George Friedman Believes War with North Korea is Imminent

Well respected geopolitical analyst George Friedman believes that the US military is currently posturing itself for war with North Korea:

The US is preparing to attack North Korea, according to Geopolitical Futures founder George Friedman — setting the stage for a difficult, messy war with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Speaking Monday to a rapt audience at the 2017 Strategic Investment Conference in Orlando, Friedman said that while it was unlikely the US would take action before President Donald Trump returns home at the weekend, North Korea’s actions appeared to have “offered the US no alternative” to a clash.

According to Geopolitical Futures analysis, evidence is mounting that the enmity between the two is escalating to a point where war is inevitable.

Friedman said that on May 20, the USS Carl Vinson supercarrier and USS Ronald Reagan were both within striking distance of North Korea.

Additionally, more than 100 F-16 aircraft are conducting daily exercises in the area, a tactic that foreshadowed the beginning of Desert Storm in 1991.

F-35 aircraft have also been deployed to the area, and US government representatives are expected to brief Guam on civil defense, terrorism, and Korea on May 31.

All of these strategic moves telegraph one outcome — conflict.  [Business Insider]

You can read more at the link, but I think posturing for war does not necessarily mean war is imminent.  The Trump administration may have the US military posturing for war to show the Kim regime they are serious about beginning negotiations to end their nuclear program.  If they don’t negotiate military force may be an option.  The problem is that the Kim regime likely does not believe that military force will be used because of the artillery threat to Seoul in response.

An imminent war with North Korea actually conflicts with Friedman’s prediction in his book “The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century”.  In the book he predicted no major war against North Korea and that the Kim regime would collapse leading to a unified Korean peninsula in the 2020’s.

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MTB Rider
MTB Rider
6 years ago

They’ve launched several of their Medium Ranged missiles, and none of their nukes. Makes me think of little kids who obey the absolute letter of mom’s rules without actually breaking them, but shatter the spirit.
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Trump said “No Long Range Missiles and No Nukes.” Fatty Kim is just within those parameters. He dug the tunnel, and even if he backfills it, can we truly prove he was about to pop another one off until after the fact?

As for Friedman’s predictions that North Korea would collapse in the 2020s on its own is not necessarily wrong. With Kim Jong-un assassinating his half-brother a couple months back, he’s brought the Kim Family down to one Eligible Heir, unless the NorKs have been hiding another at some monastery or whatever looks culturally appropriate. Should Fat Boy stumble down the palace stairs on his way to the kitchen to steal a midnight Klondike Bar, there will be a sudden and violent power grab of the strongest survivors of the past 50 years. Another strong man could rise up, or not. The Kims have been pretty proactive in avoiding just such a scenario. Without a strongman at the helm, it’ll be a mad dash to occupy Pyongyang and get to the nuke bunkers before some entrepreneur.

Jigoku
Jigoku
6 years ago

Maybe so, but no foreigners-particularly Americans- should have to die for Korea. Let the Koreans and only Koreans do that, it’s their freedom.

guitard
guitard
6 years ago

At first glance, I thought the article title was “George Foreman Believes War with North Korea is Imminent”

sfasdfsadf
sfasdfsadf
6 years ago

“the Kim regime likely does not believe that military force will be used because of the artillery threat to Seoul in response”

A damaging artillery attack would guarantee war – not prevent it.

JoeC
JoeC
Reply to  Jigoku
6 years ago

The American argument for resorting to military force is not for the sake of protecting South Korea but for the sake of defending America against missile attack.

setnaffa
setnaffa
Reply to  guitard
6 years ago

Since Memorial day is coming up, you’re gonna grill something…

Denny
Denny
Reply to  Jigoku
6 years ago

US defense contractors make too much money in Korea to ever pull out.

knife Aquelee
6 years ago

Donald Trump has already smirked abut taking care of North Korea is a problem “and we’ve will take care of it.” The wheels are turning just like doing Iraq, no way out for DPRK…..,.South Korea president should get up to speed very fast…. With so many spies and north Korean soldiers a whole 15000 men division preposition in the South, it would be hell to pay if war break out. most koreran me would not fight with the American leading the way.

setnaffa
setnaffa
Reply to  knife Aquelee
6 years ago

Besides being a liar about Koreans being cowards (most are not), your momma dresses you funny.

Jigoku
Jigoku
Reply to  knife Aquelee
6 years ago

America shouldn’t be leading the way, or even dying for S Korea, ONLY Koreans should. South Korea is not worth one drop of foreign blood. It is not a worthy ally despite the anecdotes and excuses Korean apologists make.

MTB Rider
MTB Rider
Reply to  Jigoku
6 years ago

Jig,

Your Propaganda game is better than most, Tokyo Rose, but still not good enough.

There’s more than one way to drive a wedge between allies. Acting like you’re on the side of the stronger against the weaker doesn’t mean the strong won’t help their friend and ally. No $.50 for you.

Jigoku
Jigoku
Reply to  MTB Rider
6 years ago

M:

Whatever man, that doesn’t change the fact that Koreans should be able to defend their bloody country for themselves and no one should have to die for them. It’s been long enough.

If Kim douche and Moon douche want to kill off their own people, let them, as long as it is only Koreans dying, then go ahead. I don’t want it to happen, but non-Koreans shouldn’t have to die because these two nations of middle school kids can’t get along. It’s no longer 1950, so get over it. Yeah, yeah, I know, it’s not their fault blah, blah, blah…

Unless of course you think foreigners should have to die in someone else’s civil war.

That doesn’t change the fact that Koreans view American soldiers as tripwires. They only want Americans to die for them, or to make money off of them. This does not include those with actual common sense and those over 70.

