North Korea

[BlueToffee]

Glad I don't live in North Korea....

//The execution of the once-powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has rekindled fears of instability in the secretive nuclear-armed state.

South Korean defence chief Kim Kawn-jin promised "heightened readiness" after the purge of Chang Song-thaek.

He said the execution could be seen as part of a "reign of terror" by the North Korean leader.

Mr Chang was executed for "acts of treachery" after appearing before a military trial.

He was dramatically removed from a special party session by armed guards earlier this week.//

[FredPuli43]

It's like reading Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire or I, Claudius !

Even Stalin, who appears to the model for the instant regime, did sometimes organise a show trial for those who were disliked by him. The list of offences included not applauding enthusiastically. Talk about over charging!

[mikey4444]

Bet he wished that he had waved that little bit harder now !

[DTCwordfan]

"It's starting to get serious – China has warned North Korea about starting a war. China told them flat out, 'Do not fire any missiles at the United States at least until after we get our money. They owe us $16 trillion. Wait until then.'"

[Wharton]

The North Koreans would come in a poor second to the 'New' Labour administration in Glasgow.

[youngmafbog]

Yes right all very funny.
This is no joke. This nutter has a nuclear arsenal. He will use them and you wont be laughing then.

[Zacs-Master]

He also had his ex girlfriends executed in front of her family on some trumped up sex tape charge. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[sandyRoe]

Even a madman would be reluctant to use nuclear weapons. He'd be inviting the Americans to use them against him.
The more I hear of North Korea the more I think of 1984

[tonyav]

Yes but he was despicable !.
http://news.uk.msn.com/year-in-review-2013/kim-jong-uns-uncle-jang-song-thaek-executed

[ichkeria]

I don't think Kim Jong-Un is mad. More likely calculating and determined to hold on to power at all costs. That's the risk you run when you have high office in a totalitarian state - if you're a pleb you may starve to death but you're probably not important enough to be shot for conspiracy to mastermind a takeover :-)

The nuclear weapons I suspect are all part of the power and prestige thing: actually using them would not be good for his prospects of staying in power.

[ludwig]

// This is no joke. This nutter has a nuclear arsenal. He will use them and you wont be laughing then. //

What should we be doing instead?

[mikey4444]

Not waving hard enough ?...Dear god...you couldn't make this up !

[zebo]

Just remember this on the 25th, especially if you're the irritating Uncle!

[ludwig]

These regimes are like organised crime families. What you have here is the boss 'whacking' a potential threat before he get 'whacked' himself.

[DTCwordfan]

The Chinese will walk in at some point......

[douglas9401]

He must be counting his blessings that he's far enough away from the Middle East or his behaviour would have the righteous wrath of western democracies raining down upon him.
Geography, nuclear weapons, minimal natural resources and China next door are all that keeps him in power and alive.