North Korea-Kim Jong Il is Mad-What else is new?

(Photo caption: Hot Mamas from the North Korean Navy's favorite dance troupe prepare to do a group split.)

I know I speak for many when I say that I am simply shaking in my boots regarding Kim Jong Il’s announcement that North Korea will have a “physical response” to the war games and training activities that will be taking place in international waters off their coast. Kim, known in his own miserable backwater of a nation as the “Dear Leader,” is the de facto leader of North Korea and he rules with an iron fist. No velvet gloves here, my friend. Handsome and discerning, he is not. Perhaps a better way to describe the man is ruthless and paranoid. This guy is more paranoid than a meth addict with arrest warrants in an unregistered vehicle coming to a Highway Patrol check point.

A physical response by North Korea could take many forms. It could be that having that many foreign ships near their shores may lead to mass stomach upset. In that case, the physical response might be mass regurgitation by millions of North Koreans. That would put a terrible strain on their sewer system if they had one. Sans sewer systems, it is likely to pack the many drably colored outhouses throughout the country. I pity the poor Koreans del Norte holding back their plume of vomit with one hand over their mouths and another pushing others out of their way as they battle for an open spot in the “People’s Outhouse.” Oh, gosh, think of the dry cleaning bills!

What the Dear Leader is implying by his “Physical Response” is that he will commit North Korean forces to bring death and destruction upon the navies of the U.S. and South Korea. Our forces will be facing the East Sea Fleet, ten combat squadrons comprising some 470 vessels. That sounds impressive until you realize this is a “brown water” navy. Meaning the ships are primarily used for coastal defense and supporting Army operations along the coast. So, most of these 470 vessels are coastal patrol craft not much bigger than WW 2 PT boats. Yes, there is the occasional modern destroyer or guided missile patrol boat, but for the most part, North Korea relies on their submarines for offensive operations.

The South Korean Navy Destroyer, the Cheonan, was destroyed by a torpedo launched from one of these submarines. The Romeo class submarines are of an old 1950’s Soviet design and use diesel/electric motors. It is said that on silent running they are quieter than our own modern nuclear subs thus difficult to find underwater. One must listen carefully for the cavitations of the propellers as they move stealthily through the Sea of Japan. It is not surprising the Cheonan was unaware of the presence of one of these submarines nearby before it met its fate.

The threat of North Korean submarines should not be taken lightly. Though anti submarine warfare has come a long way it is often luck, not skill, which allows us to locate these slippery silent specters of the seas. I understand the North Koreans have highly disciplined crews. Let’s face it; if they screw up, the penalty is death either by a courts martial or the sinking of their sub. That would keep me in line for sure!

Their torpedo boats and guided missile patrol boats also pose their own difficulty when used as an offensive weapon as their speed and maneuverability can create problems for those ships tasked with defending against them. But, then again, if you have the U.S.S. George Washington out there with a full complement of attack helicopters, fighters, and a picket line of defensive destroyers and frigates, maybe it becomes another American Turkey Shoot.

There is a North Korean Air Force with which to contend. Pilot proficiency is based on hours flown and the quality of that flight time. It is stated that North Korean pilots are not as well trained as their counterparts in the south. Estimates state pilot proficiency is 60% at best versus South Korean pilots with many estimates rating North Korean pilots with less than 30% proficiency. They are very limited in how they may conduct operations as they are wholly dependent on others for materials such as missiles, fuel, radar, avionics, etc. The NKAF also supports an extensive anti aircraft system consisting of Soviet era anti aircraft missiles and radar directed anti aircraft guns around their military and industrial complexes. They boast an exceptionally large number of anti aircraft sites. They still use barrage balloons. Some may find this quaint unless you are a ground attack pilot preparing to pull up from a strafing run. The cable extending from a barrage balloon can just as easily take out an A-10 Warthog today as it would take out a Stuka dive bomber in WW2.

