12 thoughts on “In lighter news, Kim Jong Il’s dead…”

  2. Or nearly as competent. I know what I wish is a bad wish, with many starving to death and freezing but the sooner North Korea Collapses the better. Hopefully, it will happen while the world economy is capable of dealing with it. If it happens after the coming crash it’s going to be VERRRY BAD!

  4. @Cameron:
    Hu’s still alive, as well as Castro and Chavez. And there are still plenty of Marxists in the Democratic party.
    .
    So no need to be sad, liberals! Plenty of commies remain. And you still trot out Trotsky when you are pining for that “really smart” Marxist.

  5. Kim Il Sung- “The Great Leader”.
    Kim Jong Il- “The Dear Leader”.
    Kim Jong Un- “Piggie”.

    And yep- that’s what the NK peasants call him. Un never served in the military, never worked with the NK equivalent of the NKVD, never made a rep in the NK government. His pimp hand is too weak to be anything more than a puppet or a gravefiller.

  6. DaveP, that’s what worries me.

    Maximum Leaders have to do things that define them as “Maximum”. Jong Un now has to do something, anything, that will let him be seen as strong and effective, which in this context means something that defies the rest of the planet and all its people, especially its leaders, and most especially the damned Americans.

    Il Sung captured an American “spy ship” and paraded its crews before the public — Our Leader is strong and decisive! He doesn’t shrink from pulling the tiger’s tail! Jong Il built rockets and nuclear weapons, and launched attacks across the DMZ — Our Leader keeps us strong! The World must accommodate us instead of the other way ’round thanks to his firm policies!

    Now Junior must do something of the kind, with the additional problem that he’s ‘way behind start in the public perception. What sort of Grand Gesture might he think up? I worry, and think you should, too. Among other things, I wouldn’t be investing in Seoul real estate just now.

    Regards,
    Ric

  8. I think this is proof NK is no longer a Communist country, but a feudal Monarchy without the traditional titles. They merely use the “revolutionary” rhetoric to keep the serfs under their heel. You’re going to have it all, very soon – palace intrigue, military coups (maybe), even a “regent” to help the new leader in his duties. i also think it’s likely they’ll rattle a few sabers at SK and Japan just to show us that they can.

  10. He can be as cold as a very cold thing indeed, but if he doesn’t have at least one one of the Big Three power groups of the socialist state (Party, Military, or Secret Police) in his corner… he’ll either spend the rest of his life as a tool (e.g. the Chinless Dentist in Syria) or he’ll be removed from the picture. This isn’t just about power to these players- it’s about survival too, and they won’t back a weak horse.

  11. DaveP., those players are riding a tiger for sure. Not saying that coldness is enough, just that Un looks ruthless enough to do what’s necessary to stay in power, or close enough to it to reclaim it fully later. He may or may not have the smarts for it, but I don’t think he’d balk at a few million dead to keep his position….
    I also suspect that most of the other players would rather have someone else be the figurehead (target for public rage) in case things get out of their control.

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