The Korean situation

[raymondu999]

With tensions heating up in Korea - and even China (who usually is N. Korea's sole outside friend) backing away from N. Korea - I wonder - would any grands prix be cancelled if tensions build further?

As a Chinese myself (if you haven't already figured out from my signature) I am somewhat concerned for the situation, especially as I am so close to the action. Do you think any of the "oriental" grands prix have any chance of cancellation?

[Cam]

It would be a tad hypocritical if they cancelled any oriental GPs when they failed to cancel Bahrain. North Korean leadrship are too happy with their luxurious living to risk being wiped off the map - which is exactly what will happen if they start something. China are too happy migrating to capitalism to seriously step in - they're all happy driving luxury sport cars too. All talk.

....

[bhall]

Who knows? The whole situation is so unpredictable that I don't think even the players involved really know what's going on at this point. Is the new Dear Leader just trying to consolidate his position of power amongst hardliners in the KPA? Or does this man, someone who's lived his entire life behind the North Korean veil of ignorance, really believe he can achieve something of a victory through bellicose rhetoric or, worse yet, through the use of force? Every time I assure myself it's the former, he does something new that makes the latter seem more likely.

If this "thing" goes where it can go, I think the status of any grand prix will be inconsequential.

EDIT:

Which is why this is probably how the US feels right now.
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3toies/

Not at all.

[Lycoming]

They've been making more threats lately, but they're just as empty as the threats they've been making for the past few decades. The intimidation value of their declaration of a "state of war" with south korea is laughable; they've technically been at war continuously since 1950, as no peace treaty was ever signed. Their military wouldn't stand a chance against south korea, japan or the americans, and they struggle to make a missile than can deliver fissile material intact to a target the size of a country.

Will any GP's be cancelled? I highly doubt it.

[Cam]

someone who's lived his entire life behind the North Korean veil of ignorance

Isn't widely accepted he was schooled in Switzerland? By all accounts he has an exceptionally rounded education, including full knowledge of the western war machine's capabilities. His well known and obvious likes for all things American, including basketball (yes Rodman, we're looking at you) doesn't really seem to match the thinking he's lead a veiled life.

I can't buy his 'ignorance'. I can buy 'he's a puppet'. I can even buy he's a 'psychopath' but there's too many others positioned in between him and any buttons.

Maybe it's simply because someone took a pot shot at him in March and he's trying to show how strong he is.

Look at all the recent dictators that have lost or are currently loosing power - most of which went down fighting (or hiding in holes), none of which loosed a nuke, not even a dirty one.

The GP's will run, simply because Bernie probably has more power than L'il Kim.

[mx_tifoso]

Keep the lolitics and related stuff out, this can only remain strictly about F1 otherwise it'll be moved or just plainly locked.

Cheers!

[bhall]

Keep the lolitics and related stuff out, this can only remain strictly about F1 otherwise it'll be moved or just plainly locked.

Cheers!

Might as well go ahead and lock it. Without a discussion of the politics involved, all we can do is flip a coin.

[mx_tifoso]

Thanks for the heads up. (get it?)