On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:05:51 -0700, Andrew Sarangan wrote:

They might have a large combat force, but no way then can stand up to our
air and ground capability.

I don't believe it is that simple. They've some incredibly large number
of artillery pieces pointed at S. Korea. That is how N. Korea would
respond to any attack, which is why S. Korea has been wasting so much time
trying to deal.

Effectively, they're hostages.

Similarly, as someone else here pointed out, China is more afraid of
refugees from N. Korea than anything else. At least at the moment,
they've no reason to fear being the target of Kim Jong-il weapons.

[Though personally, I'd worry about where he might point them in the
future were I in China's place.]

- Andrew