In all honesty, What will North Korea gain by attacking the US?

[rdb241]

Really, what is the reason why North Korea is even thinking of this stupid move? What will they gain, IF successful?

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[Camelfilter]

Crazy patch.

 

[Goosebrown]

...China has already said many times they will step in if we attack first.

No. It has not stated that in the last 30 or so years.

This is not 1961.

Today China does 18% of its trade with the US.

China does about 1% of their trade with North Korea and it is for fish and iron and lead. Their exports to NK are all resources, not finished products that are produced by Chinese workers.

If they suddenly lose 18% of their trade, if only for a short time, there would be blood in the streets as workers without jobs go to get food from the government.

China hates instability in the Korean peninsula, but it hates instability at home more and taking a 20% hit would be catastrophic.

 

[Camelfilter]

No. It has not stated that in the last 30 or so years.

This is not 1961.

Today China does 18% of its trade with the US.

China does about 1% of their trade with North Korea and it is for fish and iron and lead. Their exports to NK are all resources, not finished products that are produced by Chinese workers.

If they suddenly lose 18% of their trade, if only for a short time, there would be blood in the streets as workers without jobs go to get food from the government.

China hates instability in the Korean peninsula, but it hates instability at home more and taking a 20% hit would be catastrophic.

Agreed.

Also remember that China is still controlled by a small hardcore communist circle, whom also enjoy there luxuries.

They also have zero value of life, and could honestly care less if there people starve. It's only the concern of another type of peasant uprising which allows commerce to continue, and really not that big of a concern.

I was in far western China 2007 during Ramadan. There was a concern that the Uigar folk (Muslims) would stir trouble. The Chinese had troops stationed every 100yards on the streets and main routes, really bizarre. Just outside Kashgar, in fields off the main route into the Tibet AR, were main battle tanks on maneuver.

Really really really bizarre.

Even more bizarre was there allowing me (white guy on a touring bike) to set and watch them maneuver while I had a snack!!! Even got a wave out of a crew.

 

[3MTA3]

Really, what is the reason why North Korea is even thinking of this stupid move? What will they gain, IF successful?

1. They will gain enough fissionable materials for free to build dozens of nuclear weapons. They will even get free shipping by air. Even Hillary Clinton wouldn't be able to beat the deal.
   
2. They will no longer need streetlights since there will always be a nice warm glow at night
3. They will corner the glass industry

 

[The Heretic]

NK has nothing to gain by attacking anybody - that is why they are not attacking anybody.

What they have to gain by saying they will attack us, or that we will attack them, is staying in power. It is all about generating fear in their populace and appearing strong in the face of a threat. It is also the reason why they (and China) control what their populace sees and hears; so they control what they think and so they won't know what the rest of the world is like.

There are parallels in the USA; every time Trump goes on about some threat, whether it be NK, or drugs, or terrorists, he is trying to keep us in fear and trying to distract us from not just the possibility of corruption in his admin, but also the ineptness of his leadership.

It is not a coincidence that when a POTUS, any POTUS, does bad in the polls and/or a scandal is uncovered, they start a war on something or someone.