the North Korean government, I am also slightly aware of the geography of Korea.

Remember them pesky, annoying South Koreans? They're our ... whattya call it? ... ALLIES!! that's the word I'm looking for.

How the fuck do you propose to conduct a "pre-emptive strike against their military, reactors and nuclear programs" without killing off a whole bunch of South Koreans in the inevitable war? I'm not talking about the "possibility" of nuking Tokyo, either. Do you realize how few options we've for defending South Korea for the past 30 years? Do you realize that most of those options are of the nature that "it is the policy of the Department of Defense to neither confirm nor deny?"

See, the kind of attack that would be necessary in order to make that first strike effective will require a little more than some sexy "bunker busters" and high-tech wiz-bang shit. It's old technology, really ... and it's technology that we have avoided using for just about 60 years.

And even Arlie Fleisher would have a hard time explaining that one.