If people want to bury their heads in the sand, get to it. When Korean anti-Americanism rears it pathetic, ugly head I will be the first to laugh at you.

setnaffa
setnaffa
Reply to  Jigoku
6 years ago

Jigoku,

You don’t have family, friends, or business interests there. We get that. But it frankly sounds like you don’t want family, friends, or business interests anywhere. You have too much hate. You need to drop that before it makes you sick.

In Korea or a K-Town somewhere you got showed up by a juicy or cheated by a hagwon or soju gave you the runs, so you want to cover it. We get it. But racism makes you look more like a loser than if you just admit the truth. Except for CH, we have all made a few mistakes in Korea and elsewhere. Mine would make Smokes laugh.

GI’s website is not populated by people who defend everything done by Koreans–far from it! But we all have reasons for liking something about South Korea and/or the South Koreans, if only memories. And unlike you, most people are unwilling to claim a moral equivalence between communists shooting, starving, and selling their own people up north and the K-Pop/KakaoTalk/빨리 빨리 culture of the south. Even if they don’t have a Frodo sticker on their Samsung Galaxy…

Your posts don’t suit you. We expect a lot more from you. Please don’t let us down.

Jigoku
Jigoku
Reply to  setnaffa
6 years ago

“You don’t have family, friends, or business interests there…”

Oh yeah?! Prove it!

Unlike you, I didn’t end up in Korea because I couldn’t get a girl back home to potentially marry and be a servant to me and bear my children like females in Korea, I get it- it seems like you couldn’t get any action anywhere else. I can make assumptions too.

“You need to drop that before it makes you sick.’

Unlike well over 40% of Koreans, this half spear thrower(me) doesn’t care what skin color my neighbor has, or will have. Preach to Koreans about racism, be like Hines Ward’s mom!

It’s not about race, or “moral equivalence” retards, it’s about not dying for someone else who doesn’t give two shits about anyone but themselves. Once again, I am not talking about every Korean, or did you not see this?

When something happens and the anti-US BS starts up again, and it will, America will once again be seen as the main enemy of S Korea-the people that keep Korea divided. Look to the past to see examples of this, you probably won’t.

Foreign blood, Chinese, American, or whatever should not be spilled for either side. People are starving in N Korea, yet S Korea and everyone else in the world does nothing but impose embargoes, so don’t give me your shite.

Your posts don’t suit your blindness, I expect a lot more from you, but I KNOW you will let everyone down.

Funny how easily offended people are when you point out the obvious.

Sorry to those who find the whole tripwire thing offensive, your’ bodies will be shipped home to your families in little bits after the NORKS step on that wire, whilst defending a country that can’t decide if they like you, or even want you around.

Oh and the racist thing, well, I’m half white which means I’m not as racially pure as most, which no doubt includes you, so cry me a river. This half wagon burner (me) says what most don’t have the guts to say. People like you are one of the reasons why SJWs try to ban white people from uni classes for a day, you are simply weak.

If you want to hear racist crap, next time you hear a Korean say they hate Americans ask them if that includes Korean-Americans.

You and people like you obviously don’t have a problem with the fact that too many Koreans view Americans as canon fodder, or tripwires. They expect/want Americans to die for them instead of themselves and a country most deep down doesn’t want you in. If you feel this view doesn’t need to be seriously addressed by America and other possible belligerents, then you are a part of the problem and it’s like talking to lefty nut job teen SJWs… absolutely useless.

So Americans, do what I suggested and pretend not to be one and find out what most Koreans really think of you and you’ll hear a lot of the BS I’ve been hearing for a long time…

Again, this does not apply to all Americans, foreigners, or Koreans

setnaffa
setnaffa
Reply to  Jigoku
6 years ago

You really need help, dude… You really have serious racism and anger issues… And like cancer, that will only hurt you more if you don’t get it treated… So go get help…

I’m sorry life dealt you such a rough hand. I’m not half white and half whatever you claim (spear carrier = Greek? wagon burner = Catholic hater of Gypsies?); but I have cancer in my cheek and temple that gives me about a 50% chance of not being able to vote in the next US Presidential election (even with aggressive chemo, radiation, and multiple surgeries at a top cancer hospital thanks to the grace of God and having decent insurance). And no one knows what causes my cancer, it was probably just a gift from my ancestors in my DNA.

What do I care if the Koreans go through another childish phase? They blow off steam instead of tamping it down and insulting their parents. Then they get over it. Like what you should do. Stuff happens. C’est la vie. You buy your ticket and try to enjoy the movie. If you’re blessed, sometimes there’s butter for the popcorn and they have Dr. Pepper.

But you keep it up. You’ve got a shorter life expectancy than me with that attitude you’re wallowing in.

Or get help…

ChickenHead
ChickenHead
6 years ago

Setnaffa, you are a man of personal courage with a streak of wisdom and another streak of kindness. Always remember that at least one person thinks highly of you… probably many more.

Let’s run a profile on Jigoku based on his writing.

…and computer says…

– Canadian: 86%

– Half indian (or whatever euphemism is currently popular to dull the reality of being an indian): 99% if lived in Korea

– married to Korean wife: 61%

– divorced from Korean wife: 44%

This will be fine tuned the more he writes. He has written enough that any attempt to change his style or obscure his profile will be immediately obvious and will actually add new information to the equation.

setnaffa
setnaffa
Reply to  ChickenHead
6 years ago

I still hate to see folks kill themselves. Slow or fast.

Not sure there’s more than a streak of wisdom and kindness here; but thanks for the nice words.

I hope J. can find peace.

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