You know, it's hard to read your comments or take them seriously when they are so anti-American and one sided. If you're so worried about what China and North Korea think, maybe you should move there!

China does look at the NK test as their diplomatic failure. They've gone along with Kim in the name of communist brotherhood. That's about to change. Kim's actions have caused China to lose considerable face internationally, they get really irritated when that happens. They aren't going to take North Korea's side in this. They're angrier than we are about it.
We're not going to attack Iran. The Navy is sailing? Big deal. Battle groups do occasionally switch out.

Ripple, don't be a bigger fool than you have to expose yourself to be. The US (& citizens) should very well worry about the opinions of China, at least, if not N.K. which is universally agreed to be a nutcase nation ruled by an even nuttiercase dictator ... especially when the US is currently being ruled by a leader who, while not a nutcase, is certainly an incompetent of unprecedented proportions, dwarfing even his universally-derided father, Bush I.

One would have to live in a la-la land of utter denial to ignore the fact that China looms as the next major world power, if they aren't already, just thru the sheer numbers of their teeming population with the concomitant economic advantages that conveys. That, plus the fact that they also hold a good deal of US debt, which means the US has to walk on eggs when dealing with them, lest they call in those debts & bring the entire US culture of riotous living and endless charge accounts down on our feckless heads - a situation we've gotten ourselves into, thanks to the manipulations of marketers & incessant advertising urging us to "buy it NOW - don't wait! - RUSH! Hurry! Just CHARGE it!" and omitting to mention that items charged today have to be paid off somehow in the future, a mentality totally embraced by BushCo as the basis for how he's financing his fake war in Iraq.

Ripple is not a fool Nancy, he was dead on.

Although we should all as Americans should be concerned with what's going on in China, N. Korea, And Iran, this post, as all of Realist's posts takes an unabashedly anti-American stance.

Also why is realist incapable of defending the verbal diarehhea that he spews?

He is the only author who does not respond to his critics.

I maintain anybody who thinks they can discount China & its opinion is not playing with all the cards of their deck. I'd like very much to be able to blow them off, but it just isn't realistic. As for responding, you'll have to ask Realist about that; I can't read his mind. Yet.

if you want to take realist at his name, it's hard to be anything but anti-american. america, personal feelings about right or wrong totally put aside, is not a stabalizing force in the world right now. we are dangerous. we actively threaten other nations with nuclear bombs and armed forces. whether or not you want to say that we are just trying to "spread democracy" or promote world stability (in a rather backwards way), the straight fact is that the united states is playing hard ball right now.

there's the u.s. (and britian maybe, in a kind of "we'll call you if we need you" kind of way,) on one side and iran, iraq, north korea, other players in the middle east and northern africa and parts of south america, etc, on another. the rest of the world kind of has to watch in horror as we (that's all of the above mentioned) bring mankind to the brink of annihilation, or at least nuclear war.

so that makes us a dangerous, and possibly THE most dangerous, nation in world politics. if there is no good and bad, as that's relative, then you have to admit that we are divisive. in this world, that's a very dangerous thing.

coherance is not a quality i possess all of the time. but yeah, you get it?

i don't think anyone can disagree with the basic premise... of course, some might revel in it.

Archie: "Although we should all as Americans should be concerned with what's going on in China, N. Korea, And Iran, this post, as all of Realist's posts takes an unabashedly anti-American stance."

Huh? What do the two clauses in this assertion have in common?

Bliffle - I imagine Arch means exactly what he says. This is an important issue, but rather than discussing it, Realist uses it as an opportunity to regurgitate some unrelated criticisms.

Was Bush supposed to compliment Kim on a successful test?

Realist blames Bush for unsuccessful wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran, just in case that should happen. It's hard to take him seriously.

Was Bush supposed to compliment Kim on a successful test?

Well, since it apparently wasn't successful, no.

But maybe he should offer to help Kim build a better one?

Please allow me to take the liberty to go out of my way to be kind, courteous, and most painstakingly appreciative of you and your efforts. As long as the situation still exists in America that allows people to assess another human being openly, even when considering ones obvious failabilities, I am so glad that it is not under a regime like that of North Korea, Iran, or for that matter, Russia. If Nixon had retreated like a shinking violet to the Chinese, we might possibly be serving a Chinese regime. Likewise, if Reagan had ignored the world condition before the fall of the Iron Curtain, maybe we would all be forced to pay almadge to a statue of Lenin. As it is, the world at large should be getting a very distinct understanding, that America still will fight to the death to uphold its ideals.