North Korea crosses the DMZ

XPViking · Post by **XPViking** » 2002-07-29 07:25pm

Ever try any of those high kicks in army boots after a day in a IFV, or after a day carrying half your body weight or more? - Stuart Mackey

I've never served in the military.

XPViking

edit: forgot to put in Stuart's name in the quote

Stuart Mackey · Post by **Stuart Mackey** » 2002-07-30 03:37am

XPViking wrote:
Ever try any of those high kicks in army boots after a day in a IFV, or after a day carrying half your body weight or more? - Stuart Mackey
I've never served in the military.

XPViking

edit: forgot to put in Stuart's name in the quote

Neither have I

but I have trained in CQC and you are always taught to be practical about such matters, and adapt to the environment in which you find yourself.

Mr. B · Post by **Mr. B** » 2002-07-30 03:44am

The North would likely push as far as Seoul, but would not be able to take the city. After the US gets fully involved the NK get pushed back to the Border and everything their crumbles. The Chinese don't get involved due to massive US presence, the Russians get pissed at a lost consumer of their military equipment.

The Souths economy is drained trying to integrate the dilapidated south.

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2002-07-30 06:50pm

Stuart.
Yes, I have had the honor of serving my country and the pleasure of being posted in Korea, Germany, and Fort(Planet) Ord California. I have trained and had field exercises in Eggland airforce base in Fordida, Fort Gordon Georgia, Fort McClelland Alabama. I also spent some time in Bahrain Saudia Arabia, during Desert storm, where I participated in combat. I never saw the enemy face to face, only through the rangefinder, at night.
My military career was abruptly ended when some bonehead dropped a flare into the firepit, causing an explosion that sent shrapnel into my shins, some of which is still there. It was a clumsy accident, but enough.
I have a high degree of respect for the ROCs, and for their northern counterparts. I have a high opinion of the US Army as well. The area in question is under constant survailance, both satelite and ground.
The massing of troops on or near the border could never be the surprise they would need, to get the number of special forces into play as predicted.
Three times when I was there, someone not reporting in at the scheduled time triggered an alert. (commo trouble, or a generetor going down)The whole place is on a hair trigger, ready to go off. Despite what the upper echelons think, the soldiers there know how close to the edge they are, and act accordingly. There were more than twenty fire fights in the DMZ while I was there as well.
The armor has to go through well known paths, just like the last war.
The kind of weather you need to get armor through rice paddies makes IR detection gear work at peak performance, and renders chemical weapons relatively ineffective.
I am not downplaying the serious nature of the threat, but I believe that the north is very overrated, much like the Iraqis.
The kicker, as far as I am concerned, is GWB, our CIC. Nukes will be used, in the post 911 era, if push comes to shove. It is a matter of when we are next attacked. I don't think that people outside the USA know how little we care about what they think.
You will note, that in the typical style of totalitarian states, the bluster of NK, under the sort hearted (and soft headed) leadership of Bill Clinton, has turned to negotiation, in the face of Geoerge Bush. (The realist and hawk.)
This is always the way of the dictator, talk tough to the soft, and talk soft to the tough.

As to as the belts being handed out like candy, you should know that Tae Kwon Do is the national sport, and almost as popular as soccer. (football for you non US people.) The number of belts handed out is a reflection of the population base that has practiced this from early school days on. I recieved my second degree black belt in Korea, and they took the ranking system much more seriously than here in America. I also had to work twice as hard as my Korean counterparts, as I had to prove my standing, as an outsider, and a non Korean! Hard work is always respected by the honest, and my determination won the repsect, but not the friendship of all. I had a thing or two to teach THEM about hand techniques, and interupting (or stopping) techniques from my knowledge of Wing Chung and Jeet Kune Do!

XPViking · Post by **XPViking** » 2002-07-30 11:55pm

As to as the belts being handed out like candy, you should know that Tae Kwon Do is the national sport, and almost as popular as soccer. (football for you non US people.) The number of belts handed out is a reflection of the population base that has practiced this from early school days on. I recieved my second degree black belt in Korea, and they took the ranking system much more seriously than here in America. I also had to work twice as hard as my Korean counterparts, as I had to prove my standing, as an outsider, and a non Korean! Hard work is always respected by the honest, and my determination won the repsect, but not the friendship of all. I had a thing or two to teach THEM about hand techniques, and interupting (or stopping) techniques from my knowledge of Wing Chung and Jeet Kune Do! - Emperor

Okay. I was restricting my comments to the military, not to all the hagwons that teach the sport. I realize that Tae Kwon Do is the national sport here. I'm contending that when a soldier finishes his mandatory duty (26 months in the Army, longer if you are in the navy or airforce) that they get a black belt at the end and that the quality may not be up to snuff. " However, you state that they take their ranking system seriously so I guess that means that every soldier who finishes his military duty and has a black belt is deserving of the rank?

XPViking

edit: fixed a typo

edit again: The more I look at this the more I realize that I should have phrased my question better in the beginnning. Just to make sure: does the Korean military hand out black belts like candy to the conscripts who finish their mandatory 26 month (or longer) term of duty. Please note that I'm not referring to KATUSA soldiers or career-orientated soldiers. My mistake if that is how you interpreted my comments Emperor.

EmperorChrostas the Cruel · Post by **EmperorChrostas the Cruel** » 2002-07-31 03:48am

Sorry, I was a bit careless, and rushed throgh your post.
The belts the ROCs give out are earned. The intensity of training has to be seen to be believed. There is also tremendous peer presure. Plus most of these guys were not starting from scratch. These guys didn't just practice when on duty either. They would practice and spar for recreation! You can learn a lot in 26 months, and not all black belts are created equal anyhow. Being technicaly proficient, and knowing all the forms is not directly transferable to fighting skill. It helps a lot. Going in hot, hard, and fast, expecting to get hurt, and ruthlessly wanting to win is not always teachable. Eye of the tiger, and all that.
Whatever other bullshit about martial arts is floating around, all other things being equal, the bigger, stronger meaner fighter wins most of the time. When a smaller opponent beat a larger one, it is because he is:
In a skill class far above the bigger guy.
Doesn't hesitate, even for a fraction of a second, while the bigger guy does.
Gets lucky.
Is underestimated, to the point where if the bigger guy wants to humiliate the smaller guy, and thinks he can get away with it, rather than ends it as quick as possible.

Just remember that a black belt is for holding your gi closed, or spanking your girfriend, not for fighting.