With all this talk of death, destruction, and war, maybe there is a better way for us to get along with the North Koreans. Maybe we could go out and buy them some new clothes. When I see the film of their parades and even just film of everyday life there, it seems they all wear the same sort of dreary quasi military uniforms in a lovely shade of olive drab with their little peaked caps with their cute little red stars on them. But let’s face it, after 60 years of wearing the same clothes day after day, year after year, life can take a bleak turn. I mean, where the heck is their fashion sense? Let’s open an outlet mall in Pyongyang! A little color might brighten their mood.

The Communist Scorecard

1963 Communist Goals - Were they achieved?

Communism equalizes the social conditions of life. There is no "I" in communism. It is a team politic. Everyone works for the greater good of the whole or the collective. Individual ego and thought is discouraged as it does not serve the greater good. One must constantly be considering how he or she will benefit the collective today and forever.

It sounds okay. But let's also consider that the only communist countries our world has had were the result of violent revolutions that killed many thousands in some countries and millions of political dissenters in the cases of Russia and China. In practice, communism is heavy handed and brutal. Political dissenters will find themselves in concentration camps known as "re-eduction" camps. If you don't re-educate, you don't get out! Internal exile of political prisoners is common within communist countries. It is not a terribly nice political system in which to live.

How well have the communists done in relation to attaining their goals in this country? The following was entered into the Congressional record by Albert Herlong, Jr. (a Floridian who served in Congress from 1949-69) in 1963. Let's see how the scoreboard looks. It has been a tough battle and the commies have some wins.

Keep in mind, Cuba, Venezuela, and Myanmar call themselves communist but they are nothing more than socialist dictatorships.

1) US acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war - Yep, we called it mutually assured destruction or MAD. They must play soccer; they want a tie rather than a win.

2) US willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war - This works both ways. However, we were willing to kick their collective booties in Korea, Vietnam, and in our support of the Mujahadin in Afghanistan. Let's keep in mind that we didn't so much lose Vietnam as much as we walked away from it. Starting in the late 1960's we moved forward with the Vietnamization of the war; turning the fight over to our Democratic Viet allies and completed the task in 1973. Korea ended in a truce. The Mujahadeen whipped those commies fair and square.

3) Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the US would be a demonstration of "moral strength" - Peace geeks, Code Pink, Peace & Justice Taskforce, etc. There are a lot of fools advocating for the unilateral destruction of our nuclear deterrent force. If we get rid of our bombs, what do we do when Iran and North Korea threaten us? Ask the Russians for help?

4) Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. - Not successful there. We don't reward the dictatorship of the proletariat with free trade.

5) Extension of long term loans to Russia and Soviet Satellites - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

6) Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination - Nope, not successful. Cuba, Venezuela and Myanmar get little to no U.S. Aid.

7) Grant recognition of Red China, and admission of Red China to the UN. - Win for the Soviets. But is China really "RED" anymore? Their suto capitalist economy will collapse and take a united China with it.

8) Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under supervision of the UN - Oops! Fall of Communism-1989.

9) Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the US has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress - We don't need to test anymore. We know from our computer models our H-Bombs will blow the crap out of anyone.

10) Allow all Soviet Satellites individual representation in the UN - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

11) Promote the UN as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the UN as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo) - Most Americans are wary of the UN. World Government? Not in ours or our grandchildren's lifetimes. With so much nationalistic hubris around the world during World Cup Soccer time, how could we possibly have a world government?

12) Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party - We are the U.S.A. We welcome all political parties. Kinda dumb by some standards, but it's worked for us a lot of years.

13) Do away with loyalty oaths - nope, ain't happening here!

14) Continue giving Russia access to the US Patent Office - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

15) Capture one or both of the political parties in the US - Successfully overtook the Democratic Party in 2008.

16) Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, by claiming their activities violate civil rights. - Yeah, our appellate court system is rife with social justice nerds. This could be worse if there were a liberal majority on the Supreme Court.

17) Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for Socialism, and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in text books. - Commies win here. They dominate political thought in public colleges all over the country. There are millions of socialist losers teaching our children to hate their country.

18) Gain control of all student newspapers-Big deal. Students are too stoned to read their papers.

19) Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. - Let's call out our anarchist buds! That G20 sure draws a crowd of those freaks. No one takes violent protesters seriously. They are seen as immature fools.

20) Infiltrate the press. Get control of book review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions. - They've done well here but didn't count on Fox News being a fly in the ointment. Had there been no Fox News the past several years, would the conservatives in our government be significantly marginalized?

21) Gain control of key positions in radio, TV & motion pictures. - Commies won for a little while. But conservative talk radio has brought us back from the brink. They still tend to dominate many news orgs and communist reportage is evident to anyone looking for it. Currently, the FCC is rife with socialists appointed by the Obama administration wanting to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine" in broadcasting. It is because liberal radio can't make a dime in markets where there is right wing radio. You want to listen to a bunch of whiners? I don't.

22) Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings", substitute shapeless, awkward, and meaningless forms. - Oops! American Culture won! We kicked their asses back to Petersburg. The world loves American culture; except for the radical Muslims. Can't please everyone. I guess they are also trying to say that modern sculpture was a commie plot? yeah, maybe, but it is meaningless.

23) Control art critics and directors of art museums. " Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art". - Commies win, but who cares? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

24) Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. - Nope, didn't work.

25) Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography, and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV. - Nothing I like more than a little obscene porno. Bring it on, you commie bastards!

26) Present Homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as "normal, natural, and healthy." - The world is changing. If there were a Soviet Union today, they would have Gay communists insisting they should have Gay Marriage. Would there be Gay Gulags?

27) Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch" - There are those who keep trying to discredit the bible and religion. Most notably, the writers of Fox's cartoon sitcoms; the Simpsons and Family Guy. In spite of this, churches of various religions are still well attended. "In god we trust" is still on our currency. We still say "under god" in the pledge.

28) Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state" - Commies won on that one. When I was in grade school, we did not pray at all. I didn't grow up an atheist.

29) Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. - Well, judicial activists will tell you the Constitution, as a basis of government, is out of date. After 220 years it is still the best document of its kind.

30) Discredit the American founding fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." - Over the years, the documents these men created, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, have meaning for every man and woman in our great country. Perhaps one day the founding fathers will be forgotten, but their legacy never will.

31) Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture:" Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. - Hahahaha! American Culture wins again! See "The Fall of Communism-1989"

32) Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture - - education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. - Sound familiar??? That is exactly what our congress with the support of President Obama is doing today. Giant ass'd Healthcare bills anyone? Giant finance regulation bills. What does it mean? More new taxes!

33) Eliminate all laws or procedures, which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. - We crushed ACORN and the Tea Party is strong. This is still a battle.

34) Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. - Don't need it anymore. See "The Fall of Communism-1989"

35) Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI - Hahahaha! Didn't work.

6) Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. - Commies win. The commies own the unions.

37) Infiltrate and gain control of big business. - Commies lose.

8) Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat. - didn't work.

39) Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. - The idea was that a psychiatrist who was indoctrinated would tell you that capitalism is not rational and only communism is rational. They could then commit those they felt were working against the communist cabal and have them committed and out of the way.

40) Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. - This continues to be a battle for the American family.

41) Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. - Didn't work. Never happened.

42) Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special interest groups should rise up and make a "united force" to solve economic, political, or social problems. - America was created on protest. What this refers to are the Anarchist fools who take quite protests and turn them into window bashing and burning police cars. Someday, communism will fall in places like Oakland CA, Detroit MI, and Chicago Ill.

43) Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. - Failure for the commies. See "Fall of Communism-1989"

44) Internationalize the Panama Canal. - Technically, we still control it. No one in Panama goes to the bathroom without our Army knowing about it.

45) Repeal the Connally Reservation so the US can not prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. - Hahahaha! Like that will ever happen. Americans will never give up their sovereignty to a world government.