What if I told you the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong’s fiery rhetoric is nothing new and the end game is really food for the people. I interviewed a retired Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) who was stationed in South Korea in 1961 to 1962. He said it was an extremely poor under developed country where the people were terrace farmers. Where they dig out a side of a mountain to plant crops, this was actually started by the Inca indians. He said the people were ingenious and had legs like steel. The only way to travel was over the mountain ridge lines from North Korea to South Korea.

The South Korean army is infinitely better than the US Army because of discipline, training, and the terrain they are trained. They have highly sophisticated missile defense systems (superior to the Patriot missile defense) and they should not be under estimated. The North Korean army has superior numbers but lack the resources to sustain long term combat. The South Korean army has superior training, technology, and access to greater resources.

The North Korean army has a bigger soldier according to the LTC where their soldiers were as tall as 6’5! The South Korean army has experience from Vietnam but most of them are retired. Before retiring they trained their soldiers long and hard. Another issue is the weather. You have snow on the mountains in North Korea year round where water freezes at night in your canteen. Do you think North Korea wants to go head-to-head with South Korea? The answer is no.

Let’s talk about the North Korean air force, well according to the LTC, “There air force is not worth a shit!” They are flying antiquated attack fighters and also antiquated armor divisions. They are all outdated and there are no longer repair parts for these technologies. You are talking about needing a junk yard to buy parts! They could not sustain a long term engagement without supplies or maintenance. Even Hitler learned this the hard way.

The question is how does the North Korean regime feed their people? You are dealing with very inhospitable terrain where mass crop production is severely limited. North Korea needs food shipped in to feed the people and I mean mega quantities of it. So what this fear based posturing is about is to get notice from the International community in order to achieve a goal. What is this saber rattling all about? Food and then food and finally food.

North Korea has a limited window for combat because of the extremely cold weather. So let’s say by August if nothing has happened — nothing will happen. What we can expect is by August of 2013 a humanitarian settlement to quiet the North Korean war drums. This would be a win-win for everyone. The people of North Korea will have food and the global economy can focus on healing.

In closing, hearing this war rhetoric from North Korea is nothing new. We are dealing with a poor country which needs to feed the people. Kim Jong might just be the smartest spoke in the ever spinning international wheel because he has raised the stakes enough to get a major payout. If he is depending on his allies to pick up the slack, well all wars are about money. China will never disturb the USA because (it is a cash cow and) there is too much vested in it. Why would they destroy their biggest customer? Russia has an unstable economy and would gain nothing by destroying America.

This quote from “The Godfather” movie clearly sums up the position of the allies to North Korea:

I have a sentimental weakness for my children, and I spoil them as you can see; they talk when they should listen. But, anyway, Signor Sollozzo, my no is final, and I wish to congratulate you on your new business, and I know you’ll do very well; and good luck to you — as best as your interests don’t conflict with my interests. Thank you.

VITO CORLEONE (to Sollozzo)

We have looked at the many variables surrounding the potential conflict from North Korea and unless Kim Jong is coked up, he knows the outcomes of his actions. He should net some hefty international resources at the end of this game. In the end, maybe he is doing what he has to do to feed his people? Next time it just might be easier to ask — nicely.