What if all of this "combat position 1" and "strike readiness" malarky is just an attempt to bait the United States into making a mistake? All it takes is a hot-headed soldier to fire off a round and North Korea would have a motive, and a reason to bring China into the matter by way of calling it a "support mission". Hell, if this is a ploy to bait the States, it could turn very, very ugly. War with North Korea is one thing, but if it was the U.S. that made the first move? War with North Korea with China to support it could be downright hideous.
With that, I'm currently selling spaces in my nuclear bunker in the UK. There's room and supplies for 20 people to last five years. Assuming you all like baked beans.
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It's tragic that North Korea didn't learn from China and to some extent let the leash off of their people so they could develop and join the rest of the world. So close to South Korea and possible trade and growth, instead a prison state embroiled in the cult of personality and cut off and still engaged in a war time setting of fear. The sheer magnitude of trying to reunite Korea is so depressing when you consider the problems that East and West Germany had to go through. It'll be even worse if it's done by a military or nuclear optioned regime change instead of a natural, economic, or covert collapse of their government.